Biographies of Harsh Officials, No. 62
Confucius said: “Guide the people with governmental orders and regulate them with penalties, and they will avoid wrongdoing but have no sense of shame. Guide them with virtue and regulate them with ritual, and they will have a sense of shame and also correct themselves.” Laozi said: “The highest virtue does not consider itself virtuous, therefore it truly has virtue; the lowest virtue never loses sight of its virtue, therefore it has no virtue. The more detailed the laws and decrees, the more thieves and robbers there are.” The Grand Historian says: These words are truly correct! Laws and penalties are tools of governance, not the root of political purity or corruption. In former times, the net of the law under Heaven was once very tight, yet deceitful and fraudulent deeds continued endlessly, to the point where superiors and subordinates evaded responsibility from each other, until the state could no longer function. In those days, officials governed as if putting out a fire or cooling boiling water with a ladle—pressed by urgency. If not for brave, vigorous, harsh, and severe men, how could they handle the task with competence and ease! Those who cultivated virtue fell short in their duties. Hence it is said: “In hearing litigation, I am like others; the essential thing is to make litigation cease altogether.” “When the inferior man hears of the Way, he laughs loudly at it.” These are not empty words. When the Han dynasty arose, it pared away sharp corners to make things round, cut off ornamentation to restore simplicity, and the net of the law was wide enough to let a fish that could swallow a boat slip through. Yet the governance of officials flourished, and they did not commit wrongdoing, while the people were at peace and security. From this perspective, the key to governance lies in virtue and ritual, not in harsh laws and severe punishments.
During the time of Empress Lü, the only harsh official was Hou Feng. He was cruel and oppressive toward the imperial clan, and bullied and insulted the meritorious ministers. After the Lü clan fell, the court executed Hou Feng and his entire family. Under Emperor Xiaojing, Chao Cuo was severe and harsh, using cunning and authority to aid his natural talents. When the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms occurred, the feudal kings were enraged at Chao Cuo, and he was ultimately killed as a result. After this came men like Xi Du and Ning Cheng.
Xi Du was a man of Yang County. He served Emperor Xiaowen as a Gentleman. Under Emperor Xiaojing, Xi Du became a Commander of the Palace Gentlemen. He was bold in offering direct remonstrances and would refute high ministers face-to-face in court. Once, he accompanied the emperor to the Shanglin Park. Consort Jia went to the latrine, and a wild boar suddenly burst in. The emperor signaled Xi Du with his eyes, but Xi Du did not move. The emperor wanted to take a weapon himself to rescue Consort Jia. Xi Du knelt before the emperor and said: “If one consort dies, another will take her place. What the empire lacks is not someone like Consort Jia. Even if Your Majesty thinks little of yourself, how can you face the ancestral temple and the Empress Dowager?” The emperor then turned back, and the boar also left. When the Empress Dowager heard of this, she rewarded Xi Du with one hundred catties of gold and thereafter held him in high regard.
In Ji’nan Commandery, the Jian clan had over three hundred households of the same lineage. They were violent and cunning, and successive governors of two-thousand-picul rank could not subdue them. Emperor Jing thus appointed Xi Du as the Grand Administrator of Ji’nan. As soon as Xi Du arrived, he executed the entire family of the ringleaders of the Jian clan. The rest were so terrified that their legs trembled. Within a little over a year, there were no items left on the roads in Ji’nan Commandery. The Grand Administrators of more than ten surrounding commanderies feared Xi Du as if they feared a superior office.
Xi Du was brave, had strength, and was upright and incorruptible. He did not open personal letters, accepted no gifts, and refused to hear private entreaties. He often said of himself: “Having left my parents to become an official, I ought to serve with devotion and die for principle; in the end, I cannot care for wife and children.”
Xi Du was promoted to Commandant of the Capital. The Marquis of Tiao, Zhou Yafu, was extremely arrogant and haughty, yet Xi Du only bowed to him with folded hands. At that time, the people were simple, feared crime, and valued self-respect. But Xi Du took the lead in enforcing harsh penal laws, executing them without avoiding imperial relatives. The marquises and members of the imperial clan looked askance at Xi Du and called him the “Goshawk.”
When the Prince of Linjiang, Liu Rong, was summoned to the Commandant of the Capital’s office for interrogation, he wanted to obtain a knife and stylus to write a letter of apology to the emperor. Xi Du forbade the officials from giving him any. Wei Qihou, Dou Ying, secretly sent someone to provide the knife and stylus. After the Prince of Linjiang finished writing his letter of apology to the emperor, he committed suicide. When Empress Dowager Dou heard of this, she was furious and used strict laws to frame Xi Du. Xi Du was dismissed from office and sent home. Emperor Xiaojing then sent an envoy with a tally to appoint Xi Du as the Grand Administrator of Yanmen, allowing him to take a shortcut to his post and handle matters as he saw fit. The Xiongnu had long known of Xi Du’s integrity. After he took up his post on the border, the Xiongnu led their troops away and did not approach Yanmen until Xi Du’s death. The Xiongnu even made a wooden effigy of Xi Du and had their cavalry gallop and shoot arrows at it, but none could hit it. Such was their fear of Xi Du. The Xiongnu considered him a calamity. In the end, Empress Dowager Dou still used Han laws to frame Xi Du. Emperor Jing said: “Xi Du is a loyal minister.” He wanted to release him. Empress Dowager Dou said: “Was the Prince of Linjiang not a loyal minister?” Thus Xi Du was beheaded.
