In the past, the emperor established the country, and the vassals established their own fiefdoms. From nobles to commoners, everyone had their own rank and status. Therefore, commoners obeyed their superiors, and those below did not dare to have any disloyal thoughts. Confucius once said: "When the world is at peace, government runs smoothly without the ministers needing to constantly intervene." Each government department operated according to laws and regulations, fulfilling their duties, and if they were negligent, they would be punished. Corruption and bribery were also punishable. In this way, there was harmony between superiors and subordinates, and all kinds of matters could be handled well.
Later, the Zhou Dynasty weakened, and the levers of power fell into the hands of the vassals. After Duke Huan and Duke Wen, the power was inherited by the great ministers, while the attendants wielded great power. During the Warring States period, it became even more chaotic, with states attacking each other and desperately seeking power and profit. So the sons of various vassal states, like Lord Xinling of Wei, Lord Pingyuan of Zhao, Lord Mengchang of Qi, and Lord Chunshen of Chu, relied on the power of the royal nobles to become powerful retainers, engaging in all sorts of underhanded dealings, which were not only tolerated but also respected by everyone. Prime Minister Yu Qing of Zhao, for the sake of his friend, disregarded the country and the monarch, navigating the crisis between Wei and Qi; Lord Xinling stole the military seal, mobilized troops without authorization, and went to rescue Lord Pingyuan from danger. These individuals were all trying to elevate their status in front of the vassals, to make a name for themselves, and those who were braggarts and layabouts took these four heroes as role models. As a result, self-serving actions, prioritizing personal connections over national interests, became the norm, while loyalty to one's lord and duty vanished.
After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the law wasn't strictly enforced, and nobody cared to fix it. So prime ministers like Chen Xi traveled with a massive procession, and Wu Bi and the King of Huainan attracted thousands of guests. Court officials, like the Marquis of Wei Qi and the Marquis of Wuan, fought for power and profit; commoner knights, like Ju Meng and Guo Jie, ran roughshod over the common people, their influence spanned the land, even defying princes and dukes. The common people admired their reputation and deeds and wanted to be just like them. Even if they were eventually executed, they believed they died for glory, just like Ji Lu and Qiu Mu, who died without regret. Therefore, Zengzi once said, "The elite had lost their moral compass, and the people had been adrift for ages." If there were no wise rulers in power, using just laws to govern the land, how would the people know right from wrong and fix their errors?
Ancient law held that the Five Hegemons were the legacy of the Three Kings' criminals, and the Six States inherited the sins of the Hegemons. Local strongmen were simply the next generation of outlaws. Not to mention people like Guo Jie, who was just a commoner but held the power of life and death; his crimes should have been punished long ago. However, he was gentle and kind to others, generous in his kindness, helping the poor, humble and cautious, never boasting about himself—he had many admirable qualities. Unfortunately, his bad choices ultimately led to his ruin, and no one else can be blamed for that.
From the Marquis of Wei, Marquis of Wu'an, and King of Huainan onwards, the emperor really hated these regional powers. Wei Qing and Huo Qubing also changed their previous ways. However, local powerful families still existed, with the nobles in the capital city rolling in it, which has always been a common occurrence. Only during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han was the power of the Wang family, who were relatives of the emperor, the strongest, with Lou Hu serving as Grand General. During the reign of Wang Mang, Chen Zun was the most prominent among the court officials, while among the common people, Yuan She, the renowned swordsman, was the leader.
The Zhu family, natives of the State of Lu, lived during the same period as Emperor Gaozu of Han. The people of Lu followed Confucianism, but the Zhu family was renowned for their chivalry. They took in over a hundred tough guys, as well as countless common people. However, they never boasted of their achievements, doing good deeds quietly and anonymously. They always helped those who needed it most, starting with the poor. Despite having some wealth, they dressed modestly, ate simply, and rode in ox carts. They always put others' urgent matters before their own, even if it meant neglecting their own stuff. They once secretly helped Ji Bu out of a predicament, and although Ji Bu later rose to a high position, the Zhu family never went to see him. East of Hangu Pass, everyone wanted to be their friend.
Tian Zhong, a native of the State of Chu, was also renowned for his chivalry. He looked up to the Zhu family like they were his own parents, but believed himself to be far inferior to them. After Tian Zhong, there was Ju Meng.
