Action follows resolve. With his mind made up, Pei Cijing saw no reason to hesitate. He set down the dossier in his hands, straightened his official robes, and rose to his feet.
Administrator Wang’s office was at the end of the corridor, diagonally opposite their own office, just a few steps away.
Pei Cijing walked to the door.
He stopped.
Raised his hand and knocked on the doorframe.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Neither too loud nor too soft—just right.
"Enter."
Administrator Wang’s voice came from inside, flat and unreadable.
Pei Cijing pushed the door open and stepped in.
There was Administrator Wang, hunched over his desk, an open dossier spread before him, a brush in his right hand, his left hand pressing down a corner of the paper—clearly in the middle of reviewing some document.
Administrator Wang looked up. Seeing it was Pei Cijing, his brow gave an almost imperceptible twitch—so subtle that only someone with sharp eyes like Pei Cijing would have caught it.
The newly appointed Tanhua had come to see him. Administrator Wang instinctively assumed that Pei Cijing had encountered some difficulty in revising the Comprehensive Records of the Great Qian Waterways.
He set down his brush, keeping his expression unchanged, though inside a faint trace of disdain began to stir.
This assignment to revise the Comprehensive Records of the Great Qian Waterways was, truth be told, not complicated.
The precedents set by earlier scholars were already in place; the format was fixed. All one had to do was sort through the water administration dossiers submitted by each prefecture, extract the data, and fill them into the appropriate entries.
For over a hundred years, generations of Hanlin Academy scholars had done exactly that—the process had been refined to the point of boredom.
If someone couldn’t even handle such a simple task and had to come running to a superior for help, then that person’s competence was rather questionable.
Administrator Wang thought this, but his face betrayed nothing.
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked in a calm tone, "Editor Pei, have you run into any trouble with the revision of the Records?"
Pei Cijing shook his head. "The revision is going smoothly. However, in the course of my work, I’ve come up with some ideas that I’d like your guidance on."
Ideas? Guidance?
Administrator Wang’s hand holding the teacup paused slightly. He looked at the young man before him—the faint disdain in his heart hadn’t even had time to dissipate before it was joined by a touch of discontent.
It had only been two days since he’d started on the revision. Hardly any real work had been done, and already ideas were sprouting.
So impatient?
But—
He recalled how Academician Lin had favored Pei Cijing, and then there was the young man’s background—the father-in-law who was the Minister of Personnel was no ordinary connection to have.
Fine, then.
Let’s hear what he has to say.
If it turned out to be hollow talk, he could always hammer him back into shape later.
Suppressing his growing irritation, Administrator Wang kept his expression composed and gestured for Pei Cijing to take a seat in the chair beside him. "Go ahead. Speak freely."
Pei Cijing thanked him and sat down. He didn’t rush. Instead, he took a moment to organize his thoughts before speaking slowly.
"In the past few days, as I’ve reviewed the water administration dossiers from various prefectures, I’ve been quite struck by something. Since the founding of the Great Qian dynasty over a century ago, successive emperors have placed great importance on flood control. Dikes have been repaired annually, river channels dredged year after year. Though there have been occasional floods, none have ever escalated into a full-blown disaster. Achieving that is no small feat."
Administrator Wang nodded slightly.
Well said, no doubt. The Great Qian’s water administration was something to be proud of, compared to any dynasty. But these were obviously pleasantries anyone could recite. He picked up his teacup again and took another sip, waiting for the real point.
Pei Cijing continued, "However, I believe that in times of peace, we must be mindful of danger. Forethought leads to preparedness; preparedness prevents misfortune."
He paused, his eyes meeting Administrator Wang’s, his tone growing more earnest. "If we were to encounter a once-in-a-century catastrophe—one that our dikes and levees couldn’t withstand—the flooding would bring devastation to the people downstream."
"Homes destroyed, fertile lands submerged, people and livestock drowned—all in an instant."
"In reviewing the dossiers, I noticed that some villages and towns are remote, with poor communication lines. Often, the floodwaters are already at the village gates before the people learn that the dikes upstream have broken. By then, it’s too late to flee."
"If we could provide advanced warning before a major disaster, giving the people downstream time to evacuate—even if only a day or two in advance, or just a few hours—the lives saved would number in the hundreds, if not thousands."
Warning.
Those two words fell into the office like a pebble into a still pond.
Administrator Wang’s originally casual demeanor tightened slightly. He set down his teacup but didn’t speak, simply watching Pei Cijing, waiting for him to go on.
