Zhenzhu donned thick clothes to protect against the cold wind and wore knee-high leather boots to prevent frostbite from the snow. She hugged the liquor jar and trudged along behind her father with difficulty due to the deep snow and her short legs. It took her over two ke to walk into town. The town was blanketed in white, with everything covered in snow. He Lei, Feng Yi, and Feng Xian each carried a basket of herbs to deliver to the Ruyi Pharmacy. When Master Tiao saw He Lei personally carrying the herbs, he felt he troubled him. "Master He, you didn’t have to carry them yourself. I could have sent workers to fetch them." This Master He made him surprised once again, he even managed to preserve the herbs. With such heavy snowfall, finding a green leaf was almost impossible, let alone herbs. Dıscover more novels at 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵 "It’s no trouble. We have many servants at home. I just wanted to see how things were in town." He Lei sipped warm tea to ward off the cold. "Ah, it’s quite bad. The roads in town are difficult to travel on. Luckily, the Governor has sent soldiers and government slaves to clear some of the snow. Merchants from other cities are having a hard time traveling, and our pharmacy’s customers have significantly decreased. I’ve heard that five people have already frozen to death." The town’s situation was worsening. Despite prior warnings from the Governor to prepare for the harsh cold, many people had bought blankets and stored firewood. But when there were some who believe, there were always some who didn’t, and now some of them had died from the cold. This year’s weather was truly harsh. "Ah... People have actually frozen to death?" "Yes, those who died were poor villagers who couldn’t afford blankets and beggars. The Governor is now distributing blankets he had purchased earlier to help alleviate the cold. Our town is relatively better off. In other towns, the death toll has reached dozens," Master Tiao sighed. Fortunately, most townsfolk heeded the Governor’s warnings, so the situation wasn’t as dire. Now, with the heavy snow, villagers weren’t going out to gather herbs, and the plants they had cultivated were buried under the snow. No one knew when the snow would melt. "It’s really terrible. I wonder when the snow will stop." "Yes, little girl. Now, merchants from other towns are scarce. Soon, we might have to close the pharmacy and stay home. The price of unmilled rice and dried food is also rising. I’ve heard that it’s now 45 brass coins per jin.” Luckily, he had already stocked up on rice and food. "Oh, the price has risen so quickly?" Zhenzhu exclaimed. Two months ago, rice was selling for only 25-30 brass coins per jin, and now it had skyrocketed in price after just a short period of snow. "Yes, indeed. Here in Fengfu City, luckily, the price is not that high. In other cities, it’s gone up to 60-70 brass coins per jin." Most of the residents in Fengfu City had stocked up on rice earlier, so the price increase was slower compared to other places. "But if the weather continues , the price will likely go up even more," Zhenzhu said. "That’s true, but it depends on our luck," Master Tiao sighed. "Oh, I almost forgot. This is the liquor that Mother brewed. I brought it for you to try." She took out a jar of liquor for Master Tiao to see. As soon as she opened it, a fragrant aroma filled the room. "Wow! What kind of liquor is this? Why does it smell so wonderful?" Master Tiao exclaimed in astonishment. He even felt invigorated by the aroma. "This is Yuchong liquor," Zhenzhu replied. "Y... -Yuchong liquor. The finest liquor in the land. Did He Furen really brew Yuchong liquor?" Master Tiao asked. He wondered if the He family were reincarnated immortals because their abilities seemed endless. "Do you have a lot of this liquor? If you sell it, it would surely be a hit." Yuchong liquor was highly sought after by all spirit energy cultivators. If they were lucky, they could advance a tier with just one cup. "We have some left." Zhenzhu smiled with a hidden intention, popping a peanut then put it into her mouth as she waited for the offer. "Sigh, you crafty girl. How about this: I have a younger cousin who runs a brothel business in the capital. I will contact him if you’re interested." "Master Tiao, you read my mind!" Zhenzhu beamed. At the end of the twelfth month, the snow stopped falling. However, as the snow on the ground melted, it turned into ice, worsening the town’s situation. The townspeople’s crops were damaged by the freezing, and unmilled rice prices soared to 180 brass coins per jin. This led to increasing starvation. Governor Xin began distributing the stored rice and food. Although the supplies were limited, they had to suffice for now. Once the cold season ended, a drought would follow, further worsening the situation. He needed to manage the available resources carefully to get through this crisis. "Line up properly! No cutting! If you argue, neither of you will receive anything!" a government official shouted as the people who came to receive the donation began to get noisy. "Line up to register!" The official’s stern tone instilled fear in the people. "Sir, do we have to register?" a woman asked. "Yes, you must register to confirm that you are residents of Fengfu City. The rice and dried food being distributed are from the tax money collected from Fengfu citizens. People