Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 9 Scroll 17 (continued)
The 2nd year of the Emperor Wu’s Jianyuan Era (139 B.C. continued)
After Dou Ying and Tian Fen were removed from their positions, they retired to their respective homes. Although Tian Fen held no official role, he remained close to Empress Dowager Wang and continued to exert considerable influence. Many scholars and officials who sought power and favor left Dou Ying to assemble under Tian Fen, thereby enhancing his predominance.
On February 1 of the spring, there was a solar eclipse.
On March 20, Marquis of Baizhi, Xu Chang, who served as the Minister of Ceremonies, was appointed as the Chancellor.
Initially, the Marquis of Tangyi, Chen Wu, was married to the Emperor’s paternal aunt, Princess Guantao, Liu Piao. Princess Guantao held considerable influence in the designation of Crown Prince to Liu Che. She arranged for her daughter to marry the Emperor when he became Crown Prince, and later, when he ascended the throne, this daughter became the Empress Chen.
Princess Guantao, feeling secure in her position due to her merit, sought various privileges and made endless demands, which concerned the Emperor greatly. The Empress Chen was proud and jealous, monopolizing his affections, but she was unable to bear children despite spending an enormous amount of money on medical care, nine hundred million coins, in pursuit of an heir. Unfortunately, her efforts were in vain, and her favor with the Emperor began to wane.
Empress Dowager Wang, the Emperor’s mother, warned him about the delicate situation: “You have just ascended the throne, and the senior ministers have not yet fully pledged their allegiance. The construction of the Mingtang has already angered Grand Empress Dowager Dou, and now you’ve crossed the Princess Guantao. You risk incurring grave displeasure from powerful women. Women’s feelings are fickle; you must tread carefully!”
The Emperor, heeding wise counsel, extended more grace to Princess Guantao and Empress Chen.
In the course of a journey to the Bashang, the Emperor stopped by his eldest sister Princess Pingyang’s house, where he was entertained by a singer named Wei Zifu and liked her. Her mother had once served as a maid to Princess Pingyang. Princess Pingyang then presented her to the palace. Wei Zifu soon found favor in the Emperor’s eyes and was held in high esteem. When Empress Chen became aware of this, she was seized by jealousy and, in her despair, made repeated attempts upon her own life. Her conduct bred resentment in the Emperor’s heart and widened the rift between them.
Wei Zifu’s younger brother by the same mother was Wei Qing. Wei Qing’s father, Zheng Ji, had formerly held a minor office in Pingyang County, in the service of the Marquis of Pingyang (Princess Pingyang’s husband). Having engaged in illicit relations with a maid in the Marquis of Pingyang’s household, Maid Wei(Wei Zifu’s mother), he begot Wei Qing. In order to conceal this affair, the child was given the surname Wei.
As he came of age, Wei Qing entered service as a cavalryman serving the Marquis of Pingyang as a slave. In time, however, misfortune befell him: Princess Guantao had him seized and intended to put him to death. His friend, the royal horseman Gongsun Ao, gathered several stout men and broke into the Princess’s quarters, rescued Wei Qing. When this was reported to the Emperor, he summoned Wei Qing to the court, appointed him Director of the Jianzhang Palace, and conferred upon him the title of Palace Attendant. Over the span of several days, Weiqing was bestowed with thousands of gold coins.
In time, the Emperor elevated Wei Zifu to the rank of Madame, and Wei Qing was promoted to Grandee of the Palace.
In April of summer, a star appeared, shining as brightly as the sun, visible even in the night.
At that time, Maoling Township, the site of the Imperial Mausoleum, was first established.
Many ministers memorialized, contending that Chao Cuo‘s policies had been unjustly criticized as oppressive. Seeking to further diminish the power of the feudal lords, they incessantly reported the faults of the princes, magnified their misdeeds, seized upon minor offenses, and flogged the subordinates to implicate their masters. None among the feudal lords were free from grief and resentment.
The 3rd year of the Emperor Wu’s Jianyuan Era (138 B.C.)
In the tenth month of winter, Liu Deng, Prince of Dai; Liu Fa, Prince of Changsha; Liu Sheng, Prince of Zhongshan; and Liu Ming, Prince of Jichuan, came to the capital to pay homage. The Emperor held a banquet in their honor. When Prince Liu Sheng heard the music, he wept. The Emperor inquired of the cause, and Liu Sheng replied, “Those who grieve should not be burdened with moaning, nor those who worry with untimely sighs. Now my heart has long been heavy; when I hear the music of the court, my tears flow unbidden. I have been fortunate to be placed in the eastern vassalage by Your Majesty’s side and honored with the title of imperial brother. Yet many among Your Majesty’s officials, neither bound by kinship nor entrusted with great duties, form factions, promote one another, and exclude the imperial clan. Thus blood ties melt away like ice. I grieve profoundly!” He then enumerated the misdeeds of the ministers.
Hearing this, the Emperor bestowed greater honors upon the vassal princes, overlooking the memorials submitted by the ministers regarding the princes, and showed the princes renewed familial affection.
The Yellow River overflowed its banks and flooded the plains.
There was a great famine; people resorted to cannibalism.
In July of autumn, a comet appeared in the northwest.
Prince Liu Ming of Jichuan was accused of murdering his attendant; he was deposed and banished to Fangling.
When the insurrections of the Seven Principalities were quelled, Liu Ju, a son of the Prince of Wu, fled to Minyue, blaming the Kingdom of Dong’ou for the death of his father. Ever harboring enmity, he urged the King of Minyue to strike at Dong’ou. The King, heeding his counsel, dispatched troops to besiege Dong’ou.
The King of Dong’ou thereupon sent a swift envoy to the Han court, petitioning for aid. The Emperor consulted Tian Fen. Tian Fen said, “Among the states of the Yue, mutual aggression and betrayal are their constant ways. Since the time of Qin, they have been unruly and disloyal; it is not fitting that the Middle Kingdom troubles itself for their sake.”
Zhuang Zhu spoke against this, “It is a matter of righteousness to succor the distressed. When aid is within reach, how can one refuse it? In the time when Qin fell, it was not only the Yue who forsook allegiance, but all under Heaven who rose against tyranny. Now a small state, beset by calamity, turns to us for salvation. If Your Majesty declines to assist, whither shall they turn? If such appeals are disregarded, how shall the myriad states hold to their loyalty?”
The Emperor said, “The Grand Commandant’s counsel is of no merit. I have but newly ascended the throne; I do not wish to issue the tiger tally lightly and summon the troops of the commanderies and principalities.” Nevertheless, he dispatched Zhuang Zhu, granting him a token of authority to levy forces from Kuaiji Commandery.
The Prefect of Kuaiji disobeyed the order and withheld his troops. Zhuang Zhu executed one of the officers of Kuaiji, a major, to manifest his resolve. Thus, with severity displayed, he raised an army and set forth by sea to relieve Dong’ou. Yet before his forces could arrive, the King of Minyue had already withdrawn his troops.
The King of Dong’ou then memorialized the throne, requesting to relocate his people and place them under the protection of Han. The Emperor approved. Thus the King gathered his subjects and resettled them between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers.
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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