Ning Cheng was a man of Rang County. He served Emperor Jing as a Gentleman Usher. He was fond of acting on impulse. When serving as a minor official, he would always bully his superior; when serving as a superior, he controlled his subordinates as if binding wet firewood. He was cunning and fierce, acting with willful authority. He gradually advanced to become the Commandant of Ji’nan, at a time when Xi Du was the Grand Administrator there. Previously, successive Commandants had walked into the Grand Administrator’s office, announced themselves through a minor official, and requested an audience, just as a district magistrate would when meeting a superior. Such was their fear of Xi Du. But when Ning Cheng arrived, he directly treated Xi Du as an equal. Xi Du had long heard of his reputation, so he treated him well and formed a friendly relationship with him. After a long time, when Xi Du died, many members of the imperial clan near the capital were violent and broke the law. The emperor then summoned Ning Cheng and appointed him Commandant of the Capital. His governance followed Xi Du’s model, but he was not as incorruptible as Xi Du. Nevertheless, the imperial clansmen and powerful families all trembled with fear.
After Emperor Wu ascended the throne, he transferred Ning Cheng to be the Chamberlain for the Imperial Clan. Many of the imperial relatives slandered him, and as a result, Ning Cheng was convicted and sentenced to the punishment of shaving the head and wearing a cangue. At that time, when high officials of the Nine Ministers committed crimes, if they deserved death, they died; few were subjected to corporal punishment. But Ning Cheng received an extremely severe penalty. He believed he would never be employed again, so he removed his fetters, forged a pass, and escaped through the pass to return home. He declared: “If one cannot become an official of two-thousand-picul rank, or earn ten million in trade, how can he compare with others?” He then borrowed money to buy over a thousand qing of low-lying fields, rented them to poor farmers, and employed several thousand households. After a few years, he encountered a general amnesty. He accumulated a fortune of several thousand catties of gold, acted as a chivalrous knight, held leverage over officials, and had several dozen mounted followers when he went out. His power to drive the common people was greater than that of a commandery governor.
Zhou Yang You: His father, Zhao Jian, was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Zhou Yang because he was the maternal uncle of the King of Huainan, so he took Zhou Yang as his surname. Zhou Yang You was recommended as a Gentleman due to his status as a member of the imperial clan and served Emperor Xiaowen and Emperor Jing. Under Emperor Jing, Zhou Yang You served as a commandery governor. After Emperor Wu ascended the throne, governance still valued careful adherence to the law, but among officials of two-thousand-picul rank, Zhou Yang You was the most violent, cruel, arrogant, and unrestrained. Those he liked, he would twist the law to save; those he hated, he would distort the law to execute and annihilate their clans. In any commandery where he served, he would inevitably eliminate the local powerful families. When he served as a Grand Administrator, he treated the Commandant as if he were a district magistrate. When he served as a Commandant, he would always bully the Grand Administrator and seize his power of governance. He and Ji An were both considered upright, while Sima An was cunning and venomous; all were among the officials of two-thousand-picul rank, but when riding in the same carriage with them, Zhou Yang You never dared to treat them as equals.
Later, Zhou Yang You served as the Commandant of Hedong, at which time he contended for power with the Grand Administrator of Hedong, Sheng Tu Gong. They accused each other of crimes. Sheng Tu Gong was supposed to be sentenced to death, but he insisted on righteousness and refused to suffer execution, so he committed suicide. Zhou Yang You was executed by being exposed in the marketplace.
After Ning Cheng and Zhou Yang You, government affairs grew increasingly numerous, and the people also learned to exploit loopholes in the law. For the most part, the governance of officials largely resembled that of Ning Cheng, Zhou Yang You, and others like them.
Zhao Yu was a native of Tai County. He began his career as an auxiliary clerk and was later appointed to a position in the central government. Because of his incorruptibility, he was selected as a commandery clerk and served Grand Commandant Zhou Yafu. When Zhou Yafu became Chancellor, Zhao Yu served as a Chancellor’s clerk, and everyone in the office praised him for his incorruptibility and fairness. But Zhou Yafu did not trust him, saying: “I know well that Zhao Yu means no harm, but his legal language is harsh and profound; he cannot serve in a high government office.” Under the present Emperor, Zhao Yu accumulated merit as a clerical official and gradually rose to become an Imperial Clerk. The Emperor considered him talented and promoted him all the way to Grand Master of the Palace. Together with Zhang Tang, he discussed and formulated various laws and ordinances, establishing the “Law of Knowing and Reporting,” which required officials to supervise and inform on each other. The increasing harshness of the law probably began from this point.
Zhang Tang was a native of Du County. His father served as the Assistant Magistrate of Chang’an. When his father went out, Zhang Tang stayed home as a child. When his father returned, he found that a rat had stolen some meat. Enraged, he flogged Zhang Tang. Zhang Tang dug open the rat’s hole, caught the rat that had stolen the meat along with the leftover meat, then prosecuted the rat, interrogated it under torture, recorded its confession, conducted a trial and pronounced judgment, and finally brought the rat and the meat together, concluding the case by dismembering the rat in the courtyard. When his father saw this and observed that his written judgment was as skilled as that of an old prison official, he was greatly astonished and then had Zhang Tang study legal documents. After his father died, Zhang Tang served as a Chang’an official for a long time.
When the Marquis of Zhouyang first became a high minister, he was once imprisoned in Chang’an, and Zhang Tang did his utmost to help him. After the Marquis of Zhouyang was released and enfeoffed, he became very close friends with Zhang Tang and introduced him to many influential nobles. Zhang Tang served in the Office of the Governor of the Capital, working as a subordinate of Ning Cheng. Ning Cheng considered Zhang Tang harmless and recommended him to the Grand Court, transferring him to be the Commandant of Maoling, responsible for overseeing the construction of the imperial tomb.
