During the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Shizong planned an inspection tour of Chu. Officials faced a dilemma: if they prepared a grand ship for a water route but the Emperor chose land, state funds would be wasted. If they prepared nothing and the Emperor arrived by water, they would be guilty of negligence.
A resourceful official, Shen, proposed a simple solution. He gathered local shipbuilders and asked them to stock timber near the dock. Meanwhile, fast couriers tracked the Emperor’s route. If the Emperor came by water, the ship would be built with state funds. If not, the timber would be returned to the merchants—no cost, no risk.
In the end, the Emperor traveled by land, and no ship was built.
This story holds a timeless lesson: we don’t always need to commit fully to one path. Instead, we can stay prepared yet flexible, ready to adapt without wasting energy or resources. True wisdom lies not in predicting the future, but in being ready for whatever comes—calmly, wisely, and without haste.