from other towns will not receive any!" When they heard this, the people from other cities who had sneaked in turned pale. The situation in their hometowns was dire, with riots breaking out everywhere and many people dying. Even though their Governor had used funds to buy and distribute rice and food to the people, the prices of rice and grains were exorbitant. In their city, unmilled rice costs 300 brass coins per jin. The Governor couldn’t buy much, and the funds quickly ran out after only a few distributions. Now, the people had to fend for themselves. Hearing that the prices of rice and grains in Fengfu City were lower, they traveled there for survival. When they saw that the Governor was distributing rice and food today, they secretly joined the queue. They hadn’t expected the authorities to require registration to receive supplies. Now, Fengfu City had restricted entry. Only residents or those registered in the city were allowed in by the soldiers at the city gate. Some of them had managed to get in before the restrictions were enforced. The residents of Fengfu City were pleased that they had heeded the Governor’s words and stocked up on food. Although they faced some hardship, they could sustain themselves. They were fortunate to have Governor Xin, who was so foresighted. “Good thing we believed the Governor. Otherwise, we might have starved or frozen to death.” “Yes. Do you know that now people from other cities are trying to come here, but they can’t get in because the soldiers won’t let them? They’re sleeping on the streets outside the city.” “Really? Are there many of them?” “Yes, many. Some are so skinny they look like they’re about to die.” “It’s good they’re not letting them in. Otherwise, they’d cause chaos in the city.” “Exactly. They’d try to take our food for sure.” The residents of Fengfu City talked about the situation, feeling lucky to be there. The He family had taken out their stored rice to cook a large pot of porridge to to the starving townspeople. They had bought a medium-sized house in the city for resting and distributing porridge. “Hurry up, or we’ll be late. He Furen has already ordered the servants to bring out several pots of rice.” “Master He is so generous and kind-hearted.” “Yes, and his Furen too. They’re not stingy at all.” “We’re so lucky to be residents of Fengfu City. Let’s go line up.” People from other cities saw that Master He and He Furen were also distributing porridge without requiring registration, unlike the government. They quickly joined the line. The He family wasn’t stingy, even though some were from other cities; they distributed to everyone without discrimination. Every day, Miss Wang, Zhenzhu, and Peipei would come out to set up pots and distribute porridge in the city. Meanwhile, He Lei, He Ming, Aunt Zhou, and Xin Xi continued to sell vegetables at the He Family’s Vegetable Shop as usual, maintaining the same prices. Regular customers and townspeople praised Master He for his high moral standards and for not exploiting others’ suffering for profit. Additionally, Zhenzhu suggested that her father sell some unmilled rice at a slightly higher price, ensuring only a small profit. When the townspeople and outsiders saw that Master He was selling rice at a lower price, they scrambled to buy it. However, the amount of rice sold each day was limited. Thus, He Lei had to restrict purchases to one jin per person. “Please queue up! One jin per person only!” “Queue properly! Don’t fight!” Xin Xi shouted until his voice was hoarse. Today, he was assigned to sell rice alongside Feng Yi, who was in charge of counting money. Xin Xi had to manage the crowd, which was overflowing. Fortunately, the Governor had sent soldiers to help control the situation, but people still pushed and shoved, almost breaking into fights. “If anyone fights, we won’t sell to them!” As soon as those words were spoken, the crowd slowly calmed down. This had been happening for several days, and it was exhausting for Xin Xi. Meanwhile, in front of the He family’s house, they were busily distributing porridge to the townspeople. “May you and your family be blessed, young miss,” an elderly woman blessed them as she received her porridge. “Thank you, Granny,” Zhenzhu responded with a smile. The feeling of being able to give made her feel very good. In the capital of Yan Region, the situation was not much different from other cities. The Emperor had tasked the Crown Prince and various nobles to use the region treasury funds to buy rice and food to distribute to the people. Li Si was lying lazily in her manor. The weather was very cold, and she didn’t want to go anywhere. “Young Miss, the Master and the Eldest Young Master have returned.” “They’re back? Is my elder brother back too?” Li Si jumped up from her bed immediately. “Yes, they’re waiting for you now,” said Nanny Hu Qi. “Ah, let’s go see Father.” She stood up, quickly dressing before running to the main residence. “Father! Big Brother!” The young girl ran to hug her father and big brother. It had been so long since she had seen them. “How have you been, little one? I heard you secretly bought and stockpiled supplies,” Zhao Yangshi ruffled her hair affectionately. “See? I told you so, but you wouldn’t believe me, Father.” She crossed her arms, raising her chin proudly. “Alright, alright, I was wrong. It’s a good thing to have a farsighted daughter like you,” Zhao