When the Marquis of Wu’an, Tian Fen, became Chancellor, he summoned Zhang Tang to serve as a clerk and often recommended him to the Son of Heaven, appointing him as an Imperial Clerk and sending him to investigate cases. When he handled the case of Empress Chen’s sorcery, he pursued her accomplices deeply. Consequently, the Emperor considered him talented and gradually promoted him to Grand Master of the Palace. Together with Zhao Yu, he jointly formulated various laws and ordinances, striving for harsh provisions to restrain the conduct of officials in office. Shortly afterward, Zhao Yu was promoted to Commandant of the Capital and later transferred to be Superintendent of the Imperial Treasury, while Zhang Tang became Commandant of Justice. The two were on very good terms, and Zhang Tang treated Zhao Yu like an elder brother. Zhao Yu was incorruptible and arrogant. Since taking office, he had no retainers in his household. When high ministers visited Zhao Yu, he never returned their visits or expressed gratitude, striving to sever all requests from close friends and guests, acting independently and only according to his own will. Whenever he saw a legal provision, he would adopt it without re-examining it, in order to pursue the hidden crimes of his subordinates. Zhang Tang was full of deceit and used clever schemes to control others. When he first became a minor official, he sought private gain and secretly associated with wealthy merchants of Chang’an, such as Tian Jia and Yu Wengshu. After he rose to the rank of Nine Ministers, he cultivated connections and welcomed famous scholars and high officials from all over the empire. Even if he inwardly disagreed with them, he outwardly pretended to admire them.
At that time, the Emperor was inclined toward Confucianism. When Zhang Tang decided major cases, he wished to adhere to ancient meanings. He therefore requested that students of the Erudites who had studied the Shangshu and the Chunqiu be appointed to the staff of the Commandant of Justice to participate in resolving difficult cases. When he submitted judgments on difficult cases, he always first analyzed the reasons for the Emperor, and if the Emperor approved, he would accept and record them, incorporating them as precedents into the statutes of the Commandant of Justice, thereby proclaiming the Emperor’s perspicacity. If, when reporting matters, he was reprimanded by the Emperor, Zhang Tang would apologize and confess his fault, following the Emperor’s intent, and would certainly cite virtuous subordinates among the directors, supervisors, and clerks, saying: “They originally made a proposal to me, just as Your Majesty has reproached me, but I did not adopt it—I was foolish to this extent.” His faults were often forgiven. If, when reporting matters, the Emperor approved, he would say: “I do not know who wrote this memorial; it was written by a certain director, supervisor, or clerk.” When he wished to recommend an official, he would publicize their merits and conceal their shortcomings, just like this. In the cases he handled, if the Emperor wished to punish someone, he would assign it to a harsh and severe supervisor or clerk; if the Emperor wished to show leniency, he would assign it to a lenient and mild supervisor or clerk. If the person under investigation was a powerful and influential figure, he would certainly manipulate the legal provisions and skillfully slander them; if it was a commoner or a weak person, he would often orally explain to the Emperor that, although the law constituted a crime, he asked the Emperor to decide. Consequently, the Emperor often released those Zhang Tang had mentioned. The reason Zhang Tang attained high office was that he cultivated his inner conduct well. He associated with guests and entertained them with food and drink. He treated old friends’ sons who became officials and his poor brothers with particular generosity. He visited nobles and high ministers regardless of cold or heat. Thus, although Zhang Tang’s legal language was harsh, his heart suspicious, and he did not uphold fairness, he gained such a reputation. And those harsh and cruel officials mostly became his claws and teeth, attaching themselves to Confucian scholars. Chancellor Gongsun Hong repeatedly praised his virtue. When he handled the rebellion cases of the Kings of Huainan, Hengshan, and Jiangdu, he pursued them to the end. Yan Zhu and Wu Bei, the Emperor wished to release them. Zhang Tang argued: “Wu Bei was originally the one who plotted the rebellion, and Yan Zhu was a trusted and favored minister of Your Majesty, entering and leaving the palace, yet he privately associated with feudal lords like this. If they are not executed, it will be difficult to govern in the future.” Then the Emperor agreed with Zhang Tang’s judgment. When he handled cases, he ousted high ministers and took credit for himself, mostly like this. Consequently, Zhang Tang became even more honored and trusted and was promoted to Imperial Counselor.
It happened that the Hunxie King and others surrendered, and the Han dynasty launched a large-scale campaign against the Xiongnu. The region east of the Taihang Mountains suffered from floods and droughts, and poor people became displaced, all relying on government provisions, causing the government’s coffers to become empty. Then Zhang Tang, following the Emperor’s intent, requested the casting of white metal and wuzhu coins, monopolized the empire’s salt and iron operations, expelled wealthy merchants and great traders, issued the “Accusation Money” decree, eliminated powerful families engaged in land annexation, and manipulated legal texts and skillfully slandered to assist the implementation of the laws. Every time Zhang Tang went to court to report on government affairs and discuss state expenditures, he continued until late in the day, and the Son of Heaven forgot to eat. The Chancellor merely occupied his position, and all major affairs of the empire were decided by Zhang Tang. The common people could not live in peace; they were restless and agitated. The enterprises initiated by the government yielded no profit, and wicked officials together encroached and profiteered, so Zhang Tang used harsh punishments to deal with them. Therefore, from the high ministers down to the common people, everyone criticized Zhang Tang. Once, when Zhang Tang was ill, the Son of Heaven personally visited him at his home—such was the honor and favor he enjoyed.
The Xiongnu came to request a peace alliance, and the assembled ministers discussed it in the presence of the Emperor. Dr. Di Shan said: “A peace alliance is advantageous.” The Emperor asked him where the advantage lay. Di Shan said: “Weapons are inauspicious instruments; they should not be used lightly or repeatedly. When Emperor Gaozu wanted to attack the Xiongnu, he was trapped in great difficulty at Pingcheng, so he finally concluded a peace alliance. During the reigns of Emperor Xiaohui and Empress Gao, the empire was peaceful and happy. When Emperor Xiaowen wanted to use troops against the Xiongnu, the northern border suffered bitterly from warfare. During the reign of Emperor Xiaojing, the Seven Kingdoms of Wu and Chu rebelled. Emperor Jing worried and toiled between the two palaces, trembling with fear for several months. After Wu and Chu were pacified, Emperor Jing never spoke of using troops again, and the empire became wealthy and prosperous. Now, since Your Majesty has raised troops to attack the Xiongnu, the Central Plains have become empty, and the border people are extremely impoverished. From this perspective, it is better to make a peace alliance.” The Emperor asked Zhang Tang, who said: “This is a foolish Confucian scholar, ignorant.” Di Shan said: “I may indeed be foolishly loyal, but the Imperial Counselor Zhang Tang is treacherously loyal. As with Zhang Tang’s handling of the cases of the Kings of Huainan and Jiangdu, he used harsh provisions to viciously slander the feudal kings, alienating and estranging flesh and blood relatives, causing the vassal ministers to be unsettled. I have always known that Zhang Tang is treacherously loyal.” Then the Emperor changed his expression and said: “I will send you to guard a commandery—can you prevent the Xiongnu from plundering and invading?” Di Shan said: “No.” The Emperor said: “Guarding a county?” Di Shan replied: “No.” The Emperor then said: “Guarding a border fortress?” Di Shan, calculating that the argument had reached its end and he would be handed over to the officials, said: “Yes.” Then the Emperor sent Di Shan to guard a border fortress. After a little over a month, the Xiongnu cut off Di Shan’s head and left. From then on, all the ministers were struck with fear and trembling.