Ju Meng was from Luoyang. During the Zhou Dynasty, many people became wealthy through business, but Ju Meng became famous for his chivalrous deeds. When Wu and Chu rebelled, the Taiwei served as the Grand Commandant and rode his horse eastwards. When he reached Henan, he met Ju Meng. The Taiwei joyfully said, "With all the trouble Wu and Chu are causing, and they didn't even ask Ju Meng for help? Figured they wouldn't get far!" At that time, the world was in chaos, and a guy like Ju Meng was a bigger threat to the court than any foreign power. Ju Meng was a gambler his whole life, enjoying games of chance for many years. However, when his mother passed away, he sent a thousand carriages to her funeral, even though she died far from home. But when he died, he didn't even leave ten copper coins behind. Wang Meng from Fuli was also famous for his chivalrous deeds in the Jianghuai region. At the time, the heroes Jianshi and Chen Zhoufu from Jinan were also well-known. Emperor Jing heard about them and sent people to kill them all. But later, more troublemakers popped up like weeds, including Zhu Bai from the Dai Kingdom, Han Wubie from the Liang Kingdom, Xue Kuang from Yangdi, and Han Ru from Shan County. Guo Jie was from Zhi County in Henan and was the grandson of Xu Fu, a renowned fortune teller. Guo Jie's father was also generous and righteous, but he was executed during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen. Guo Jie was calm and resolute, and he didn't drink alcohol. As a young man, he was a cold-blooded killer, quick to take revenge and even quicker to draw his sword. He often sought revenge for friends, stood up for justice, and even committed robbery, theft, and attacks. He faked money, robbed tombs – the list of his crimes was endless. However, he was lucky as hell, always escaping trouble as if he had a guardian angel.
As Guo Jie grew older, he turned over a new leaf, becoming frugal, returning good for evil, being generous to others, but not caring much about rewards. However, he increasingly played the hero. Even though he had saved someone's life, he did not boast about his achievements, and he still held grudges as before. Many young people admired his behavior and would take revenge on his behalf, behind his back.
Guo Jie's nephew, relying on Guo Jie's reputation, drank with others and demanded that people pour his wine. When someone refused, thinking it was not their duty, Guo Jie's nephew forced them. The man, enraged, stabbed Guo Jie's nephew and ran. Guo Jie's sister was furious, saying, "Using old-school methods to kill my son, the thief is still at large!" She threw her son's body on the roadside, refusing to bury him, wanting to humiliate Guo Jie. Guo Jie secretly found out the whereabouts of his nephew's killer. Cornered, the killer gave himself up and told Guo Jie everything. Guo Jie said, "You did what you had to; my son had it coming." He then released the killer, punished his nephew, and buried his nephew. Many people heard about this incident and had even more respect for Guo Jie.
There was a man named Guo Jie, whom everyone else avoided. Only one guy sat there, legs sprawled out, watching him openly. Guo Jie asked him his name, and the man wanted to kill him. Guo Jie said, "Folks in this town don't hold me in high regard, that's my fault, not his!" So he secretly asked the prison warden, "I value this person; let him go when the shift changes." Every time shift change came, Guo Jie went several times, and the guards did not question him. Feeling strange, they asked for the reason, and Guo Jie asked the guard to release the man. The guy, legs still sprawled, just bowed his head in apology. When young people heard about this, they admired Guo Jie even more.
There was a nasty feud brewing in Luoyang, and the city's bigwigs tried mediating—ten times over, no luck. The person then went to Guo Jie. Guo Jie met the enemy at night, and surprisingly, the enemy listened to his mediation. Guo Jie said to the enemy, "I heard that the officials in Luoyang have tried to mediate many times without success. Now you are lucky to listen to my mediation. How can I steal the thunder of those big shots from other counties?" So he left that night without anyone knowing, saying, "Don't worry, let the powerful people in Luoyang mediate after I leave."
Guo Jie was short in stature, humble, and frugal. He never rode a horse and wouldn't dream of taking a carriage to the county seat. When he went to other counties to help others with their affairs, if he could fix it, great. If not, he made sure everyone was happy before he even thought about food. So the bigwigs all loved him, practically fighting over him to handle their problems. City kids and rich folks from the surrounding counties would show up at his place in the dead of night—sometimes a dozen carriages strong—begging him to put them up and look after them.
