Nian'an entered officialdom, but his original aspirations remained unchanged.
After entering the Hanlin Academy, Shen Nian'an always kept in mind the teachings of his grandfather and father, working diligently and conscientiously, never becoming arrogant or complacent because he was the top scholar in the imperial examination. He knew that the Hanlin Academy was a place for cultivating talents, and only by constantly learning could he live up to the trust of the court and the expectations of his family.
Every morning, he was the first to arrive at the Hanlin Academy, organizing documents and studying classical texts. At night, he often studied late into the night, learning the ways of governing the country and analyzing the rise and fall of dynasties. He not only consulted with his seniors at the Hanlin Academy but also used his spare time to go among the common people, visiting them to understand their living conditions and true needs. He recorded the people's hardships one by one, compiled them into memorials, and truthfully reported them to the court.
Soon after, a severe drought struck the vicinity of the capital, lasting for months without rain. Farmland cracked, crops failed, and the people suffered greatly, with many even displaced. When the news reached the imperial court, the ministers debated the matter extensively, but could not come up with an effective solution.
Upon learning of the situation, Shen Nian'an was extremely anxious. He personally went to the disaster area to investigate and was deeply saddened to see the people suffering from hunger and lack of clothing. After returning to the Hanlin Academy, he drafted a memorial to the emperor overnight, proposing three suggestions: first, open the granaries and urgently allocate grain from the national treasury to relieve the disaster-stricken people; second, reduce or exempt taxes in the disaster area to alleviate the burden on the people; and third, organize the people to build water conservancy projects, manage river channels, and construct reservoirs to prepare for next year's agricultural production.
After the memorial was submitted, the new emperor took it very seriously and immediately summoned his ministers to discuss it. Some worried that opening the granaries would deplete the national treasury's grain reserves, while others argued that the massive water conservancy projects would be ineffective in the short term. Shen Nian'an argued forcefully, elaborating on the feasibility and urgency of each suggestion: "Your Majesty, the people are the foundation of the nation. Now that the people are in dire straits, if we do not provide timely relief, we fear there will be a popular uprising. Opening the granaries will deplete the national treasury, but it will save lives and stabilize public morale; the water conservancy projects will be massive, but they will fundamentally solve the drought problem and benefit future generations."
The new emperor found Shen Nian'an's words reasonable and ultimately adopted his suggestion, ordering that his plan be implemented. Shen Nian'an also volunteered to go to the disaster area to assist local officials in providing relief to the people and organizing the construction of water conservancy projects.
Upon arriving in the disaster area, Shen Nian'an led by example, eating, living, and working alongside the people. He personally supervised the distribution of grain, ensuring that every grain reached the people; he led the people to survey the terrain, formulate water conservancy construction plans, and personally participated in digging, carrying water, and building dams. The people were deeply moved by this top scholar's approachability and practicality, and actively participated in disaster relief and water conservancy construction.
Thanks to Shen Nian'an's efforts, the disaster situation in the affected area was effectively brought under control, and people's lives gradually returned to normal. The water conservancy project was also successfully completed, providing a guarantee for agricultural production in the coming year. The people were extremely grateful to Shen Nian'an, praising him as a young, capable, and people-oriented official.
When Shen Jiye and Liu learned of their son's performance, they were filled with joy. They knew that their son had inherited the fine traditions of the Shen family, stayed true to his original aspirations, and become a responsible and capable official.
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