Zhang Tang’s retainer, Tian Jia, although a merchant, possessed virtuous conduct. When Zhang Tang first served as a minor official, he had financial dealings with Tian Jia; later, when Zhang Tang became a high official, Tian Jia reproached Zhang Tang for his faults in conduct and righteousness, showing the demeanor of a loyal and steadfast scholar.
Zhang Tang served as Censor-in-Chief for seven years before his downfall.
A man from Hedong named Li Wen had once harbored a grudge against Zhang Tang. Later, when Li Wen became Imperial Secretary, he nursed his resentment and repeatedly searched the palace documents for matters that could harm Zhang Tang, leaving no room for mercy. Zhang Tang had a favored subordinate, Lu Yejü, who knew of Zhang Tang’s discontent, so he had someone submit an urgent anonymous accusation letter exposing Li Wen’s misdeeds. The matter was handed to Zhang Tang for handling; Zhang Tang tried and sentenced Li Wen to death, though Zhang Tang knew in his heart that Lu Yejü had done it. The Emperor asked him, “Where did the traces of this reported incident originate?” Zhang Tang feigned surprise and said, “This is probably due to an old friend of Li Wen bearing a grudge against him.” When Lu Yejü fell ill and was lodging at a fellow villager’s home, Zhang Tang personally went to inquire about his illness and massaged Lu Yejü’s feet. The state of Zhao was known for smelting iron as a profession, and the King of Zhao repeatedly filed lawsuits concerning the iron office, but Zhang Tang always thwarted him. The King of Zhao sought out Zhang Tang’s secrets. Lu Yejü had once investigated the King of Zhao, who resented him, so the King submitted a report accusing: “Zhang Tang is a high minister, yet when his subordinate Lu Yejü was ill, Zhang Tang actually massaged his feet. I suspect they conspired to commit great wrongdoing.” The matter was handed to the Commandant of the Court. Lu Yejü died of illness, and the case entangled his younger brother, who was imprisoned in the Office of the Director of Grains. Zhang Tang was also in the Office of the Director of Grains investigating other prisoners. When he saw Lu Yejü’s younger brother, he wanted to secretly help him but pretended not to recognize him. Lu Yejü’s younger brother, unaware of this, resented Zhang Tang and had someone submit a report accusing Zhang Tang of conspiring with Lu Yejü to frame Li Wen using an urgent accusation letter. The matter was given to Jian Xuan to handle. Jian Xuan had once had a grudge against Zhang Tang, and when he took over the case, he thoroughly investigated it without reporting it. Just then, someone robbed the burial coins from Emperor Xiaowen’s tomb park. Chancellor Zhuang Qingdi, while attending court, agreed with Zhang Tang to apologize together. When they reached the Emperor’s presence, Zhang Tang thought that only the Chancellor, who inspected the tomb park four times a year, should apologize; since Zhang Tang had no involvement, he did not apologize. After the Chancellor apologized, the Emperor sent the Censor to investigate the matter. Zhang Tang wanted to pursue the Chancellor’s liability under the statute of knowingly tolerating offenses, which greatly worried the Chancellor. The three Chief Clerks all hated Zhang Tang and wanted to harm him.
Earlier, Chief Clerk Zhu Maichen was a man of Kuaiji. He studied the Spring and Autumn Annals. Zhuang Zhu had someone recommend Zhu Maichen to the Emperor, and Zhu Maichen, relying on his knowledge of the Chu Ci (songs of Chu), enjoyed favor together with Zhuang Zhu, serving as a Palace Attendant and becoming Grand Palace Grandee, managing state affairs. At that time, Zhang Tang was merely a minor official, kneeling before Zhu Maichen and others to await orders. Soon after, Zhang Tang became Commandant of the Court, handling the case of the King of Huainan. He pushed aside Zhuang Zhu, and Zhu Maichen harbored deep resentment. By the time Zhang Tang became Censor-in-Chief, Zhu Maichen had risen from Grand Administrator of Kuaiji to Chief Commandant of Nobles, ranking among the Nine Ministers. A few years later, he was dismissed for breaking the law and served as acting Chief Clerk. When he went to see Zhang Tang, Zhang Tang sat on his couch and treated Zhu Maichen with the protocol for a Chancellor’s Clerk, showing him no respect. Zhu Maichen, a man of Chu, was deeply aggrieved and constantly wished for Zhang Tang’s death. Wang Chao was a man of Qi. He rose to become Right Governor of the Capital through his skills in magical arts. Bian Tong studied the strategies of the School of Diplomacy; he was a fierce and stubborn man and twice served as Chancellor of Jinan. So, initially, they all held positions above Zhang Tang, but later lost their offices and served as acting Chief Clerks, bowing humbly before Zhang Tang. Zhang Tang often acted as Chancellor and knew that these three Chief Clerks had long been honored, so he frequently bullied and humiliated them. Therefore, the three Chief Clerks conspired, saying: “Initially, Zhang Tang agreed to apologize with the Chancellor, but soon betrayed him; now he wants to impeach the Chancellor over the temple affairs, intending to replace him. We know Zhang Tang’s secrets.” So they sent officials to arrest and interrogate Zhang Tang’s confidant, Tian Xin, and others, claiming that whenever Zhang Tang was about to request something, Tian Xin always knew in advance, hoarded goods to make a profit, and split the proceeds with Zhang Tang, along with other misdeeds. These confessions gradually spread. The Emperor asked Zhang Tang, “The merchants always know what I am going to do in advance and hoard those goods even more—this seems like someone is telling them my plans.” Zhang Tang did not apologize. He again feigned surprise and said, “Indeed, such a thing must have happened.” Jian Xuan also reported the matter concerning Lu Yejü and others. The Emperor indeed believed that Zhang Tang was deceitful and had lied to his face, so he sent eight batches of envoys to interrogate Zhang Tang based on the records. Zhang Tang detailed his denial of these matters and did not confess. Then the Emperor sent Zhao Yu to interrogate Zhang Tang. When Zhao Yu arrived, he rebuked Zhang Tang, saying, “How can you be so unaware of your position? How many families have you exterminated through your trials? Now the accusations against you all have evidence. The Son of Heaven does not want to throw you into prison; he wants you to find your own way out. Why must you repeatedly confront him?” Zhang Tang then wrote a letter of apology, saying, “Zhang Tang has no achievements of even a foot or inch; he rose from a clerk handling documents. Your Majesty graciously elevated me to the position of the Three Dukes, yet I failed to fulfill my duties. But those who plotted to frame Zhang Tang are the three Chief Clerks.” Then he committed suicide.