When Guo Jie was transferred to Maoling, he was very poor, and his property was not enough to cover the confiscation. The officials were afraid to disobey the order. General Wei pleaded for him, saying, "Guo Jie's family is poor, and his property is not enough to cover the confiscation." The emperor replied, "Guo Jie is a commoner, but his influence is so great that even the general has to speak for him. How can he be considered poor?" Guo Jie was moved, and he was seen off by countless people. Yang Jizhu, a county official in Zhi County, oppressed Guo Jie, and Guo Jie's nephew killed Yang Jizhu. When Guo Jie entered Guanzhong, the elite, both those who knew him and those who did not, all wanted to befriend him. The people in the city killed Yang Jizhu, and his family went to the court to file a complaint. After hearing this, the emperor sent officials to arrest Guo Jie. Guo Jie fled, leaving his mother and family in Xiayang, and he escaped to Linjin. There was a man named Ji Shaoweng in Linjin who did not know Guo Jie at all but still let him pass. Ji Shaoweng let Guo Jie go, and Guo Jie went to Taiyuan, keeping everyone he met informed of his location. The officials traced Ji Shaoweng, who killed himself immediately. It took a long time to catch Guo Jie and investigate his crimes, and all the people Guo Jie killed were before the general amnesty. A Confucian scholar sat in front of the envoy, and when guests praised Guo Jie, the scholar said, "Guo Jie relied on trickery to break the law. How can he be considered a virtuous man?" When Guo Jie's guests heard this, they killed the scholar and cut off his tongue. The officials then investigated Guo Jie's responsibility, but Guo Jie truly did not know who killed the scholar, and the killer was never found. The officials reported that Guo Jie was innocent. However, Grand Minister Gongsun Hong said, "Guo Jie, a commoner, acted with righteousness and chivalry. Killing someone over a minor grudge, even if Guo Jie did not know about it, is a more serious offense than if he did. It is simply unforgivable!" Therefore, his entire family was executed.
Since then, although there were many tough guys, none of them were worth a damn. However, Fan Zhongzi from Chang'an in Guanzhong, Zhao Wangsun from Huai Li, Gao Gongzi from Chang Ling, Guo Wengzhong from Xihe, Lu Wengru from Taiyuan, Er Changqing from Linhuai, and Chen Junru from Dongyang, although they were tough guys, they were humble and courteous, and acted like real gentlemen. As for those from the northern road, the Yao family, the Zhu Du family from the western road, Qiu Jing from the southern road, Zhao Tuoyu Gongzi from the eastern road, and Zhao Diao from Nanyang, these people were basically just criminals, not worth mentioning at all! This is something only yokels would be ashamed of.
Yu Zhang, known as Zixia, was from Chang'an. The city of Chang'an was bustling with people, and each neighborhood had its own heroes. Yu Zhang lived in Liushi in the west of the city, known as "Yu Zhang Zixia of the West City." He worked for the magistrate of Jingzhao and followed him to the imperial palace to serve. The princes and nobles in the palace competed to pay their respects to him, but no one talked to the magistrate. Yu Zhang was so scared that he trembled, and later the magistrate didn't take him into the palace anymore.
He had a good relationship with the Imperial Secretary Shi Xian, and thus his place was always buzzing with visitors. In the early reign of Emperor Cheng, Shi Xian was dismissed from office for being corrupt and was sent back to his hometown. Shi Xian was wealthy, and when he was about to leave, he left behind millions of dollars worth of stuff, wanting to give it to Yu Zhang, but Yu Zhang did not accept. When asked why, Yu Zhang sighed, "Being just a regular person, I have received Mr. Shi's favor. Now that Mr. Shi's family has fallen and he can't even settle himself, if I accept his wealth, it will bring disaster to the Shi family. What good would that do?" Everyone admired and praised him for his decision.
During the Heping period, Wang Zun became the magistrate of Jingzhao and started going after the tough guys. He killed Yu Zhang, as well as Jian Zhanghui, Zhao Jun from Jiushi, and Jia Ziguang, all of whom were famous heroes in Chang'an, taking revenge for others and training killers.
