A farming proverb said that fierce winds did not last all morning, and torrential rain did not last all night. Yet in the fortieth year of Jiajing, the torrential rain that arrived with the Dragon Boat Festival on the Xin'an River poured down day and night for three days...
"The dike has burst! The dike has burst!"
"Run! The flood's coming in!"
The downpour did not cease, and thunder rumbled without end. Inside and outside Chun'an County, people were in an uproar, beating gongs and drums so loudly that even the rolling thunder was drowned out.
A pounding came at the door. Without waiting for permission from the master of the house, a petty official soaked through by the rain shoved the door open and rushed in.
He did not even have time to wipe the rain from his face. Though it had run into his eyes, he still forced them wide open and said in panic, "Third Master, something terrible has happened! The Xin'an River dike has burst! The water has already flooded in! Second Master sent me to notify you and ask you to hurry over for a discussion."
Wang Yan, his hair loose and wearing nothing but a white inner robe, put down his book. He casually tied up his hair and secured it with a green hairpin, threw a blue silk outer robe over himself, stepped into his official boots, took up an umbrella, and headed out first.
After walking through the county yamen for a while, Wang Yan arrived at the main hall.
County Magistrate Chang Boxi, County Assistant Tian Youlu, Registrar Zhang Song, and the heads of the Works Office, Revenue Office, and the rest were all present. Only Wang Yan, the Chief Clerk and third-ranking official, had arrived last.
"Chief Clerk Wang,