Jiangnan, this once warm and fertile land, is now shrouded in an unprecedented drought.
The scorching sun hangs high in the sky, relentlessly baking the earth, as if intent on completely draining all life from it. In the fields, crops that were once lush and green now wither under the sun's harsh glare, their leaves curling and yellowing, drooping helplessly towards the cracked earth. The cracks resemble the parched lips of the land, silently voicing despair.
Ponds have dried up, and fish flap desperately in the muddy remnants, a struggle on the brink of death. The people, gazing upon this lifeless scene, are filled with fear and helplessness. Each day, they can only pray for rain under the relentless sun, the light of hope in their eyes growing dimmer.
Just as the people were on the brink of desperation, the Court finally took action. Steam waterwheels began operations.