Lou Hu, whose style name was Junqing, was from the state of Qi. His father was a doctor, and Lou Hu followed him to practice medicine in Chang'an from a young age, visiting the homes of officials and nobles. He was well-versed in medical books, materia medica, and various medical skills, with tens of thousands of characters. Many elders admired him for his talent, saying, "With talents like Junqing, why not become an official?" So, Lou Hu said goodbye to his father, started studying the classics, and worked as an official in Jingzhao Prefecture for several years, gaining a good reputation.
At that time, the Wang family was in power, with many guests coming and going. The five marquis brothers competed with each other for fame and fortune, and their guests had different biases, making it hard to stay on everyone's good side. Only Lou Hu could enter their mansions and win them over. He made friends with scholars and officials, winning over everyone, especially the elders, who were especially fond of him. Despite his short stature, he had good eloquence and always stuck to his principles in discussions, commanding respect from his listeners. He and Gu Yong were both regular visitors of the five marquises, and people in Chang'an would say, "Gu Ziyun was known for his writing, and Lou Junqing for his speaking," describing how highly they were valued. Thousands of carriages attended his mother's funeral, and a song was sung in his honor: "The Five Marquises' mourning was led by Lou Junqing."
Later, Ping Ahou recommended Lou Hu as a person of integrity and appointed him as a censor, sending him on missions to various places. Lou Hu traveled with a lavish entourage and substantial funds. Passing through the Qi State, he requested to pay respects to his ancestors' graves, meet with relatives and friends, and lavish hundreds of gold coins daily based on their relationships. After returning from his missions, he reported his work to the court, which pleased the emperor and led to his promotion as the prefect of Tianshui. After a few years, he retired and returned to live in Chang'an. At that time, Chengdu Hou Shang served as the Grand Marshal and wanted to visit Lou Hu after leaving court. His chief secretary advised against it, but Chengdu Hou Shang still went to Lou Hu's home. Lou Hu's home was very small, and the officials stood waiting under their carriages. After waiting for a long time and with rain approaching, the chief secretary said to the officials from the Western Court, "He wouldn't listen, so there they were, stuck in the alley waiting to get soaked!" When Chengdu Hou Shang returned and heard about this, he was very angry and dismissed the chief secretary for not advising him properly, making sure he'd never get another job.
Later, Lou Hu was recommended again to serve as the prefect of Guanghan. During the Yuan Shi era, Wang Mang served as the Prince of Anhan, holding great power. Wang Mang's eldest son, Wang Yu, and his brother-in-law, Lu Kuan, plotted to blood the gates of Wang Mang's mansion, hoping to scare him into relinquishing power. When the plot was exposed, Wang Mang was furious and killed Wang Yu, while Lu Kuan escaped. Lu Kuan's father had known Lou Hu before, and when Lu Kuan fled to Guanghan and passed by Lou Hu's place, he did not tell him about the incident. A few days later, a decree to capture Lu Kuan arrived, and Lou Hu arrested him. Wang Mang was delighted and summoned Lou Hu to appoint him as the former Radiant, granting him the title of Lord of Xixiang and ensuring his son was appointed to one of the Nine Ministries.
So, the story goes, before Wang Mang seized the throne, the man named Wang Mang, who had not yet become emperor, lived in his residence in Mangju. In that area, there were some agitators named Zhao Peng and Huo Hong, who caused disturbances with a group of followers, reaching the place where Wang Mang lived. At that time, he was just a low-ranking official, relying on their protection to avoid being demoted to a commoner. During his time in office, they pocketed all his rewards, salary, and bribes. Later, when Wang Mang no longer held office and those five marquises had all died—who had previously supported him—he himself had grown old, lost his power and influence, and his former friends had also dispersed.
When Wang Mang seized power, due to their previous relationship, he brought him back and appointed him as a minor official in the outskirts of Louji. At this time, the son of the Marquis of Chengdu, Shang Yi, became the Chief Minister with great power. Shang Yi's former friends all flattered him, except for Wang Mang, who remained unchanged. Instead, Shang Yi respected him like a father and did not dare to neglect him. Once, when Shang Yi hosted a banquet, Wang Mang sat at the table, respectfully offering wine to Shang Yi, saying, "Let me offer you a toast, sir!" Over a hundred people present all stood up and knelt down, except for Wang Mang, who sat there upright, still smiling at Shang Yi and saying, "My lord, how does it feel to be so powerful?"
