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One method of peering into Heaven is to infer what has not yet come to pass from what is already known. This is called Heavenly Reckoning.\nSince this art first began, generations of predecessors have poured their wisdom into it, aided time and again by Lone Cloud. Only thus was this calculating array brought into being, to probe the rifts of Heaven and reckon the myriad workings of creation.\nIn the Kaiyun years, it foretold the collapse of Mount Taibai. More recently, it foretold the great floods that would afflict the realm. In both cases, warnings were sent out, and what little strength we had was put to use.\nTo fly to Heaven is a work of a thousand years. In this as in all else, the one entrusted with it must be chosen with the utmost care.\nI have looked over the promising talents of the younger generation. Wanshi has gifts enough, yet his resolve is not firm. Qizhe is rich in plans and devices, yet his thoughts are burdened by too many ties.\nOnly Halcyon is steadfast as stone. Though not especially gifted in the finest crafts of mechanism, she shows uncommon insight when it comes to the ordering of pivots and the principles of design.\nMore than that, when I once spoke with Halcyon of fishing the moon from the water, she answered:\n"In all things under Heaven, principle and craft are both indispensable. Principle is like the root of a tree, craft like the leaves in its crown. If the root is not firm, the leaves soon wither. If the leaves do not flourish, the tree too will die.\nIt was because those who came before held the will to fish for the moon, and handed down the craft of fishing for the moon, that those who came after could inherit that same will, and in time achieve the deed of drawing down the moon."\nBy the time Halcyon took her leave that day, it was already the third watch. Lowering my head, I saw the bright moon mirrored in the green water. Raising it again, I found the sky clear and open, with the moon hanging at Heaven's edge.\nAt once my heart grew light. So I bought a jug of rough wine and wrote a letter to Grandmaster Osprey.