曹相國世家

Cao Shen, Marquis of Pingyang, was a man of Pei. Under Qin, he served as a prison clerk in Pei, while Xiao He was the chief clerk — both were already prominent officials of the county.

When Gaozu first rose as the Lord of Pei, Shen followed him as a body servant. He led attacks on Huling and Fangyu, assaulting the army of the Qin Overseer and routing it completely. Moving east, he took Xue, engaging the army of the Governor of Sishui west of Xue's outer wall. He attacked Huling again and took it. He was transferred to defend Fangyu. When Fangyu went over to Wei, he attacked it. When Feng went over to Wei, he attacked that too. He was granted the rank of Seventh Grand Master. He struck the army of the Qin Marshal Nie east of Dang, defeating it, and took Dang, Hufu, and Qishanchi. He attacked from Xiayi westward to Yu, engaging Zhang Han's chariots and cavalry. He assaulted Yuanqi and Kangfu, being the first to scale the walls. He was promoted to Fifth Grand Master. He marched north to relieve Ah, attacked Zhang Han's army, broke through the enemy formation, and pursued them to Puyang. He assaulted Dingtao and took Linji. He marched south to relieve Yongqiu, attacked the army of Li You, routed it, killed Li You, and captured one Qin lord. When the Qin general Zhang Han defeated and killed Xiang Liang, the Lord of Pei and Xiang Yu withdrew eastward. King Huai of Chu appointed the Lord of Pei as Governor of Dang commandery, commanding Dang's troops. Shen was then enfeoffed as Holder of Silk, with the title Lord of Jiancheng, and transferred to be Lord of Qi, attached to Dang commandery.

Subsequently, he followed the campaign against the forces of the Commandant of Dongjun, routing them south of Chengwu. He struck Wang Li's army south of Chengyang, attacked again at Gangli, and inflicted a crushing defeat. Pursuing the fleeing enemy westward to Kaifeng, he engaged Zhao Ben's army, defeated it, and besieged Zhao Ben inside Kaifeng city. Moving west, he struck General Yang Xiong's army at Quyu, defeated it, and captured a Qin Marshal and a Censor, one each. He was promoted to the rank of Holder of the Jade Tablet. He joined the attack on Yangwu, took the Huanyuan and Goushi passes, cut the Yellow River ferry crossings, then turned back to strike Zhao Ben's army north of Shi, defeating it. He marched south to attack Chou, engaged the Governor of Nanyang, Qi, at the eastern wall of Yangcheng, broke through the formation, took Wan, captured Qi, and pacified the entire Nanyang commandery. He then marched west to attack Wuguan and Yaoguan, taking both. He led the assault on the Qin army south of Lantian, then attacked its northern flank by night. The Qin army was utterly shattered, and they advanced to Xianyang, extinguishing the Qin dynasty.

When Xiang Yu arrived, he made the Lord of Pei King of Han. The King of Han enfeoffed Shen as Marquis of Jiancheng. Shen followed to Hanzhong and was promoted to general. He followed the campaign to pacify the Three Qin, first attacking Xiabian, Gudao, Yong, and Tai. He struck Zhang Ping's army south of Haozhi, defeated it, besieged Haozhi, and took Rangxiang. He struck the Three Qin armies east of Rang and at Gaoli, defeating them. He besieged Zhang Ping again; Zhang Ping fled Haozhi. He then struck the armies of Zhao Ben and Prefect Bao, defeating them. He took Xianyang in the east, which was renamed Xincheng. Shen held Jingling with his troops for twenty days. The Three Qin sent Zhang Ping and others to attack; Shen sallied forth and routed them. He was given a revenue estate at Ningqin. As general, Shen led troops to besiege Zhang Han at Feiqu. As Commandant of the Center, he followed the King of Han out through Linjin Pass. They reached Henei, took Xiuwu, crossed at Weijin, and struck east against Long Qie and Xiang Ta at Dingtao, defeating them. They took Dang, Xiao, and Pengcheng in the east. They engaged Xiang Ji's army — the Han army suffered a catastrophic defeat and fled. As Commandant of the Center, Shen besieged and took Yongqiu. When Wang Wu rebelled at Huang and Cheng Chu at Yan, he marched against them and crushed them all. When the Marquis Pillar-of-Heaven rebelled at Yanshi, he advanced to take Yanshi. He struck Yu Ying at Kunyang, pursuing to Ye. He returned to attack Wuqiang, then proceeded to Xingyang. From the time Shen served as general and commandant after leaving Hanzhong, following the campaigns against the various lords until Xiang Yu's defeat, returning to Xingyang — it was two full years.

