Context: Each successive rank gave its holder greater pensions and legal privileges. The highest rank, of full marquess, came with a state pension and a territorial fiefdom. Holders of the rank immediately below, that of ordinary marquess, received a pension, but had no territorial rule. Officials who served in government belonged to the wider commoner social class and were ranked just below nobles in social prestige. The highest government officials could be enfeoffed as marquesses. By the Eastern Han period, local elites of unattached scholars, teachers, students, and government officials began to identify themselves as members of a larger, nationwide gentry class with shared values and a commitment to mainstream scholarship. When the government became noticeably corrupt in mid-to-late Eastern Han, many gentrymen even considered the cultivation of morally grounded personal relationships more important than serving in public office.

Question: During what period was it obvious that corruption was widespread in the government?
Answer: mid-to-late Eastern Han

Question: What rank provided its holder territorial rule?
Answer: full marquess

Question: What class did individuals who served as officials in the government belong to?
Answer: commoner social

Question: What was considered to be more important to some than serving the local government?
Answer: cultivation of morally grounded personal relationships

Question: What rank is below that of full marquess?
Answer: ordinary marquess