《汉书·传·王莽传下》
自从王莽措施不合时令，百姓怨恨，王莽仍安于这种状况，又下文告说： 想到制定这样的权宜法令以来，长安是六乡大县的中心城市，报警的鼓声响得稀少了，盗贼减弱、减少了，百姓安居乡土，年成因此获得了丰收，这就是采取权宜措施的功效。
自莽为不顺时令，百姓怨恨，莽犹安之，又下书曰： 惟设此一切之法以来，常安六乡巨邑之都，枹鼓稀鸣，盗贼衰少，百姓安土，岁以有年，此乃立权之力也。
Ever since Wang Mang's measures were out of step with the times, the people have resented him, but Wang Mang was still at ease with this situation, and he issued another edict saying: Since the implementation of these expedient laws, Chang'an has become a central city of six large counties, and the sound of the alarm drums has become rare. Thieves have become less active and fewer, and the people have settled in their hometowns, and the year has therefore yielded a bountiful harvest. This is the efficacy of adopting expedient measures.