In the winter of the 14th year (166 BC), the Huns planned to enter the border to plunder, they attacked the pass fortress and killed military head Sun Ang of Beidi. Emperor Wen then sent three generals to station in Longxi, Beidi, and Shangjun respectively, and appointed Zhou She as the General of Guards, and Supervisor Attendant Zhang Wu as the General of Chariots and Cavalry, stationed north of the Wei River, with 1,000 chariots and 100,000 cavalry. Emperor Wen personally comforted the soldiers, rectified the army, issued instructions, and rewarded the soldiers of the whole army. Emperor Wen wanted to lead the soldiers to attack the Huns in person, but the ministers dissuaded him, and Emperor Wen refused to listen. The Queen Mother resolutely stopped Emperor Wen, and Emperor Wen gave up. So he appointed Zhang Xiangru, Marquis of Dongyang, as the general, Dong Chi, Marquis of Cheng, as the internal historian, and Luan Bu as the general, and sent troops to attack the Huns. The Huns fled.
In spring, Emperor Wen said, "I have been able to offer sacrifices and jade to the Emperor of Heaven and the ancestral temple for fourteen years, which is a long time. I am not diligent and wise, but I have been able to govern the world for a long time. I feel ashamed for this. The altar should be expanded and more sacrifices should be provided. In the past, the former kings showed favors from afar without asking for returns, offered sacrifices to mountains and rivers from afar without praying for blessings, put talents prior to relatives, considered the people first and themselves next, and were extremely wise. Now I heard that the officials in charge of sacrifices prayed for blessings from the gods, but all of them were attributed to me, but they did not consider the people. I feel ashamed for this. People like me with shallow virtues enjoy the blessings of the gods alone, while the people cannot enjoy them, which makes my virtues even shallower. Now I order the officials in charge of sacrifices to express respect to the gods and not pray for me."
At that time, Zhang Cang, the Marquis of Beiping, was the prime minister and was formulating music and calendar. Gongsun Chen, a native of Lu County, wrote a letter to explain the theory of the end and beginning of the five virtues, and proposed that the current one is the earth virtue, which corresponds to the appearance of the yellow dragon, and the calendar and clothing systems should be changed. The emperor referred the matter to the prime minister and other officials for discussion. After studying it, the prime minister believed that the present was the water virtue, and began to stipulate that October was the beginning of the year and that the clothing should be black. He believed that Gongsun Chen's theory was incorrect and requested that it should not be adopted.
In the 15th year (165 BC), a yellow dragon appeared in Chengji. The emperor then summoned Gongsun Chen of Lu County again, appointed him as a doctor, and asked him to explain the relevant theories of the earth virtue. So Emperor Wen issued an edict saying: "A strange divine creature appeared in Chengji, but it did not harm the people. This year's harvest is very good. I will personally go to the suburbs to sacrifice to the Emperor of Heaven and the gods. The officials in charge of etiquette will discuss it, and don't worry about my fatigue." The officials in charge of etiquette all said: "In ancient times, the emperor personally went to the suburbs in summer to sacrifice to the Emperor of Heaven according to etiquette, so it was called suburban sacrifice." So Emperor Wen personally visited Yong County for the first time, sacrificed to the Five Emperors in the suburbs, and thanked the heaven for the auspicious signs in the fourth month of summer. Xin Yuanping, a native of Zhao, was summoned because of his skill in the art of observing qi. He took the opportunity to persuade Emperor Wen to build the Temple of the Five Emperors in Weiyang. At the same time, he wanted to instigate the emperor to salvage the Nine Tripod Cauldrons of the Zhou, saying that there would definitely be a brilliant gem to be found.
十四年冬，匈奴谋入边为寇，攻朝冉阝塞，杀北地都尉卬。上乃遣三将军军陇西、北地、上郡，中尉周舍为卫将军，郎中令张武为车骑将军，军渭北，车千乘，骑卒十万。帝亲自劳军，勒兵申教令，赐军吏卒。帝欲自将击匈奴，群臣谏，皆不听。皇太后固要帝，帝乃止。于是以东阳侯张相如为大将军，成侯赤为内史，栾布为将军，击匈奴。匈奴遁走。
春，上曰：“朕获执牺牲珪币以事上帝宗庙，十四年于今，历日绵长，以不敏不明而久抚临天下，朕甚自愧。其广增诸祀墠场珪币。昔先王远施不求其报，望祀不祈其福，右贤左戚，先民后己，至明之极也。今吾闻祠官祝釐，皆归福朕躬，不为百姓，朕甚愧之。夫以朕不德，而躬享独美其福，百姓不与焉，是重吾不德。其令祠官致敬，毋有所祈。”
是时北平侯张苍为丞相，方明律历。鲁人公孙臣上书陈终始传五德事，言方今土德时，土德应黄龙见，当改正朔服色制度。天子下其事与丞相议。丞相推以为今水德，始明正十月上黑事，以为其言非是，请罢之。
十五年，黄龙见成纪，天子乃复召鲁公孙臣，以为博士，申明土德事。于是上乃下诏曰：“有异物之神见于成纪，无害于民，岁以有年。朕亲郊祀上帝诸神。礼官议，毋讳以劳朕。”有司礼官皆曰：“古者天子夏躬亲礼祀上帝于郊，故曰郊。”于是天子始幸雍，郊见五帝，以孟夏四月答礼焉。赵人新垣平以望气见，因说上设立渭阳五庙。欲出周鼎，当有玉英见。
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