contend

Chapter 671 How Difficult
In May, both Sima Yan and Sun Hao sharpened their swords, ready to bite dogs.

Yang Zheng was preparing to watch a good show, but he didn't expect another accident in Guanzhong.

Whenever there is drought, locusts will arise.

Although there was a blizzard in March, it lasted too short to freeze all the insect eggs, and it quickly entered spring.

The locusts also recovered.

Signs of large numbers of locusts have appeared in all counties in Guanzhong.

Yang Zheng had a headache for a while. Guanzhong is really full of disasters. Apart from Guanzhong, there is no other place that is more suitable for building a capital.

However, this locust plague was only the first outbreak. The local officials did their duty and found signs in advance, and finally reported them to Yang Zheng.

Drought only harms one place. If the locust plague arises, it will jump from Guanzhong to Hanzhong and Hexi, from Hanzhong to Shuzhong and Longyou...

Drought last year, if there is another locust plague this year, the land equalization system will collapse...

The people must have run away with buckets and fled back to Shuzhong.

Yang Zheng remembered that in history, after Sima Yan came to power, Guanzhong was also plagued by drought and locust plagues. The Yongliang Han people, Xianbei people, and Di people all rose up, and rebellions continued one after another.

Yang Zheng finally caught up and took the blame for the Sima family.

"Drought and locust plagues are all warnings from heaven. Your Majesty should practice benevolence and virtue, put the people first, and refrain from killing and cutting." Du Kuan led a group of literati and said in a hurry.

Yang Zheng's eyes widened, he was annoying enough, and these people came to add to the chaos.

If he had put down the butcher knife these days, he would have been cut into pieces by the National People's Congress.

"Isn't an orphan benevolent?" Yang Zheng said angrily, thinking to himself that he didn't harm the people much, did he?
If it is said to be a disaster, it will also harm the surrounding foreign races and noble clans.

Du Kuan is also a member of the aristocratic family, his ass decides his head, so he naturally wants to speak for the gentry, "Your Majesty raises an army of hundreds of thousands at every turn, labors on expeditions, the people suffer unspeakably, and the people have long-standing grievances!"

If it wasn't for Du Yu's face, Yang Zheng really wanted to send him to Shuofang, Juyan, or Nanzhong, and let him stop killing and cutting.

When the locust plague appeared, I didn't want to think about how to solve the problem, but I used the problem first to make use of it.

God is so discerning, the Sima family will not be stable in history.

"Since the people are miserable, please trouble Du Gong to go to Hequ and Xihai to observe the people's situation and comfort the people!" Yang Zheng laughed.

"Da, Wang..." Du Kuan lived a very happy life in Chang'an, studying Confucian classics all day long, and went to Guzang a few times to debate with the monks.

"If you don't want to go to Hequ and Xihai, you can go to Nanzhong and Jiaozhou. It's mostly because Daqin cares about the people." The smile on Yang Zheng's face gradually became serious.

"I, I would like to go to Hequ, Hequ."

"It's not too late, Duke Du is leaving now."

"Chen, I take orders." Du Kuan wiped the sweat off his face, not daring to stay any longer.

Lu Zhi shook his head, smiled lightly and said, "Uncle Du Wu is far inferior to Uncle Du Wu."

Du Wubo is Du Yu's father, Du Shu.

Du Shu got stuck with Sima Yi and was framed.

Du Kuan used the illusory things to make an excuse.

"If the locust plague is discovered early, it can be dealt with early. Your Majesty, you don't need to worry too much." Lu Zhi turned the topic back on track.

"Uncle, do you have a good plan?"

There can be no more disasters in Guanzhong, otherwise Juntian will be in vain.

Lu Zhi said: "The locusts grow with the crops. They come out in spring, come out in summer and grow in autumn. Locusts fly on the wall, and they must go to the fire at night. You can light a bonfire in the field at night to burn the locusts."

"The Book of Songs" has a cloud: Tianzu has a god, and he rides the flames.

In the Zhou Dynasty, there was a way to control locusts with fire.

