Kammala wannan jumlar: Tun daga wannan lokacin, Duanfang ya dauki mukamin alkalin lardin Shaanxi, kwamishinan gudanarwa, da wakilin gwamnan Shaanxi. A shekara ta 1900, bayan da sojojin Kasashen takwas suka mamaye Beijing bayan da
Yaƙin Beijing, Empress Dowager Cixi da Sarkin Guangxu sun gudu zuwa Shaanxi. An sauya Duanfang zuwa wani sabon mukami a matsayin kwamishinan gudanarwa na lardin Henan, sannan kuma ga gwamnan Hubei. A shekara ta 1902, Duanfang ya yi aiki a matsayin mukaddashin mataimakin sarki na Liangjiang, Bayan haka, an canza shi zuwa sabon mukami a matsayin Gwamnan Hunan. A cikin mukamansa na gaba, ya karfafa ɗalibai su yi karatu a ƙasashen waje, wanda aka sani da mutum mai wayewa, "mai himma a cikin ƙwarewa a harkokin waje da na cikin gida".