The commoners, while toiling the soil, were troubled. They lamented the lack of rain and the exhausting effort required to water their crops and feared the impending hardship.
They gazed up at the sky, which remained a clear, cloudless blue, devoid of even a wisp of cloud.
In her moments of leisure, Qiao Mai stood in her courtyard with her hands behind her back, looking up at the heavens.
The river still contained water, and the drought had not yet reached a critical level. They would endure these hardships for now, as the future trials might be more severe.
In the fields, people worked diligently to ensure their crops received enough water. This year, they had planted only sweet potatoes.
It was a crop that required less maintenance and provided sufficient sustenance.