In the third year of Gaozu, Shen was appointed Acting Left Chancellor and sent to garrison Guanzhong. After a little over a month, King Bao of Wei rebelled. As Acting Left Chancellor, Shen was detached to join Han Xin in the eastern campaign, attacking Wei General Sun's army at Dongzhang and routing it. He then assaulted Anyi and captured Wei General Wang Xiang. He struck the King of Wei at Quyang, pursued him to Wuyuan, and captured King Bao alive. He took Pingyang, captured the King of Wei's mother, wife, and children, and pacified the entire Wei territory — fifty-two cities in all. He was awarded a revenue estate at Pingyang. He then followed Han Xin to attack Zhao Chancellor Xia Shuo's army east of Wu, inflicting a devastating defeat and beheading Xia Shuo. Han Xin and the former King of Changshan, Zhang Er, led their forces down through Jingxing Pass to attack the Lord of Cheng'an, while ordering Shen to return and besiege the Zhao subordinate commander, General Qi, inside Wu city. General Qi fled; Shen pursued and beheaded him. He then led his troops to the Ao Granary to rejoin the King of Han. Han Xin, having defeated Zhao and been appointed Chancellor of State, marched east against Qi. Shen, as Right Chancellor, was attached to Han Xin's command. They smashed the Qi army at Lixia and took Linzi. Shen turned to pacify Jibei commandery, attacking Zhu, Taoyin, Pingyuan, Ge, and Lu. He then followed Han Xin to strike Long Qie's army at Shangjami, crushing it, beheading Long Qie, and capturing his general Zhou Lan. They pacified Qi in full — over seventy counties. They captured the chancellor of the former King of Qi, Tian Guang, the garrison chancellor Xu Zhang, and the former Jiaodong General Tian Ji. Han Xin became King of Qi and led his troops to Chen to join the King of Han in the final destruction of Xiang Yu, while Shen remained behind to pacify those in Qi who had not yet submitted.

After Xiang Ji was killed and All-Under-Heaven was settled, the King of Han became emperor. Han Xin was transferred to be King of Chu, and Qi was converted to a commandery. Shen returned his Han chancellor's seal. Emperor Gaozu made his eldest son Fei King of Qi and appointed Shen as Chancellor of Qi. In the sixth year of Gaozu, Shen was granted the rank of full marquis, receiving a split tally shared with the lords, to be passed down in perpetuity. His revenue estate was Pingyang, with ten thousand six hundred and thirty households. He was titled Marquis of Pingyang, superseding all previous estates.

As Chancellor of Qi, he attacked the army of Zhang Chun, a general under Chen Xi, and defeated it. When Qing Bu rebelled, Shen, as Chancellor of Qi, accompanied King Daohui with a force of one hundred and twenty thousand infantry and cavalry to join Gaozu in striking Qing Bu's army, inflicting a devastating defeat. They advanced south to Qi, then returned to pacify Zhuyi, Xiang, Xiao, and Liu.

Shen's total military record: he conquered two kingdoms and one hundred and twenty-two counties; captured two kings, three chancellors, six generals, and one each of Grand Moao, commandery governor, marshal, marquis, and censor.

In the first year of Emperor Hui, the law governing the chancellors of vassal states was revised, and Shen was redesignated as Chancellor of Qi. As chancellor, Shen governed Qi's seventy cities. All-Under-Heaven had just been settled, and King Daohui was young. Shen summoned all the elders and scholars to ask how to pacify and settle the people. The old Confucian scholars of Qi numbered in the hundreds, and each gave a different answer. Shen did not know which to adopt. He heard that in Jiaoxi there was a Master Gai who was expert in Huang-Lao thought. He sent a generous gift to invite him. When they met, Master Gai expounded: "The essence of governance is to prize stillness and non-interference, and the people will settle themselves." He elaborated on this principle in full. Shen thereupon vacated the main hall and lodged Master Gai there. The core of his governance employed Huang-Lao methods. As a result, in nine years as chancellor of Qi, the kingdom was peaceful and settled, and he was widely hailed as a worthy chancellor.

In the second year of Emperor Hui, Xiao He died. When Shen heard the news, he told his steward to prepare for the journey at once: "I am about to become chancellor." Before long, a messenger did indeed arrive to summon him. Before leaving, Shen instructed his successor as chancellor of Qi: "Treat the prisons and markets of Qi as your charge — take care not to disturb them." The successor said: "Is there no greater matter of governance than this?" Shen said: "It is not so simple. Prisons and markets are places that contain all sorts. If you meddle with them, where will the petty offenders find refuge? That is why I put this first."

When Shen was still of humble station, he and Xiao He had been close friends. When they rose to the ranks of general and chancellor, a rift developed. Yet when He was on his deathbed, the only man he recommended as worthy was Shen. Shen succeeded He as Chancellor of State of the Han. He changed nothing in any matter of policy, following Xiao He's regulations to the letter.