"Warning is one aspect," Pei Cijing continued. "Post-disaster coordination and resettlement are equally critical. After a flood, the people are displaced, their crops submerged. If relief supplies aren’t delivered in time, even those who survive the floodwater will fall prey to famine and disease. Where to source grain, where to settle the refugees, how the various government offices should cooperate—all of this needs contingency plans in advance, so we don’t end up scrambling at the last moment."
"I kept thinking, while reading these dossiers," he paused briefly before delivering his core idea, "if we could consolidate these scattered experiences and lessons into a comprehensive, actionable strategy—covering warning, logistics, and resettlement—and roll it out to all the prefectures and counties of the Great Qian, so that local officials would know in advance what to do during a disaster and where to go..."
"Then, even if we couldn’t completely eliminate the harm caused by flood disasters, at least we could give the people a better chance of survival."
His words trailed off.
The office fell silent.
So quiet that the rustling of bamboo leaves outside the window could be heard.
Administrator Wang sat there.
Motionless.
Speechless.
For a brief moment, his expression underwent a silent upheaval.
At first, he had been casual, brow furrowed, gaze wandering—clearly enduring a newcomer’s likely half-baked "ideas." Then, unconsciously, his brow relaxed.
His gaze shifted from absent to focused. When Pei Cijing said the word "warning," his usually calm eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were reevaluating this young man.
And when Pei Cijing finished his last word, Administrator Wang still didn’t speak immediately. Something like a depth charge had been dropped into his heart, sending waves rippling outward, slow to settle.
He had originally thought Pei Cijing was nothing more than an impatient newbie who, after tinkering with dossiers for two days, couldn’t sit still and had come to show off his cleverness.
But he had never imagined he would hear this—not hollow talk about "benevolent governance," but a concrete, operational, life-saving strategic proposal.
He had been in the Hanlin Academy for over a decade, handling countless dossiers, revising the Records of Waterways more than once—and yet it had never occurred to him to think from this angle.
But this newcomer, barely a few days into the job, had seen through the dry data and pondered all of this.
What was that phrase about judging by appearances?
Today, he had truly brought that phrase to life with his own actions.
Administrator Wang silently gave himself a fierce slap in his mind, a soundless blow that nevertheless burned with a stinging pain.
He was grateful that he hadn’t let his impatience slip out earlier, that he had held back that surge of negativity and given the other man a chance to finish speaking.
If he hadn’t, those words would have been lost to him forever.
He took a deep breath, lifted his head, and looked again at Pei Cijing. This time, his gaze was radically different from before.
Earlier, when he looked at Pei Cijing, he saw only a new subordinate.
Outwardly courteous,
but inwardly carrying a hint of dismissiveness.
Now, as he gazed upon Pei Cijing, it was like examining a piece of jade that had long been buried beneath dust.
This young man was extraordinary!
Administrator Wang’s ability to judge talent was certainly sound, given his position at the Hanlin Academy.
The idea his subordinate proposed—a trinity of early warning, deployment, and resettlement to create a comprehensive flood response strategy—
His assessment of its value came almost instantly after hearing it out.
For the country and its people, this was a benevolent policy that would bring benefit to millions and be prized by future generations.
For those involved in its drafting, it was also a rare opportunity.
If the strategy were implemented, the names of those who helped compile it would be reviewed and remembered by generation after generation of water management officials.
Even if they were only a faint trace in the annals of history, that would still secure them a place in posterity.
The flicker of eagerness in Administrator Wang’s heart caught fire like a torch, blazing brighter and brighter. As he looked at Pei Cijing, his intensity almost overflowed, and when he spoke, his voice was noticeably higher than usual: “Editor Pei, this idea of yours is excellent.”
As soon as he said it, he felt that just calling it “excellent” was too weak, insufficient to truly convey his feelings. So he underscored his words, hammering them out with weight: “Extraordinary!”
Pei Cijing stood and made a bow, a modest smile perfectly appropriate to the moment gracing his face. “Your praise is too kind, sir.”
Administrator Wang studied that young face, the unassuming yet composed expression on that unfamiliar visage, and abruptly recalled his own previous disdain for the man and that impatience he nearly voiced.
His old face flushed with heat again.
Waving a hand as if to mask his embarrassment, his tone became even more vehement: “Editor Pei, there is no need for such modesty. Your idea is a boon to the country and the people; it deserves my full commendation. For someone of your youth to possess such insight and such breadth of character proves you worthy of being called a pillar of the state!”
A pillar of the state?
Pei Cijing pretended to remain composed as he listened, but inwardly he could hardly help but chuckle. He had read Administrator Wang’s shifting expression all along.