After Zhang Tang died, his family’s assets amounted to no more than five hundred catties of gold, all from his salary and imperial gifts, with no other property. His brothers and sons wanted to give him a lavish burial, but Zhang Tang’s mother said, “Zhang Tang was a great minister of the Son of Heaven, killed by slanderous words—why give him a lavish burial?” So they used an ox-cart to carry his coffin, which had an inner coffin but no outer shell. When the Son of Heaven heard this, he said, “Only such a mother could give birth to such a son.” Then he thoroughly investigated and executed the three Chief Clerks. Chancellor Zhuang Qingdi committed suicide. Tian Xin was released. The Emperor felt pity for Zhang Tang and gradually promoted his son, Zhang Anshi.
Zhao Yu was dismissed midway but soon became Commandant of the Court again. Earlier, Marquis of Tiao, Zhou Yafu, considered Zhao Yu cruel and ruthless and did not employ him. When Zhao Yu became Privy Treasurer, he ranked among the Nine Ministers. Zhao Yu was strict and impatient, and in his later years, as government affairs grew more numerous, officials increasingly inclined toward harshness, but Zhao Yu’s governance became more lenient, and his reputation turned to fairness. Wang Wenshu and others rose later, and their governance was even more cruel than Zhao Yu’s. Due to old age, Zhao Yu was transferred to be Chancellor of Yan. A few years later, guilty of disorderly and rebellious conduct, he was dismissed and returned home. More than ten years after Zhang Tang’s death, Zhao Yu died a natural death in his home.
Yi Zong was a man of Hedong. In his youth, he had once robbed and formed a band of outlaws with Zhang Cigong. Yi Zong had an older sister named Yi Xu, who gained the favor of Empress Dowager Wang through her medical skills. The Empress Dowager asked, “Do you have any sons or brothers serving as officials?” The sister replied, “I have a younger brother with bad conduct, not fit for office.” The Empress Dowager then told the Emperor, appointing Yi Zong, Yi Xu’s younger brother, as a Palace Attendant, and later as Magistrate of Shangdang Commandery. Yi Zong governed boldly, with little restraint or tolerance; there were no unpaid taxes in the county, and he was rated first in evaluations. He was promoted to Magistrate of Changling and Chang’an, governing strictly according to law, not avoiding imperial relatives or nobles. Because he arrested and interrogated Zhong, the son of the Empress Dowager’s granddaughter, the Lord of Xiucheng, the Emperor considered him capable and promoted him to Commandant of Henei. Upon arrival, he exterminated the powerful Hao family and their like, so that in Henei, people did not pick up lost items on the road. Meanwhile, Zhang Cigong also became a Gentleman, serving in the military with bravery and fierceness, daring to penetrate deep into enemy lines, and was granted the title of Marquis of Antou for his merits.
Ning Cheng was living idle at home when the emperor wished to appoint him as a commandery governor. Imperial Counselor Gongsun Hong said: "When I was a minor official in Shandong, Ning Cheng served as the Commandant of Ji'nan. His way of governing the people was like a wolf herding sheep. Ning Cheng cannot be allowed to govern the people." The emperor then appointed Ning Cheng as the Pass Commandant. After a little over a year, the officials east of the Pass and those from the commanderies and kingdoms entering or leaving the Pass all said: "Better to meet a nursing tigress than to encounter Ning Cheng in anger." Yi Zong was promoted from Henei to serve as the Grand Administrator of Nanyang. He heard that Ning Cheng was living at home in Nanyang. When Yi Zong reached the pass, Ning Cheng walked sideways to welcome and see him off, but Yi Zong's manner was overbearing and he did not treat him with courtesy. When he arrived in the commandery, he investigated the Ning family, utterly destroying their household. Because of this, Ning Cheng was implicated, and people like the Kong and Bao clans all fled. The officials and common people of Nanyang were so terrified they stood with overlapping feet, not daring to take a step. Meanwhile, Zhu Qiang of Pingshi, Du Yan, and Du Zhou became Yi Zong's claws-and-teeth officials and were employed, later promoted to Court Clerks. The army repeatedly set out from Dingxiang, and the officials and common people of Dingxiang were in chaos and disarray, so Yi Zong was transferred to serve as the Grand Administrator of Dingxiang. After Yi Zong arrived, he suddenly arrested over two hundred people imprisoned in Dingxiang for both serious and minor crimes, as well as over two hundred guests and relatives who had entered the prison to visit them. Yi Zong had them all seized and interrogated, saying "they were released from death penalties." That same day, they were all sentenced to death, and over four hundred people were executed. After that, the people in the commandery shivered without being cold, and the cunning commoners turned to assist the officials in governance.
