The winter snow, like notes slowly easing in pace, gradually calms. Though there remains a lingering coldness, the arrival of early spring begins.
The withered willow bursts forth with new buds, and the apricot flowers bloom into buds. Even the mostly deserted villages now have new vitality, which is the sound of newborns crying.
In these times, the poorer families are more inclined to have children. Even if destruction comes again and again, as long as there are a dozen years to heal and nurture, the land will soon be bustling with human life again.
However, for impoverished families, having a boy is considered a gain, while having a girl is mostly unwelcome.
Certainly, the Great Yin does have female officials, but which girl from a common family can afford to study or become an official? Without glorifying the ancestors, continuing the family line, or having the strength to farm, what use is a girl?
