Countless feudal lords entered Chang'an City, particularly the high-ranking marquises and lords king from East of the Passes, attracting considerable attention from the city's scholars and commoners.
The position of Great Han's kings and high-ranking marquises within the realm was growing ever more different.
Whatever the social stratum, everything ultimately came down to a contest of talent. The rise of scholars of classical studies had gathered the strength of the powerful gentry throughout the realm.
This produced an unending stream of talented commandery governors and state chancellors, profoundly challenging the position of the kings and high-ranking marquises.
The kings and high-ranking marquises had kingdoms and marquisate states to inherit. They were remnants of the previous age's feudal order, and this was both an advantage and a shackle.
During the Zhou State, feudal states had frequently grown powerful enough to swallow their suzerain, so the court kept a very close watch on these semiautonomous princely and noble domains.
But in this age of sweeping land consolidation, the shackles the imperial house placed upon them were simply too heavy.
Inspectors, commandery governors, state chancellors, and the Embroidered-Robe Inspectors all watched to see whether these princes and lords expanded their holdings. Reporting any such expansion earned a major commendation.
By contrast, the powerful gentry in the commanderies and counties could annex land without any scruples. Although the nature of their land differed-the princes and lords' land was "their own," while the gentry's land was "purchased"-who cared about that when actually using it?
Many princes and lords had come to Chang'an to lodge complaints.
"Your Majesty, the private army within my state actually numbers fewer men than the household retainers of the powerful gentry. Their lands in the commanderies and counties are several times greater than those within my state, and they have even