As for Wang Mang, he had an old friend named Lu Gong who had no sons, so he entrusted his care to Wang Mang. They ate and lived together, and their wives also shared a household. When Wang Mang left office and returned home, his wife found Lu Gong increasingly difficult to live with. When Wang Mang found out, he tearfully rebuked his wife, saying, "Lu Gong is my old friend; he is old and has no one to rely on. He entrusted everything to me, and I should take good care of him!" So, Wang Mang continued to support Lu Gong until his death. After Wang Mang's death, his son inherited his marquisate.
Then there's another guy named Chen Zun, (his formal name was Menggong), and he was from Duling. His grandfather was named Chen Sui, (his style name was Zhangzi). When Emperor Xuan of Han was young, he was friends with Chen Sui, and they often played chess and gambled together. Chen Sui was always losing to the Emperor. When Emperor Xuan became emperor, he promoted Chen Sui and eventually made him the governor of Taiyuan. The Emperor even wrote him a letter that said: "Hey Taiyuan Governor, your job's sweet, your paycheck's fat – you can finally win back all that dough you lost to me. And tell the wife!" Chen Sui was quick to thank him and said, "That was before the big pardon in the first year of Yuanping." See? The Emperor really looked after him! Later, during the reign of Emperor Yuan, Chen Sui was summoned to the capital city and became the mayor of Chang'an, eventually rising to the position of chief justice.
When Chen Zun was young, he lost his father and served as an official in Jingzhao with Zhang Song and Bo Song. Zhang Song was knowledgeable, understanding, and honest, while Chen Zun was dissolute and behaved quite differently. Despite their contrasting characters, they had a good relationship. During the reign of Emperor Ai, both of them were well-known and considered role models by later generations. They were both appointed to government offices, where most officials rode simple vehicles, thin horses, and wore plain clothes. However, Chen Zun was fastidious about his carriage, horses, and clothing, and there was always a constant buzz of activity in front of his house. He often came home drunk, delaying official business. The Western Secretariat wanted to punish him according to the rules, but a subordinate official would report to Chen Zun, and he would always say, "Don't bother me until I've reached my quota of mistakes." According to the rules, one must be punished after making a hundred mistakes, and only then would the Western Secretariat report for punishment. The Grand Commandant Ma Gong, who highly regarded Chen Zun, said, "This person has great talent and a broad mind. How can we blame him for such trivial matters?" So he recommended Chen Zun to manage some difficult counties in the Three Commanderies and appointed him as the magistrate of Yuyi County. Eventually, he had a conflict with the Prefect of Fufeng and quit his job.
Zhao Peng and Huo Hong, two notorious thieves from Huai Li, emerged. Chen Zun was appointed as a military officer and defeated Zhao Peng and Huo Hong, earning merit and was subsequently ennobled as the Marquis of Jiawei. He lived in Chang'an, where the marquis, courtiers, and influential figures from the provinces all respected him greatly. Local officials and heroes who came to the capital all paid visits to Chen Zun. Chen Zun was particularly fond of drinking. Every time he threw a drinking feast, the guests crowded the house. He'd then lock the door, toss their carriage axles down the well, stranding his guests regardless of how pressing their business. Once, a regional inspector came to report to him while he was drinking. The inspector was very anxious, but when Chen Zun was dead drunk, he burst in and met Chen Zun's mother, who allowed him to leave through the back door. Despite his constant inebriation, he never shirked his duties.
He was over eight feet tall, with a large head and a big nose, looking very imposing. He had a smattering of history and a talent for poetry. He excelled in calligraphy, and his letters were prized possessions for their recipients. Nobody dared cross him. He commanded universal respect, nobody daring to slight him. At that time, there was another marquis with the same name as Chen Zun. Whenever he arrived at someone's doorstep, people would say, "It's Marquis Chen Meng!" The household would be thrown into a panic, but upon seeing that it was not Chen Zun, they nicknamed him "Chen Jingzuo" (literally, "Chen Startles-the-Seated").
Wang Mang thought Wang Zun was a real whiz, and he got rave reviews while in office, so he made him the administrator of Henan. As soon as Wang Zun took office, he sent a lowly clerk to the west to deliver letters, and at the same time called ten scribes to help him write thank-you notes to his old friends in the capital. Sitting at the table, he dictated the contents of the letters, and the scribes dashed them off. He tailored each letter to its recipient while also handling official business, writing hundreds of letters in one go. This caused a stir in Henan. Within months, he was dismissed because of this.
