Chapter 1653: Chapter 1653: Severe Drought

As the midsummer of July arrived, Shangjing seemed like a steaming oven being roasted over a blazing fire, so hot that people wished they could soak in water.

"It’s been over a month since it last rained. I’m afraid there might be a drought this year again," Song Ci complained about the oppressive heat as she was assisted to the Water Pavilion by the lake to cool off. Her gaze fell on the cracked ground, and her brow furrowed.

Nan Shan replied, "That’s unlikely, it’s only been over a month."

Nanny chided, "Over a month without rain can cause significant loss for many farmers, especially when the crops are nearing harvest but lack irrigation. What do you think the latter half of the year will be like? People will surely be hungry."

Song Ci agreed, "If there’s just a drought, we can hope for rain quickly, plant another crop, tighten our belts, and get through it. But the real fear is if this drought is followed by another extreme disaster; that would be catastrophic."

Usually, droughts and floods bring about epidemics. When that happens, like in the twenty-third year of Shengping, the National Treasury of Great Qing becomes empty.

Fortunately, the past few years have all been years of good harvest, so there are resources to aid in disaster relief. Otherwise, a severe drought would result in countless deaths.

Nan Shan stuck out her tongue, not daring to speak further.

Song Ci walked to the edge of the pavilion, looked down for a moment, stunned, her brows knit together.

"Be careful, falling in is no joke," Nanny signaled Nan Shan to assist Song Ci.

Song Ci said to the two, "My eyesight isn’t good. Look, has the water level in the lake dropped quite a bit?"

Nanny seemed slightly taken aback.

Nan Shan motioned the two to step back, then deftly flipped over, gripping the railing of the pavilion with both hands, and looked straight at the pavilion’s column legs.

The pavilion was built by the lake, with a few column legs standing in the water. Now the columns standing in the water had dropped a finger’s length, exposing cracked moss.

Nan Shan frowned.

Even she, with her limited understanding, knew that a drop in the water level was not a good sign.

"How is it?"

"It has dropped, by a finger length," Nan Shan replied with a serious expression.

Upon hearing this, Song Ci’s face turned a bit somber, losing interest in cooling off here. She said, "Let’s go back. Ask Madam, Second Madam, and Young Madam to meet me at Chunhui Hall."

...

Madam Song and Jiang arrived first, while Guan Shuyan met Fu Yunjin on the way, and they came together. As for Lu, she was the last to arrive when everyone was already seated.

Lu’s face was a bit flushed as she bowed to Song Ci and explained, "The master said he’s going on a pilgrimage to the Changqing Temple and will also cool off at Yuzhu Manor. I was preparing his luggage, which is why I’m a bit late."

Upon hearing this, Jiang remarked, "With it being so hot and Third Brother’s legs not being convenient, why go there to escape the heat? It’s still July."

The Ghost Month of July, why venture out?

"It’s said that a renowned Heavenly Master Zhong has come to Changqing Temple to preach. The master decided to go meet him, and besides, our estate’s Yuzhu Manor is located at the foot of that Daoist Temple, so it’s quite cool there, hence he’s thinking of escaping the summer heat."

Madam Song was fiddling with a blue-green bead necklace as she cast a glance at Lu, with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, and said, "Third Brother still hasn’t given up, wanting to see if this Heavenly Master Zhong can make him stand up?"

In recent years, such things have not been few, haven’t you noticed Song Zhiqing has even tied a Daoist bun and wears a plain robe? He’s just short of holding a horsetail whisk and putting on a show asking where the demon goes.

Lu gave an awkward smile and said nothing. As for Song Zhiqing wanting to go, she couldn’t stop him. She was too lazy to care; he could go wherever he wanted.

Song Ci said, "If he wants to go, let him. Send more people to attend to him."

Lu hurriedly said, "I’ve already made the arrangements."

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