Don't Wait Until the Blossoms Are Gone to Snap a Branch

The bitter wind blew without end, and the snow fell harder and harder. Everywhere the eye could see was a vast expanse of white. The streets should have been deserted because of the heavy snow, yet at this moment, many soldiers hurried from house to house in search of someone.

As dusk fell, the expressions of those waiting for news at the Prime Minister's residence grew ever more solemn. The Prime Minister's wife, dressed in splendid robes, had eyes red from crying…