I was confused by Du Kuan just now, but now I am calm, and suddenly thought of a way for future generations, raising ducks to control locusts!

"The government hatched ducklings, gave them to the common people, and raised them in the fields!"

Lu Zhi laughed, "Your Majesty, this method is not bad. It not only controls locusts, but also makes the common people eat duck eggs and duck meat."

The government of the state of Qin was very efficient, and Lu Zhi combined various methods, and the local government implemented them immediately.

The common people were also mobilized by the chiefs of the corps, chiefs, and chiefs, and threw themselves into the fields.

They lit bonfires at night, went to the fields to slaughter them during the day, and raised a large number of ducks.

Yang Zheng lived in the field for more than half a month and culled locusts with the people.

Some people directly roast locusts as food, or cook them and feed them to pigs and cattle.

The people stayed in the fields all day catching locusts.

As long as you can eat it these days, it's not a problem.

At first it was a government organization, but later it became voluntary.

Old people, children, and women, when they have nothing to do, stay in the fields to catch locusts, carry baskets, cut off the heads and feet, and can catch four or five catties a day.

Yang Zheng originally wanted to imitate Emperor Li Er by swallowing a locust alive, and then said: I bow to the disaster I hope to avoid, how can I avoid it?
Bring it to your mouth, this thing is alive and kicking, when you think that this thing has parasites, if you get sick, you will lose your life if you pretend to be forced, so you throw it on the ground and trample it to death, and tell the people that it must be cooked or baked thoroughly before eating .

"There is a saying in Zuo Zhuan: The difficulties of neighboring countries should not be feared. It may be difficult to consolidate the country and expand its territory; or it is difficult to lose the country and lose its defense. It is difficult to rejuvenate the country, and the ancient and modern principles are also true." Lu Chi felt it,

In fact, most of the history is like this. Natural disasters are not terrible, but man-made disasters are terrible.

Qin State united as one, and the locust plague was gradually contained.

On the contrary, pigs, cows, and ducks are all extremely fat, which is a surprise.

On the surface, it was to control locusts, but Yang Zheng felt that it was a test of Qin's mobilization ability.

So far it seems to work well.

The central government and the local government are doing things in a down-to-earth manner. After experiencing the drought, the people did not feel too much panic, and they have a lot of confidence in the government.

In fact, throughout the ages, the people of China have not had high demands on the government. If they are a bit human, if they provide a stable environment, they will use their blood and sweat to build a powerful empire.

"Don't let go of the locust plague. In addition to the fields, you must also pay attention to the wilderness. Guzai will send scouts to patrol the wilderness in various parts of Guanzhong. Once you find a locust situation, you will go all out and ask for people and money."

"Wei!" Suo Jing cupped his hands.

The new capital was suspended, the people returned to the fields, and Suo Jing also followed.

"Neighboring countries are in trouble. Why don't your majesty catch live locusts and send them to Hedong, Nanyang and other places!" Wei Guan was worthy of his background as a poisoner, his eyeballs rolled around, and the poisonous plan came.

Yang Zheng thought for a while, "No, Hedong is connected to Bingzhou and Feng Yi, and the plague of locusts grows stronger. If they fly back to Guanzhong... something bad will happen."

Locusts are alive.

And Yang Zheng felt that this trick was not very useful to the Central Plains.

Even if there is a shortage of harvests in Hedong and Nanyang, other places can make up for it.

But if the locusts flew back to Guanzhong, they would be shooting themselves in the foot.

However, Wei Guan just mentioned it casually without much thought. Seeing Yang Zheng's objection, he smiled and cupped his hands, "Your Majesty is indeed a benevolent king!"

These words made Yang Zheng laugh, "Everyone in the world calls Lonely a tiger and wolf, cruel and heartless."

"Great benevolence is not benevolent, great kindness is not beneficial!" Wei Guan chanted.

Yang Zheng laughed lightly. He didn't care what other people thought of him in two lifetimes. Whether he was benevolent or cruel, as long as he could rule the world and create a powerful empire, the rest didn't matter.

(End of this chapter)