孝景帝時，中無寵臣，然獨郎中令周文仁，仁寵最過庸，乃不甚篤。
今天子中寵臣，士人則韓王孫嫣，宦者則李延年。嫣者，弓高侯孽孫也。今上為膠東王時，嫣與上學書相愛。及上為太子，愈益親嫣。嫣善騎射，善佞。上即位，欲事伐匈奴，而嫣先習胡兵，以故益尊貴，官至上大夫，賞賜擬於鄧通。時嫣常與上臥起。江都王入朝，有詔得從入獵上林中。天子車駕蹕道未行，而先使嫣乘副車，從數十百騎，騖馳視獸。江都王望見，以為天子，辟從者，伏謁道傍。嫣驅不見。既過，江都王怒，為皇太后泣曰：「請得歸國入宿衛，比韓嫣。」太后由此嗛嫣。嫣侍上，出入永巷不禁，以奸聞皇太后。皇太后怒，使使賜嫣死。上為謝，終不能得，嫣遂死。而案道侯韓說，其弟也，亦佞幸。
李延年，中山人也。父母及身兄弟及女，皆故倡也。延年坐法腐，給事狗中。而平陽公主言延年女弟善舞，上見，心說之，及入永巷，而召貴延年。延年善歌，為變新聲，而上方興天地祠，欲造樂詩歌弦之。延年善承意，弦次初詩。其女弟亦幸，有子男。延年佩二千石印，號協聲律。與上臥起，甚貴幸，埒如韓嫣也。久之，浸與中人亂，出入驕恣。及其女弟李夫人卒後，愛弛，則禽誅延年昆弟也。
自是之後，內寵嬖臣大底外戚之家，然不足數也。衛青、霍去病亦以外戚貴幸，然頗用材能自進。
During Emperor Jing's reign, there were no especially favored courtiers within the palace, save the Gentleman of the Interior Zhou Wenren, whose favor slightly exceeded the ordinary but was not particularly intense.
Under the present emperor, the favored courtier among commoners is Han Yan, a prince's grandson; among eunuchs, it is Li Yannian. Han Yan was an illegitimate grandson of the Marquis of Gonggao. When the present emperor was King of Jiaodong, Yan studied calligraphy with him and they became close. When the emperor was made Crown Prince, his intimacy with Yan deepened further. Yan was skilled at riding and archery, and adept at flattery. When the emperor took the throne and wished to campaign against the Xiongnu, Yan had already trained in nomadic military tactics, which further elevated his standing. He rose to Senior Grand Master, receiving gifts rivaling those of Deng Tong. At this time Yan regularly shared the emperor's bed and daily life. When the King of Jiangdu came to court and received permission to hunt in the Shanglin Park, the emperor's carriage escort had not yet set out when Yan was sent ahead in the deputy carriage, followed by scores of mounted attendants, galloping through the park to inspect the game. The King of Jiangdu saw them from a distance and took it for the imperial procession — he dismissed his own retinue and prostrated himself by the roadside. Yan galloped past without stopping. After he had passed, the King of Jiangdu was furious. He wept before the Empress Dowager and said: 'I request permission to return to my kingdom and serve in the Palace Guard, to be treated like Han Yan.' The Empress Dowager bore a grudge against Yan from then on. Yan attended the emperor and moved freely through the inner quarters without restriction. Reports of his misconduct reached the Empress Dowager. She was enraged and sent a messenger to bestow death upon Yan. The emperor apologized on Yan's behalf but could not save him, and Yan was put to death. His younger brother, the Marquis of Andao Han Yue, also enjoyed imperial favor through flattery.
Li Yannian was a man of Zhongshan. His parents, he himself, his brothers, and his sisters had all been performers. Yannian was convicted of a crime and castrated, then assigned to the dog kennels. Princess Pingyang mentioned that Yannian's younger sister was an excellent dancer. The emperor saw her, was pleased, and once she entered the inner quarters, he summoned and elevated Yannian. Yannian was a gifted singer who created new musical styles. At this time the emperor was establishing the Suburban Sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and wished to compose ritual hymns set to music. Yannian was skillful at anticipating the emperor's wishes and set the initial poems to music. His younger sister also found favor and bore a son. Yannian wore the seal of a two-thousand-bushel official and was titled Coordinator of Musical Standards. He shared the emperor's bed and daily life, enjoying favor equal to that of Han Yan. Over time, he grew dissolute, engaging in illicit relations with palace women and behaving arrogantly. After his younger sister, Lady Li, died, the emperor's affection waned, and Yannian and his brothers were arrested and executed.
From this point on, favored courtiers within the palace were mostly from families connected to the imperial consorts, but they were not worth recording. Wei Qing and Huo Qubing also rose through consort connections, but they advanced substantially on their own military abilities.