For his staff, he selected officials from the commanderies and kingdoms who were plain and inarticulate, steady and substantial men of mature character, and summoned them to serve as secretaries to the chancellor. Officials who spoke in sharp, legalistic language and sought to make a name for themselves he dismissed at once. Day and night he drank fine wine. When ministers, subordinate officials, and guests saw that Shen was doing nothing, they all came hoping to speak with him. But whenever anyone arrived, Shen would immediately ply them with strong wine. If they tried to find an opening to speak, he poured more wine until they were drunk and left. No one ever managed to open a discussion. This became his standard practice.

The garden behind the chancellor's residence was near the clerks' quarters. The clerks drank and sang boisterously every day. Shen's attendants found this offensive but could do nothing about it. They invited Shen to stroll in the garden, hoping that when he heard the clerks' drunken singing, he would summon and punish them. Instead, Shen sent for wine, set up seats for drinking, and joined in the singing, matching their songs.

Whenever Shen noticed someone had committed a minor offense, he would deliberately cover it up and conceal it. The chancellor's office had no business to conduct.

Shen's son Zhu served as a Palace Grandee. Emperor Hui was puzzled that the Chancellor of State conducted no business and thought: "Does he look down on me?" He said to Zhu: "When you go home, try to ask your father casually: 'Emperor Gaozu has only recently departed from his ministers. The emperor is young. You serve as chancellor, yet you drink all day and never bring up any matter of governance. How can you bear responsibility for All-Under-Heaven?' But do not tell him I put you up to it." When Zhu had finished his ablutions and returned home, he found a quiet moment to attend on his father and delivered the admonition as instructed. Shen was furious. He had Zhu flogged two hundred strokes and said: "Get back to your duties at court. Affairs of All-Under-Heaven are not for you to discuss." At the next audience, Emperor Hui rebuked Shen: "Why did you punish Zhu? It was I who told him to remonstrate with you." Shen removed his cap and bowed his head: "May Your Majesty consider — in sagacity and martial prowess, how do you compare to Emperor Gaozu?" The Emperor said: "How would I dare compare myself to the late emperor!" Shen said: "And does Your Majesty consider me as capable as Xiao He?" The Emperor said: "You seem not quite his equal." Shen said: "Your Majesty speaks truly. Emperor Gaozu and Xiao He settled All-Under-Heaven and established clear laws and regulations. Now Your Majesty sits with folded hands, and ministers like me guard our posts and follow their precedents without deviation. Is this not sufficient?" Emperor Hui said: "Excellent. You may rest."

Shen served as Chancellor of State for just over three years before he died. He received the posthumous title Marquis Yi — "the Judicious." His son Zhu succeeded to the marquisate. The common people sang of them: "Xiao He made the laws, uniform as a drawn line. Cao Shen succeeded him, guarding them without loss. He carried forward stillness and non-interference, and the people found peace and unity."

The Marquis of Pingyang, Zhu, served as Censor-in-Chief during Empress Lü's reign. When Emperor Wen took the throne, he was relieved of office and retained only his marquisate. He held it for twenty-nine years and died, receiving the posthumous title Marquis Jing — "the Tranquil." His son Qi succeeded, held it seven years and died — Marquis Jian, "the Simple." His son Shi succeeded. Shi married Princess Pingyang and fathered Xiang. Shi contracted leprosy and returned to his domain. He held the marquisate twenty-three years and died — Marquis Yi, "the Mild." His son Xiang succeeded. Xiang married the Elder Princess of Wei and fathered Zong. He held the marquisate sixteen years and died — Marquis Gong, "the Respectful." His son Zong succeeded. In the second year of the Zhenghe era, Zong was implicated in the Crown Prince affair and executed. The marquisate was abolished.

The Grand Historian remarks: The reason Cao Shen, Chancellor of State, was able to accumulate such enormous merit in storming cities and fighting in the field was that he served alongside the Marquis of Huaiyin. After Han Xin was destroyed, only Shen among the marquises bore the distinction of those accomplishments. As Han Chancellor of State, Shen embraced stillness and non-interference — the fullest expression of the Way. Coming after the people had suffered the cruelties of Qin, Shen's policy of rest and non-action won the praise of all under Heaven.

Cao Shen rose first as a mighty clerk of Pei. Starting as a body servant, he led the van in sieges. Bearing jade tablet and silk banner, he stormed cities and seized land. After Yanshi was punished and Kunyang fell, he captured Xia Shuo in the north and campaigned against the Tian lords in the east. Receiving the split tally and confirmed in his fief, his merit was second to none. Markets and prisons undisturbed, still and taking no action. Marrying into the princess's house at Pingyang, his descendants inherited the rewards.