The people are hopeful at the start…

All the "Six Kingdoms of Jushi" (across the mountains to the north and east of Turpan) in 126 submit to Ban Yong.

It had been fashionable among the Romans to be clean-shaven since the time of Scipio Africanus.

Also, all Roman Emperors before Hadrian, except for Nero (also a great admirer of Greek culture), had been clean shaven.

Most of the emperors after Hadrian will be portrayed with beards.

Their beards, however, will not worn be worn out of an appreciation for Greek culture but because the beard has, thanks to Hadrian, become fashionable.

This new fashion will last for two centuries, until the reign of Constantine the Great, and will be revived again by Phocas at the start of the seventh century.

As a cultural Hellenophile, Hadrian is familiar with the work of the philosophers Epictetus, Heliodorus and Favorinus.

At home he attends to social needs.

Hadrian mitigates but does not abolish slavery, has the legal code humanized and forbids torture.

He builds libraries, aqueducts, baths and theaters.

Ban Chao's son Ban Yong had been able to effectively restore Han suzerainty over Xiyu (modern Xinjiang and former Soviet central Asia) kingdoms early in Emperor Shun's reign, but in 127, Ban Yong is falsely accused of being late in a military action and removed from his office.

After Ban Yong's removal, the situation in Xiyu gradually deteriorates.

Ban Yong, with Zhang Lang, the Governor of Dunhuang, , in 127 attacks seventeen kingdoms, including Karashahr, Kucha, Kashgar, Khotan, and Yarkand.

The Han forces first subdue Karashahr; then …

…Kucha also capitulates, thus opening the route all the way to …

…Kashgar, which, in turn, opens communications once again to the countries further west, such as Ferghana, Kangju (Sogdiana) and the Yuezhi (the Kushan Empire); …

…only Yuanmeng, Weili (Korla) and …

…Weixu (Hoxud) refuse to submit.

The king of Yuanmeng now sends his son to the palace with offerings.

Following this, the Wusun and the countries in the Pamir Mountains stop disrupting communications to the west.

Sun is recalled to the capital in 128, but continues to lack actual influence to effect reforms.

Another major influence on Emperor Shun is his wet nurse Song E, who is described as a kind woman who, however, also lacks ability, and as she is effectively acting in the stead of an empress dowager, she is not much actual help to Emperor Shun.

Still, the period of Emperor Shun’s rule is generally one during which the empire rests from previous periods of political turmoil.

Although the emperor lacks ability, and corruption continues to run rampant, his personal kindness allows the people a measure of peace.

Ban Yong, during the attack on Karashahr, had been late in making his planned rendezvous with Zhang Lang.

Punished by recall and imprisonment, he is later pardoned and dies in 128 among his family.