At first, when Wang Zun became the administrator of Henan, his brother Wang Ji became the administrator of Jingzhou. When they took office, they both passed through Chang'an and went to a wealthy household together. It was the family of the Prince of Huaiyang, surnamed Zuo. They threw a party there. Later, the censor Chen Chong learned about this and ratted them out, saying, "The brothers Wang Zun and Wang Ji are both very fortunate, receiving the emperor's favor and rising in official ranks. Wang Zun was appointed as a marquis and served as a county magistrate, while Wang Ji became a governor and carried out his duties. Their responsibilities are to uphold the law and set a good example, but they cannot behave themselves. When Wang Zun just took office, he took the county magistrate's carriage to a small alley in the countryside and hit on a widow named Zuo Ajun, drinking, singing, and dancing at her place. He even nodded off in his seat, spending the night at her house with his maid looking after him. Wang Zun clearly knew that drinking and feasting should be moderate, and that it is improper to enter a widow's home, but he got drunk and chased women, disgraced his office, which is a total disgrace! I request that they both be dismissed!" After Wang Zun was dismissed, he returned to Chang'an, where his parties got even bigger.
A long time later, he was appointed as the Governor of Jiujiang and Hanoi, holding the rank of 2,000-stone official three times in total. Zhang Song also became the Governor of Danyang and was titled the Marquis of Shude. Later, both of them were removed from office and returned to Chang'an with their marquis titles. Zhang Song lived a relatively poor life, with few guests; occasionally, some admirers would come to seek advice from him, discussing ancient texts. Wang Zun, on the other hand, spent his days surrounded by friends, with his house always full of visitors and their carriages and horses, and constant feasting.
There was a eunuch named Yang Xiong who wrote a piece called "Ode to Wine" to advise Emperor Cheng of Han. In his article, he said that those who are addicted to wine are like bottles. Imagine a bottle perched precariously by a well: one wrong move, and it shatters. When the wine bottle is filled with wine, it cannot contain anything else and can only be trapped by the well, unable to move. Once it is broken, it becomes shattered, its usefulness destroyed. So, it's better to be a wineskin instead! Sure, a wineskin's a bit silly, with a belly like a large wine jar, always filled with wine, and others have to borrow from it to drink. It's government property, placed in the carriage, entering and leaving the palace, serving the country. So, what's the problem with wine?
Emperor Cheng of Han, Liu Ao, was delighted to hear this and said to Zhang Song, "My situation with you is like that of the bottle and the wineskin, right? You devote yourself to study, demanding of yourself, never daring to slack off, while I indulge in pleasure, with no less official position and fame than you, yet I am happier, don't you agree?" Zhang Song replied, "Everyone has their own aspirations and ways of living. You cannot be like me even if you wanted to, and I cannot imitate you if I wanted to. However, those who follow my example are more likely to succeed, while those who follow yours will likely fail. That's my philosophy."
Later, Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty, and both of these men sought refuge in Chiyang. As a result, Zhang Song was killed by rebel troops. Emperor Gengshi, Liu Xuan, arrived in Chang'an, and the ministers recommended Liu Zun to serve as the Supreme Commander, also sending him and Liu Sa, the Marquis of Guidi, to negotiate with the Xiongnu. The Chanyu wanted to threaten Liu Zun, but Liu Zun argued with reason, clearly explaining the stakes and the justice of the matter. The Chanyu was deeply impressed by him and sent him back. Later, Emperor Gengshi failed, and Liu Zun remained in Shuofang, where he was defeated by rebel troops. At that time, he was also drunk and was killed in this way.
Now, let's talk about Yuan She, with the courtesy name of Juxian. His grandfather, known for his heroism, moved from Yangdi to Maoling during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. Yuan She's father served as the Nanyang prefect during the reign of Emperor Ai of Han. At that time, the world was prosperous, and in large counties like Nanyang, high-ranking officials had taxes and funeral expenses amounting to vast sums. This money was enjoyed together by wives and children to consolidate the family's wealth. Moreover, few people completed the three-year mourning period. However, after Yuan She's father passed away, he returned all the gifts from Nanyang and observed mourning at home for three years, thus gaining great fame. After the mourning period, the people of Fufeng County requested him to serve as a magistrate, and many people followed his example in dress and manners. The Grand Minister Shi Dan believed in his governing ability and recommended him to serve as the magistrate of Gugou County when he was in his twenties. When the people of Gugou County heard of his reputation, they all became well-behaved without needing to be told.
