As the emperor's great seal was stamped upon them, hundreds of imperial envoys departed Chang'an in every direction. One edict was to be circulated throughout the provinces and commanderies of All Under Heaven; the others were imperial edicts appointing individuals to office, along with the golden seals, Golden Patents, and ceremonial insignia for investing high-ranking marquises.
Only when the Golden Patents passed from their hands, one after another, did the dukes, ministers, and officials finally recall a trace of the imperial city's former splendor.
A few imperial envoys headed west, while most headed east, advancing together along the three roads out of Guanzhong.
Ma Teng and Han Sui gladly accepted the Court's additional appointments. Ma Teng was not a Liangzhou native, so he became Governor of Liangzhou, while Han Sui became a high-ranking general, leaving the two comparable in power and influence.
Neither had expected discontent to spread among their followers, especially Han Sui's retainers. General Who Guards the West was a lofty position, but Governor of Liangzhou was more than an office: it also conferred the right to recruit one's own staff. That immediately put its power beyond anything the generalship could match.
Ma Teng's followers were equally dissatisfied. There was a little-known detail: although a provincial governor wielded great power, his rank was theoretically only Two-Thousand-Shi, below the Nine Ministers and inferior to General Who Guards the West. Ma Teng's followers were deeply unhappy about this, believing both the governorship and the high-ranking generalship should have gone to him.
But Ma Teng and Han Sui did not see it that way.
Ma Teng, in particular, said with considerable feeling, "Gentlemen.
"Our Fufeng Ma Clan was originally a house of dukes and marquises, yet now we have almost fallen to the level of frontier commandery warriors.
"What standing do