At that time, Zhao Yu and Zhang Tang had risen to the ranks of the Nine Ministers because of their strict enforcement of the law, but their administration was still relatively lenient, acting in accordance with the statutes. Yi Zong, however, governed with the ferocity of a hawk striking or a beast seizing prey. Later, it happened that the five-shu coin and silver currency were circulating, and the people took the opportunity to commit fraud. The capital region was especially severe, so the court appointed Yi Zong as the Left Metropolitan Intendant and Wang Wenshu as the Commandant of the Capital. Wang Wenshu was extremely vicious. If he handled matters without first reporting to Yi Zong, Yi Zong would invariably overpower him with arrogance and ruin his achievements. In Yi Zong's governance, he executed many people, but he only sought to manage minor affairs, and evil deeds became even harder to control. The court's direct commissioners began to appear. Officials made beheading and binding their priority, and Yan Feng was employed because of his cruelty. Yi Zong was incorruptible, and his governance emulated that of Zhi Du. The emperor visited Dinghu and was ill for a long time. After recovering, he suddenly set out for the Ganquan Palace, but the roads along the way were mostly not repaired. The emperor said angrily: "Does Yi Zong think I will never travel this road again?" He harbored resentment in his heart. When winter came, Yang Ke was handling cases of reporting concealed property. Yi Zong considered this to be disturbing the people and deployed officials to arrest those who could accept such cases. When the Son of Heaven heard of this, he sent Du Shi to investigate the matter, concluding that Yi Zong had abandoned imperial edicts and obstructed public affairs. Yi Zong was executed and displayed as a warning. A year later, Zhang Tang also died.
Wang Wenshu was a native of Yangling. In his youth, he engaged in evil deeds, using a mallet to kill people and bury their bodies. Later, he was tried and appointed to fill a vacancy as a village chief, but was dismissed multiple times. After becoming an official, he rose to the position of Court Clerk through handling cases. He served Zhang Tang and was promoted to Censor. While supervising the pursuit of bandits, he killed and wounded many people, gradually advancing to become the Commandant of Guangping. He selected over a dozen officials from the commandery who were bold, daring, and willing to take action, making them his claws and teeth. He knew all their hidden serious crimes, then let them loose to supervise the pursuit of bandits, fulfilling whatever they desired. Even if these men committed hundreds of crimes, they were not punished according to law. If any of them tried to evade, he would exterminate their entire clan based on their offenses. Because of this, bandits from the Qi and Zhao regions dared not approach Guangping, and Guangping was said to have a reputation where no one picked up lost items on the road. When the emperor heard of this, he promoted him to be the Grand Administrator of Henei.
When Wang Wenshu was ordinarily living in Guangping, he fully understood the powerful and villainous families of Henei. When he arrived in Henei, he took office in the ninth month. He ordered the commandery government to prepare fifty private horses and set up relay stations from Henei to Chang'an. He deployed officials using the same strategy as in Guangping, arresting the powerful and cunning elements in the commandery. Over a thousand families among the powerful and cunning in the commandery were implicated in each other's cases. He submitted a memorial requesting action: for major cases, the entire clan was to be exterminated; for minor cases, the offenders were to be executed, and all their property was to be confiscated to compensate for stolen goods. The memorial was sent out and within two or three days, approval was obtained. After the verdicts were reported, blood flowed for over ten li. The people of Henei were astonished at the speed of his memorials, considering them divinely swift. By the twelfth month, the commandery was silent, no one dared to travel at night, and there were no bandits causing dogs to bark in the fields. As for the bandits who had not been captured, they fled to neighboring commanderies and kingdoms. When they were pursued and arrested, it happened to be spring. Wang Wenshu stamped his feet and sighed, saying: "Alas! If only winter could be extended by one month, it would be enough to finish my work!" His love of killing, his display of authority, and his disregard for human life reached such an extreme. When the Son of Heaven heard of this, he considered him talented and promoted him to Commandant of the Capital. In his governance, he again emulated his methods in Henei, summoning famous vicious and cunning officials to work with him. From Henei, there were Yang Jie and Ma Wu; from Guanzhong, there were Yang Gan and Cheng Xin, among others. When Yi Zong served as Metropolitan Intendant, Wang Wenshu feared him and dared not act arbitrarily. After Yi Zong died and Zhang Tang was defeated, Wang Wenshu was transferred to be Chamberlain for Law Enforcement, while Yin Qi became Commandant of the Capital.
Yin Qi was a native of Chiping in Dong Commandery. He gradually rose from a knife-and-pen clerk to become a Censor. He served Zhang Tang, who repeatedly praised him for his integrity and bravery, sending him to supervise the pursuit of bandits. In the executions he carried out, he did not avoid powerful figures or imperial relatives. He was promoted to be the Commandant of the Passes within the Capital, and his reputation surpassed that of Ning Cheng. The emperor considered him talented and promoted him to Commandant of the Capital. Officials and common people became even more impoverished and distressed. Yin Qi was stubborn, strong, and lacking in refinement. The powerful and vicious officials went into hiding, while the good officials could not govern effectively. As a result, many government affairs were abandoned, and he was convicted of crimes. The emperor again transferred Wang Wenshu to be Commandant of the Capital, while Yang Pu, known for his harshness, became the Superintendent of the Nobles' Marches.
Yang Pu was a native of Yiyang. He became an official by virtue of being a thousand-man leader. The Grand Administrator of Henan examined and recommended him, considering him talented. He was promoted to Censor and sent to supervise the pursuit of bandits east of the Pass. His governance emulated that of Yin Qi, and he was considered bold and strict in his actions. He gradually rose to become the Superintendent of the Nobles' Marches, ranking among the Nine Ministers. The Son of Heaven considered him talented. When the Nanyue rebelled, he was appointed as the Towered-Ship General, achieved military merit, and was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Jiangliang. Later, he was bound by Xun Zhi. After a long time, he died of illness.