Firstly, it is mentioned that She's uncle was killed by the Maoling Qin clan. She stayed in the valley for half a year, voluntarily resigned, and sought revenge. The influential people in the valley helped him kill the Qin clan, making him a fugitive. He was on the run for over a year and only came out after encountering a general amnesty. Local heroes from various counties, as well as those with integrity in Chang'an and Wuling, particularly admired him. She made every effort to interact with them, and his doorstep was worn down by visitors, filling the entire neighborhood with guests.
Some people criticized She, saying, "You were born into a family of high-ranking officials, living a virtuous life from a young age, honoring your parents, doing good deeds, and showing courtesy. Now, to avenge a wrong, you act so dignified, as if you haven't lost your sense of righteousness and morality. Why did you later indulge yourself and become one of those roguish adventurers?" She replied, "Haven't you seen those widows who have fallen on hard times and are destitute? They also started out well-behaved, aspiring to be as virtuous as Song Boji and Chen Xiaofu. Unfortunately, once they are defiled by thieves, they become licentious. Although they know it is wrong, they cannot turn back. My current situation is the same as theirs!"
I heard about She from Nanyang. He thought that by giving up a grand funeral in Nanyang for someone else, he gained a good reputation but neglected his ancestors' graves, which is not filial. So he went all out building tombs and houses, with surrounding corridors and ornate doors. Initially, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the Cao family, the magistrate of Jingzhao, was buried at Maoling. The common people called that road "Jingzhao Road" (京兆千). She admired it and bought land to build a road, erecting a stele that read "Nanyang Road" (南阳千). However, no one walked on that road, instead calling it "Yuanshi Road" (原氏千). He funded the road by soliciting donations from the wealthy and elders. He himself dressed plainly, rode in simple carriages, and lived in a humble manner, while his wife and children lived in hardship. He was solely focused on helping people in need, always ready to lend a hand.
Once, someone hosted a banquet and invited He to drink. He entered the alley and happened to meet an acquaintance who told him that his mother was sheltering in an alley house because of her illness. He immediately went to visit and knocked on the door. The family possessed nothing, so He went in to offer condolences and inquire about the funeral arrangements. He said, "Just ensure the place is cleaned and prepared, and I'll handle everything else." He returned to the host's house and sighed to the guests, "There's been a death in the family, and nothing has been done yet; how can I have the heart to drink? I would like to ask everyone to remove the food and drinks." The guests asked what to do, so He sat and carved a list of necessities on a piece of wood, assigning them to the guests to buy. The guests rushed around, and by the afternoon, everything was purchased. He personally checked everything and said to the host, "I'm ready for my reward." Everyone had a meal together, but He didn't eat much. Then he took the coffin and offerings, followed the guests to the mourning family, helped prepare the body for burial, and oversaw the funeral arrangements until the burial. This is how eager he was to help others. Later, someone slandered He, calling him a "ruthless power-monger." The family members of the deceased immediately killed the slanderer right then and there.
A bunch of his guests had gotten into trouble with the law, and the whole thing was reported to the Emperor. Wang Mang tried to have them all whacked a few times, but chickened out each time. Yang She was spooked and figured he'd get a government job to lay low and avoid those guys. When his mom died, he was working security at the tomb. He got a cushy job as a Zhonglang, but quit after a short while. Yang She wanted to visit his mother's grave and didn't want to see those guests, so he secretly made an appointment with old friends to visit the grave together. He drove his own car out to Maoling. It was almost dark when he got there, and he hid himself in the village. He sent his servant to get some meat, but the guy got into a brawl with the butcher, cut the poor fella, and ran off. The new county magistrate, Yin Gong, hadn't even met Yang She yet when he heard about this. He was furious. Yin Gong knew Yang She was a big shot, so he figured he'd make an example of him and sent the cops after him. By noon, the servant was still MIA, and the cops were ready to off Yang She. Yang She was freaking out, not knowing what to do. Just then, his friends showed up – dozens of carts full of bigwigs – and they all begged Yin Gong to let him go. Yin Gong said no at first, but the big shots said, "Look, just make the servant strip naked, tie himself up, stick arrows in his ears, and march him to the courthouse to confess. That'll save face, right?" Yin Gong agreed. Yang She did as they said, confessed, and was set free.
