Ban Jieyu was a concubine of Emperor Cheng of Han. Not only was she very beautiful, she was also intelligent and wise. As she was well-versed in music and literature, she quickly became a favorite of the emperor.

One day, the emperor decided to go on a trip. He invited Ban Jieyu to join him in his carriage. However, Ban Jieyu declined his invitation and said, “The wise emperors of the past chose to ride with their ministers. Only fallen emperors chose to ride with their concubines. If we ride together, it may tarnish your reputation.” The emperor felt that Ban Jieyu’s words were right. So, he listened to her advice.

As time passed, the emperor grew fonder of the Zhao Feiyan sisters and gradually grew apart from Ban Jieyu. One day, the Zhao Feiyan sisters plotted to frame Ban Jieyu. They lied to the emperor that Ban Jieyu practiced witchcraft and wanted to curse him. Upon hearing this, the emperor flew into a rage and ordered the arrest of Ban Jieyu. The emperor then asked Ban Jieyu why she wanted to curse him. Ban Jieyu replied calmly, “I’ve heard that how long a man lives is determined by Heaven. Good people do not necessarily win the favor of the gods, let alone bad people. If the gods heard that I wanted to curse you, they would surely think I am a bad person and reject my request; and if the gods did not hear my request, of what use would the curse be? Therefore, I would never practice witchcraft.” After hearing her words, the emperor calmed down and remembered his past feelings for her. He ordered the release of Ban Jieyu, and gave her a lot of gold.

　　班婕妤是漢成帝的妃子，不但長得十分漂亮，而且聰明有智慧，在文學和音樂方面的學問都很豐富，因此，受到漢成帝的喜愛。
　　有一次，漢成帝出外遊玩，想請班婕妤和他坐同一輛車子。沒想到班婕妤不但不答應皇帝的要求，還說：「古時候賢明的君主，身旁陪伴的都是有名的大臣；只有亡國的君主，身旁陪伴的才是喜愛的妃子。皇上如果和我坐同一輛車子出去，不是很像那些亡國的君主嗎？」漢成帝覺得班婕妤的話十分有道理，就聽從了她的勸告。
　　後來，漢成帝喜愛趙飛燕姐妹，逐漸冷落了班婕妤。趙飛燕姐妹為了陷害班婕妤，竟然欺騙漢成帝，說班婕妤會巫術，想要詛咒皇帝。漢成帝聽了之後，感到非常生氣，因此下令將班婕妤抓起來，並親自問她關於巫術的事情。班婕妤冷靜地回答：「我聽說人的生死，都是上天早就安排好的。做好事的人，不一定會受到鬼神的祝福，更何況是做壞事的人呢？如果鬼神知道我想要害皇上，是絕對不會接受我的詛咒的；如果鬼神不知道，那我的詛咒又有什麼用呢？因此，我是不會做這種事情的。」漢成帝聽了，覺得十分有道理，又想起了以前的恩情，就立刻下令放了班婕妤，並賜給她許多黃金。