Now it's already March, but the temperature hasn't rebounded at all. No one knows how long this extreme cold will last. If it continues like this, once the leftover grain is consumed in over a month, will it truly lead to a dead end? I fear by then, more people will die.
Even if, taking a huge step back, the temperature somewhat eases after a month, who knows what disasters melting ice and snow might bring?
Moreover, the fields of the common people are ruined, and even with seeds, they cannot be planted immediately.
There is an even more critical issue: less than one-tenth of the surviving population knows how to farm, leaving behind only wealthy merchants, soldiers, and rough men, along with the ladies of each household.
Sighing, just thinking about these matters makes Governor Zhao feel as if his head is as heavy as an ox.