Yangshi chuckled at her demeanor. But the situation was indeed as she had said; many people were dying from the cold now. Not only in the capital, but other cities were in the same situation. Governors were writing petitions for more funds to solve the problems. The entire region was in distress. “In our manor, I’ve bought a lot of rice. Don’t worry, Father. Our servants and guards won’t starve,” she beamed. “Well done,” Zhao Yangshi praised, making the little girl smile broadly again. "And what does His Majesty say, Father?" she asked curiously. She hadn’t left the manor for days and was unaware of how dire the situation had become. "His Majesty has ordered the nobles to use the region treasury funds. We should be able to get through this winter," Zhao Yangshi replied. "Father, you must believe me. The prophecy says that after the winter, there will be a drought. What should we do? Father, you must warn His Majesty." Li Si urgently shook her father’s arm. "Sigh, it’s difficult to speak of this. Not everyone will believe it," Zhao Yangshi could only sigh. However, he was beginning to believe in the prophecy himself. The current situation was dire. Nobles were distributing their own stockpiles of rice and food to show their concern for the people, hoping that His Majesty would see them as good nobles. They expected the situation to improve soon, and by spending some money now, they hoped for future rewards from the Emperor once things got better. However, if the prophecy proved true, and a drought followed, those who brought out all their food to distribute during this time would face disaster, just like the commoners. Even the nobles would have to sell their old treasures to survive. "But at least warn the nobles. Someone might listen." If even the nobles suffered, who could the people rely on? "Sigh... I’ll try to warn them. Whether they believe it or not is up to fate." "Thank you, Father." Li Si hugged her father. Unmilled rice now costs 450 brass coins per jin, an extremely high price. She was fortunate to have bought it before the winter crisis. "Father, I’ll make porridge to distribute to the townspeople to help them." "Yes, that’s good. Just don’t make too much at once since many nobles are also distributing food." "Big Brother, how is the situation on the border?" she asked, turning to her brother, who was sipping warm tea to ward off the cold. "They’re still holding their positions," he replied calmly. Despite the harsh winter, the two regions had not withdrawn their troops from the border. Besides the harsh winter, there was also the fear of war. However, the severe winter likely meant that neither emperor would order an attack anytime soon. "Sigh, disasters from natural causes are not as bad as those caused by human," Li Si sighed. Three days later, on the other side of the capital. A woman sat calmly embroidering while listening to a servant’s report. The corners of her mouth curved into a smile. "Miss, the porridge you distributed this morning has made you famous throughout the city. However, it’s a pity that many other ladies from various families are also distributing food. Otherwise, you would be the sole standout." Hearing this, Yaoyao smiled widely, her eyes sparkling. Other families’ ladies? Just wait and see. With rice costing 500 brass coins per jin, let’s see how long they can keep buying and distributing food. "And what about Lady Li Si?" "She also distributed porridge, but not as much as you did. However, everyone in the city talks about her a lot. They talk about how she believed the prophecy and bought up food supplies. Some even praise her as the number one lady in the capital," the servant explained animatedly. Lady Li Si’s reputation had soared, and the townspeople regretted not believing her words. Yaoyao’s hand twitched. "What prophecy? It’s nonsense. She was just lucky to say the right thing." "Increase the porridge to ten large pots tomorrow." "But Miss, the price of unmilled rice and dried food is very high right now. If we increase the porridge by ten large pots and a drought occurs as Lady Li Si said, it will be disastrous," the servant warned. The money earned from selling jade pearl silk had been invested in buying land and building another weaving factory, leaving limited funds. If rice prices remained high and her mistress increased the porridge by ten large pots, the remaining money wouldn’t be sufficient for a drought that Lady Li Si had mentioned. "The winter will be over soon." "But Lady Li Si said a drought is coming." "Do you believe her?" Yaoyao glared at the servant in displeasure. That girl was just talking about a drought to get the Crown Prince’s attention. "Just increase the porridge by ten pots as I ordered." She was the one who deserved to be the number one lady. [1]Chen period, Mid-Month, the weather was still cold but much warmer than the previous month. The townspeople had started seeing some sunlight, but despite the warmer weather and melting ice on the ground and moats, starvation worsened. Crops had been covered by snow and ice for so long that they were all damaged and rotten. Not even a single green leaf was visible. Some villagers, seeing the melted ice, even kowtowed in gratitude to the heavens. Although their crops were dead, they could replant once the weather warmed up. [16] Chen period is a time between 07:00 – 08:59 A.M. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en