Shen Shixu took both men's advice to heart. After Xu Guangyi and Wu Dazhi sent him back to rest, he asked Xiao Jinyi on the way, "Both of these officials have good character and are capable. Why have they stayed in Qu City all this time?"
Xiao Jinyi told him, "Before we came, I asked my brother about them. He said that their accomplishments were enough to earn them promotions, but neither of them wanted to move up.
"They were worried about the people under their care, so they declined transfers on the grounds that they still had much to improve on and recommended other capable officials who wanted to leave."
Before coming, Xiao Jinyi had worried that the local officials might neglect their duties, so he had specifically asked Xiao Yuanqi about them. As the Crown Prince, Xiao Yuanqi knew at least something about the officials throughout Great Qian.
Thinking of everything Xu Guangyi and Wu Dazhi had just told him, Shen Shixu said to Xiao Jinyi with feeling, "There aren't many good officials left who work diligently for the people's sake like they do. I hope I can persevere like them in the future, too. No, I know I can keep at it."
Shen Shixu spoke with confidence. At first, he had only wanted to bring honor to his family. After he began solving cases, he hoped to leave no miscarriages of justice under his watch. Now, he hoped to stay true to his original purpose in solving cases and ensure that Great Qian would have no more wrongful convictions.
It was easy to say, but it would be a very long undertaking. He might not accomplish it even by the day he died.
But as long as one person persevered, his spirit would guide those who followed,