Wang Wenshu again became Commandant of the Capital. His character lacked refinement, and at court he was muddled and unclear about affairs, but when he took up the post of Commandant of the Capital, his mind became sharp. In supervising the pursuit of bandits, he was ordinarily familiar with the customs of Guanzhong and understood the powerful and vicious officials. These powerful and vicious officials were all employed by him and devised plans for him. The officials were harsh and inquisitive. Bandits and delinquent youths threw anonymous letters, rewards were offered for reporting evil deeds, and neighborhood heads were established to supervise evil and banditry. Wang Wenshu was obsequious by nature, skilled at serving those with power. As for those without power, he treated them like slaves. For powerful families, even if they had mountains of evil deeds, he would not touch them. For those without power, even if they were imperial relatives, he would inevitably humiliate and bully them. He manipulated legal provisions, cleverly slandering the cunning among the lower households, thereby threatening the great powerful families. This was how he governed as Commandant of the Capital. The evil and cunning were thoroughly pursued, most dying rotten in prison; after sentencing, none could leave alive. His claws-and-teeth officials were tigers wearing caps. Thus, within the jurisdiction of the Commandant of the Capital, bandits of middling cunning and below all submitted. The powerful people spread his reputation, praising his governance as excellent. After governing for several years, most of his officials grew wealthy through their power.
When Wang Wenshu returned from attacking the Eastern Yue, his discussions did not align with the emperor's wishes, and he was convicted and dismissed for a minor offense. At this time, the Son of Heaven was planning to build the Tongtian Tower but lacked manpower. Wang Wenshu requested to audit the soldiers omitted from the rolls within the Commandant of the Capital's jurisdiction, obtaining several tens of thousands of men for the construction. The emperor was pleased and appointed him as the Superintendent of the Imperial Household. He was transferred to be the Right Metropolitan Intendant, governing as before, and evil-doers were slightly suppressed. Later, he lost his office again due to breaking the law. He then became the Assistant of the Right, acting in the capacity of Commandant of the Capital, handling matters as usual.
A little over a year later, it happened that the army for the expedition against Dayuan set out. An imperial edict summoned the powerful and unscrupulous officials. Wang Wenshu concealed his subordinate Hua Cheng. Later, someone denounced Wang Wenshu for accepting money from cavalrymen and other illicit and profit-seeking activities. The crimes were severe enough to warrant the execution of his entire clan, and he committed suicide. At that time, his two younger brothers and two in-laws also each had their clans executed for other crimes. Guanglu Xu Ziwei said: "How sad! In ancient times there was the punishment of destroying three generations of a clan, yet Wang Wenshu's crimes resulted in the destruction of five generations at once!"
After Wang Wenshu died, his household property accumulated to be worth a thousand catties of gold. A few years later, Yin Qi also died of illness while serving as the Commandant of Huaiyang. His household property was less than fifty catties of gold. He had killed many people in Huaiyang whose clans were exterminated. After his death, his enemies wanted to burn his corpse, but the corpse escaped and was taken back to his hometown for burial.
Since Wang Wenshu and others governed with cruelty, the commandery governors, commandants, and feudal lords among the officials with a salary of two thousand bushels who wanted to administer their regions all largely imitated Wang Wenshu's methods. Consequently, officials and common people became even more contemptuous of breaking the law, and bandits sprang up everywhere. There were Mei Mian and Bai Zheng in Nanyang; Yin Zhong and Du Shao in Chu; Xu Bo in Qi; and Jian Lu, Fan Sheng, and their like between Yan and Zhao. Large bandit gangs numbered several thousand men, arrogantly proclaiming themselves kings or titles, attacking cities and towns, seizing armories, releasing condemned prisoners, binding and humiliating commandery governors and commandants, killing officials with a salary of two thousand bushels, and issuing proclamations to all counties urging them to prepare provisions. Small gangs numbered in the hundreds, plundering villages and hamlets, too numerous to count. Thereupon the Son of Heaven first sent the Imperial Clerk's Assistant and the Chief Clerk of the Chancellor to supervise them. Still unable to stop them, he then sent Guanglu Fan Kun, the auxiliary commandants of the various regions, and former Nine Ministers such as Zhang De, wearing embroidered clothes, holding credentials, and using tiger tally tokens to mobilize troops to attack. They beheaded members of large gangs, sometimes reaching over ten thousand people, and according to the law executed those who provided supplies and food to the bandits, implicating entire commanderies, in severe cases amounting to several thousand people. Only after several years were they somewhat able to capture the leaders. The scattered remnants fled and again gathered to hold out in the mountains and rivers, often forming groups, and there was no way to deal with them. Thereupon the "Law of Concealed Death" was established, which stipulated that if a bandit uprising occurred and was not discovered, or if after discovery the number captured was insufficient, then officials from those with a salary of two thousand bushels down to the petty clerks in charge would all be executed. After this, minor clerks, fearing execution, would not report bandits even if they existed, afraid that they could not capture them and would implicate their superior officers, and the superior officers also ordered them not to report. Consequently, bandits became more and more numerous, and superiors and subordinates concealed the truth from each other, using legal verbiage to evade the law.
