Song Yunzhao never would have imagined that Xie Jinshu and Ling Yunhe had secretly gone south to purchase grain. Due to the poor communication, Xie Jinshu still didn't know how much grain Ling Yunhe had managed to buy, but it was a glimmer of hope regardless.
Song Yunzhao was overjoyed. Xie Jinshu also mentioned that the Ministry of Revenue had begun requisitioning both grain and medicinal herbs from across the country, but it was impossible to say how much they could actually procure.
Song Yunzhao understood. Productivity in this era was low, and with seeds and soil fertility far inferior to those of later ages, yields were extremely poor. It was common for a natural disaster to result in a complete crop failure.
If one region suffered a disaster, the surrounding Prefectures and Counties had to share their grain to provide relief. Consequently, very few areas had any significant surplus, unless they were exceptionally fertile lands.