Still, he could understand the other’s anxiety—being a newcomer hesitant to appear unstable, anxious about voicing ideas that risked seeming pie-in-the-sky—yet the fact that the senior officer heard him out was already far more than required.
Now, to receive such lavish praise...
The man truly was a genuine and open sort after all.
Pei Cijing never expected Administrator Wang’s reaction to be so intense, so he quickly said, “You flatter me too much, sir!”
Then, with another bow, his tone sincere, he added, “Your subordinate here has merely hit upon one facet of the problem and advanced the first idea. Whether this plan can be completed and how it is to be shaped all require your generous guidance, sir.”
Administrator Wang observed Pei Cijing’s face, noting how his modesty carried no trace of pretense, and his heart shivered a second time.
Guidance?
Hmph! Given the man’s background, did he even need guidance?
Minister Shen was the head of the Ministry of Personnel, the foremost Minister—Pei Cijing could easily have written up this plan on his own, handed it to the throne through his father-in-law, and pocketed the entire credit for himself.
But that’s not what he did.
Instead, he came knocking at his immediate superior’s door, holding a heavy-handed blueprint with both hands, respectfully requesting his superior’s “guidance.”
He didn’t need any instruction.
What he was actually doing was allowing a credit worthy of making history to be shared with every single member in the building.
If Administrator couldn’t see through this, he really would be a doddery fool; and at that moment, his feelings of shame hit their peak.
What had he thought earlier about to Pei Cijing? That the boy was flighty, and relied solely on his family connections, even planning on reining him in.
But now?
Far from being flighty, Pei Cijing showed his solid work ethic, spotting problems no one else had discovered just from reading old papers—without flaunting his background, he did not claim all the credit; instead, he opened his own door to freely offer it up.
He was bringing everyone along for the ride!
What does it mean to measure a gentleman’s heart with your own smallness?
Today, Administrator Wang had not merely uttered that proverb—he had lived it. He silently gave Pei Cijing another mental slap, one that was even harder and more bitter than the last.
Administrator Wang drew a deep breath and suppressed his roiling emotions. Then he spoke with a gravity that an astute observer would hardly miss: “Editor Pei, you need not push exaggerate your self-deprecation. Simply reorganizing the ‘Land Waterways Classic of Dageng’ made you conceive such breadth—an altitude far beyond common ken. You are truly someone who cares for the good of his country and its suffering subjects. Willingly assume this accolade as your due—why insist on declining?”
Pei Cijing was taken aback at these words; Administrator Wang delivered them with a heavy tone. All Pei originally wanted was to distribute the credit, not to provoke such profound effect on his superior.
But seeing Administrator Wang’s honesty written all over his face, Pei Cijing felt that persistent refusal would only come across as affected.
He bowed once more, his tone managed a laugh, blended with earnest respect: “Since Your Honor cares for me so deeply, I shall decline no further.”
Only then did Administrator Wang nods—satisfied. He leaned into his chair, appraising his young subordinate, and the fire of enthusiasm crackled inside him, now unabated.
That the other party willingly to part with merrit, it's big of him—that’s real class.
But no gentleman could take this kindness without concern. He had to do something appropriate—if only to quiet those earlier, invisible slaps he gave his own face.
After a moment’s thought, he raised his head and spoke with added respect: “Editor Pei, go home today to draft an initial outline of this plan, based precisely on what you spelled out just now.”
“Tomorrow, you come with me for an meeting with at Chancellor Zhao’s estate. Do a good show then. Lay your idea out in full to His Excellency the Chancellor.”
The Head of the Hanlin Academy; the person at the very top.
Caijing paused briefly, but quickly catch up on Administrator’s Machiavellian plan.
This new immediate superior intended create an opportunity for his star performer—not forwarding written briefing not serve his letter as go-between; He would eventually stand himself before a high officer holding rank number second Minister grade, and in so doing, to detail his flood mitigation action proposals in his own words.
His eyes traced Administrator Wang’s still-makings calligraphy, still dominated earnest features ... and Caijing realized his unofficial patron’s intentions generosity greater than expected: Once stuck on caution against the youngster’s background; then reversed error but gradually the apology become reparation approach.
A person you remember, worthy of profound appreciation.
He rose to his feet, adjusted his robes and cap, and with both hands clasped, made a formal and respectful bow to Administrator Wang.
“I am deeply grateful for your guidance, sir.”
Administrator Wang waved his hand, a faint smile appearing on his face—a smile laced with gratification, a hint of emotion, and a trace of relief only he himself could fully understand.
“Go on,” he said, his voice tinged with an unusual gentleness. “Prepare well. Tomorrow, do not lose your composure in front of Chancellor Zhao…”