Jian Xuan was a man from Yang County. He served without fault as a minor clerk in the Grand Administrator's office of Hedong. General Wei Qing sent men to Hedong to buy horses. They saw Jian Xuan's faultless service and reported him to the emperor. He was summoned and appointed as an Assistant in the Imperial Stable. He handled official business methodically and gradually advanced to become an Imperial Clerk and then a Palace Assistant Secretary. When ordered to try the case of Zhu Fuyan and also to try the case of the King of Huainan's rebellion, he used deep and penetrating legal interpretations and severe accusations, killing many people, and was reputed to be decisive in difficult cases. He was dismissed and reinstated many times, serving as Imperial Clerk and Palace Assistant Secretary for about twenty years in total. After Wang Wenshu was dismissed as Commandant of the Capital, Jian Xuan became Left Governor of the Capital. He governed with meticulous attention to trivial details like rice and salt, personally handling matters both large and small. He himself deployed the concrete goods of each county's various offices, and the clerks and county magistrates could not make arbitrary changes. He used harsh laws to severely punish them. After serving for several years, everything in the commandery was well-governed in minor matters, but only Jian Xuan could achieve great order by starting from the small details. He relied on forceful implementation, which was difficult to make a regular practice. Later he was dismissed midway. When serving as Right Guardian of the Capital, he became angry with Cheng Xin. Cheng Xin fled and hid in the Shanglin Park. Jian Xuan sent the magistrate of Mei County to kill Cheng Xin. When the clerks and soldiers killed Cheng Xin, an arrow hit the gate of the Shanglin Park. Jian Xuan was handed over to the judges for trial and was found guilty of high treason, punishable by the execution of his entire clan. He committed suicide. And Du Zhou was employed.
Du Zhou was a native of Duyan in Nanyang. When Yi Zong was Grand Administrator of Nanyang, he employed Du Zhou as a henchman and recommended him as a Clerk of the Commandant of Justice. He served Zhang Tang, and Zhang Tang often said he was without fault. He was promoted to Imperial Clerk. When ordered to investigate losses on the border, he convicted and executed many people. His memorials to the throne suited the emperor's wishes, and he was employed, alternating with Jian Xuan, serving as Palace Assistant Secretary for over ten years.
His administration was similar to Jian Xuan's, but he was steady and slow, outwardly generous but inwardly harsh as bone. When Jian Xuan was Left Governor of the Capital, Du Zhou was Commandant of Justice. His administration largely imitated Zhang Tang, and he was skilled at discerning the emperor's intentions. If the emperor wanted to get rid of someone, he would take the opportunity to frame them. If the emperor wanted to release someone, he would imprison them for a long time awaiting trial, while subtly revealing that they had been wronged. A guest reproached Du Zhou, saying: "You are the Son of Heaven's impartial judge in deciding cases. You do not follow the statutes, but exclusively use the emperor's wishes to decide cases. Is that really how trials should be conducted?" Du Zhou said: "Where do the statutes come from? What previous rulers considered correct they recorded as law; what later rulers consider correct they record as edicts. What is considered correct at the time is what is right. Where are there any ancient statutes?"
By the time Du Zhou became Commandant of Justice, the number of cases tried under imperial edict also increased more and more. Officials with a salary of two thousand bushels who were imprisoned, both old and new, numbered no fewer than a hundred. The commandery clerks and the Chancellor's office transferred cases to the Commandant of Justice, amounting to more than a thousand cases in a single year. For major cases, the implicated witnesses arrested numbered several hundred; for minor ones, several tens. Those far away were several thousand li away; those near were several hundred li. When cases were jointly tried, the clerks would order the accused to confess according to the indictment. If they did not comply, they used flogging and torture to force a verdict. Consequently, as soon as people heard of an arrest, they would flee and hide. Cases that dragged on for a long time even went through several general amnesties and lasted over ten years, yet still people were accusing each other. Largely, they were all accused of crimes "not conforming to the Way" or above. The imperial prison cases under the Commandant of Justice and the central government offices involved arrests of sixty to seventy thousand people. The clerks added to this more than a hundred thousand more.
Du Zhou was dismissed midway, but later became Chief of the Gendarmerie. He pursued and captured bandits, and when punishing and investigating the cases of Sang Hongyang and the brothers and nephews of Empress Wei, he was harsh and severe. The Son of Heaven considered him to have exerted his utmost effort and to be free from partiality, and promoted him to be Imperial Secretary. He had two sons, who served as commandery governors on both sides of the Yellow River. Their administration was cruel and violent, both exceeding that of Wang Wenshu and his like. When Du Zhou was first summoned to serve as a Clerk of the Commandant of Justice, he had only one horse, and it was not even a complete set of harness. By the time he had served long and reached the ranks of the Three Dukes, his sons and grandsons had also become high officials, and his accumulated family property amounted to tens of thousands of catties of gold.
The Grand Historian says: From Zhi Du to Du Zhou, these ten men all became famous for their cruelty and harshness. However, Zhi Du was upright and unyielding, discerning right from wrong, and dared to argue for the great principles of the world. Zhang Tang was skilled at fathoming the interplay of yin and yang (the emperor's mind), advancing and retreating with the ruler, and often debated whether matters were appropriate. The state relied on him for its convenience. Zhao Yu often adhered to the statutes and upheld what was right. Du Zhou, on the other hand, flattered and fawned, using silence to appear steady. Since the death of Zhang Tang, the net of the law has been tight, with many slanderous and harsh accusations, and government affairs have gradually declined and decayed. The Nine Ministers were mediocre and useless, only knowing how to carry out their offices, too busy even to remedy their faults, what leisure did they have to discuss matters beyond the law! Yet among these ten men, the incorruptible ones were sufficient to serve as models, and the corrupt ones were sufficient to serve as warnings. Their methods of administration, their teachings, their prohibition of evil and stopping of wrongdoing, all had both refinement and substance, possessing both civil and martial qualities. Although their actions were cruel and harsh, they could still be considered competent. As for men like Feng Dang, the Grand Administrator of Shu Commandery, with his cruel oppression; Li Zhen of Guanghan, with his arbitrary dismemberment of people; Mi Pu of Dongjun, with his sawing off of necks; Luo Bi of Tianshui, with his severe torture; Chu Guang of Hedong, with his indiscriminate killing; Wuji of Jingzhao and Yin Zhou of Fengyi, with their ferocity like poisonous snakes and savage beasts; and Yan Feng, the Waterborne Equipage Commandant, with his beating of prisoners and acceptance of bribes—these men, what are they worth talking about! What are they worth talking about!