At first, Yang She was friends with the wealthy Qi Taibo, but Qi Taibo's younger brother Wang Yougong was always jealous of Yang She. At that time, when he was a small-time official in the county government, he said to Yin Gong, "If you keep humiliating Yang She like this, and if the emperor really sends you back to be a low-level bureaucrat, he's got a whole army of assassins, silent killers; just thinking about it is chilling. He built a tomb that exceeded regulations; his crimes are as plain as day, and the emperor will know sooner or later. In my opinion, just tear down his tomb, report his past crimes to the court, and you'll get promoted. That way, he won't dare to blame you." Yin Gong believed his words, and sure enough, Wang Mang yanked him back. Yang She therefore held a grudge against Wang Yougong. He rounded up his cronies and sent his oldest son with twenty carts to raid Wang Yougong's place. Wang Yougong's mother was Qi Taibo's mother, and when those guests saw her, they all knelt down and paid their respects, saying, "Watch out, you don't want to upset Lady Qi!" In the end, they killed Wang Yougong's father and son, and even cut off their heads.
Now, this Wang She, his character is a bit like that Guo Jie from back then. He was all smiles and politeness, a wolf in sheep's clothing, but with a killer instinct. He'd kill you over a spilled cup of tea, and he had a body count to prove it. In the late years of Wang Mang, the world was in chaos, uprisings broke out everywhere, and many princes and nobles recommended Wang She, saying he was good at winning people's hearts and leading troops into battle, a talent that could be used. Wang Mang summoned him, listed a long list of his crimes, and in the end, instead of killing or punishing him, he appointed him as the top dog in Zhenrong.
Not long after Wang She took office, Chang'an fell. All over the place, fake officials popped up, raising armies, killing the old guard, and pledging allegiance to Liu Xiu's Han forces. Those who'd hitched their wagon to Wang She, the Wang Mang governor, owed him their lives. Later, Wang She was escorted back to Chang'an, and Gengshi Emperor's Western Screen General, Shentu Jian, wanted to see him and valued him highly. Yin Gong, the former Maoling magistrate, had trashed Wang She's place, yet Shentu Jian promoted him to chief clerk. Wang She didn't seem to hold a grudge.
After Wang She followed Shentu Jian out, Yin Gong specially went to visit him and said, "Things have changed, let's forget about it, okay?" When Wang She heard this, he was furious and cursed, "Yin Jun, what the hell do you think I am?!" Because of this, Wang She sent someone to assassinate Yin Gong.
Wang She wanted to escape, and Shentu Jian felt ashamed and resentful, but pretended to say, "I'm about to team up with Yuan Ju to defend the Sanfu region. Are we gonna throw all that away over some two-bit clerk?" Then he deliberately leaked the news to let Wang She surrender to the prison by himself, pretending to agree. So they sent Wang She to jail in a motorcade of dozens of carts. But halfway there, Shentu Jian ambushed them, scattered the convoy, and had Wang She killed right then and there. Then they hung his body in the Chang'an marketplace as a warning.
Starting from the time of Emperor Ai and Emperor Ping, there were many influential figures in various regions, but very few made a real name for themselves. Among those whose reputation spread throughout the provinces were Du Jun'ao of Baling, Han Youru of Chiyang, Xiu Junbin of Ma Ling, and Cao Zhongshu of Xihe, all of whom had an unassuming nature. During Wang Mang's reign, fearing these figures, he hunted them down to wipe them out. Wang Mang especially wanted to capture Cao Zhongshu, but he could never catch him. Cao Zhongshu had a good relationship with General Sun Jian, and Wang Mang suspected that Sun Jian was hiding him, so he grilled Sun Jian. Sun Jian replied, "Go ahead and kill me if you want to shut me up." Wang Mang was a ruthless tyrant who couldn't stand opposition, but seeing Sun Jian so resolute, he surprisingly backed down and ultimately did not capture Cao Zhongshu. Later, Cao Zhongshu's son, Shao You, also became famous for his chivalry.
