During the reign of Emperor Zhao of the Western Han Dynasty, Han Yanhou, a native of Yan (present-day Beijing area), served as the Prefect of Dongjun (modern-day Yuncheng, Shandong). He was skilled at listening to his subordinates' advice and actively adopted good suggestions. During his three-year tenure in Dongjun, he enforced strict orders and handled cases decisively and swiftly. As a result, social customs greatly improved, making Dongjun the best-governed prefecture in the entire country at that time. Later, Han Yanhou became the Prefect of Zuo Fengyi (modern-day Dali, Shaanxi). For the first few years in office, he never made inspection tours to the local areas.
Once, a subordinate advised him to travel around and inspect the performance of county magistrates in various regions. Han Yanhou replied, "Each county already has capable officials, and the district inspectors can clearly distinguish good from evil. My inspection tours would likely be of little use and only create more trouble."
The subordinate insisted, "It is now the busy spring farming season; going down would also allow you to see how the farmers are planting." Han Yanhou then reluctantly agreed to make the tour.
As soon as he arrived in Gaoling County (modern-day Gaoling, Shaanxi), two brothers came directly to him to file a complaint over a land dispute. This incident deeply saddened Han Yanhou. He said, "As the Prefect, the chief official of this entire prefecture, I have failed to morally guide the people. As a result, family members are suing each other in court—this damages social morality and brings shame upon virtuous and filial people. The responsibility lies entirely with me. I should resign and make way for a more capable person."
The next day, he claimed illness and withdrew, shutting himself indoors to reflect on his faults. Local officials, seeing his actions, also deeply felt their own failures in duty.
Han Yanhou's conduct profoundly moved the two brothers disputing the land. They changed from contention to mutual concession and voluntarily came forward to apologize. Han Yanhou was very pleased, received them personally, warmly entertained them with wine and meat, and encouraged them for being willing to correct their mistakes.
This incident caused both the local common people and officials to hold Han Yanhou in even greater respect.
From then on, there were no more lawsuits in Fengyi, and Han Yanhou became deeply beloved by both officials and the people. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, "Tall trees catch the wind."
Han Yanhou, holding such a prominent position, aroused the jealousy and scheming of Xiao Wangzhi, the Imperial Censor. He was falsely accused of "crafty and immoral conduct" and sentenced to execution by beheading. On the day of the execution, thousands of officials and commoners accompanied him to the execution ground, the old and young alike, clinging to his prison cart, offering wine and meat, weeping bitterly. This clearly demonstrated his immense popularity and reputation.
—From the "Book of Han: Biography of Han Yanhou"