The ministers begged me to ascend the throne

Zhao Yao had already written to the emperor about how to solve the locust plague, and he could only wait for the results. If possible, he would like to go to the north in person to deal with the locust plague. Unfortunately, as a vassal king, he cannot leave his fiefdom at will without an imperial decree.

Zhao Yao believed in the emperor's methods and speed. In the next few days, he did not temporarily ignore the locust plague in the north, but focused exclusively on harvesting early rice.

If the locust plague in the north is severe, the entire northern state capital will be affected. Food in the north will become scarce, and there may even be disaster victims. In order to prevent a large number of disaster victims in the north, Zhao Yao decided to send some food to the north.

Although he had written to his grandfather asking the Liang family to quickly transfer food to the north, he was worried that the food purchased and previously stored by the Liang family was not enough. There are more than a dozen or twenty state capitals in the entire north, with a population of more than one million people. If the worst happens, there will be more than one million victims, and the little food the Liang family has will definitely not be enough. He had to prepare some food and send it to the north in a few days.

Zhao Yao decided to send the early rice that was about to be harvested to the north to alleviate the food crisis in the north.

Zhao Yao originally had low expectations for this year's early rice harvest, but now Zhao Yao is very much looking forward to it. He now particularly hopes that this year's early rice harvest will be several times larger than in previous years, so that while ensuring that the people of Marsh Prefecture are fed, more food can be sent to the north.

For safety reasons, Zhao Yao purchased a large amount of grain from foreign merchants. During the trade conference, Zhao Yao signed a lot of grain deals with foreign merchants. This time, I bought a lot more, which made the foreign businessmen very happy.

For foreign merchants such as Annan and Pyu, the most indispensable thing they lack is food. To be honest, their country has so much food that they can’t eat it all every year. This resulted in a lot of food rotting in the granary. In order to prevent too much food from spoiling, the people of these foreign countries decided not to harvest the rice and would rather let the rice wither and die in the fields.

Even though many people would rather let the rice rot in the fields, there is still an abundance of food in these foreign countries. However, after Dazhou started buying grain from these countries a few years ago, they no longer let rice wither in the fields.

The foreign merchants moved very quickly, and within a few days they sent Zhao Yao a lot of food. After receiving the food, Zhao Yao immediately sent people to the north.

In the past two days, Zhao Yao was busy harvesting early rice, and at the same time he was busy collecting grain sent by foreign merchants, and then arranged to send it to the north.

Zhao Yao personally went to the fields to harvest early rice in order to let the people of Marsh Mansion know how much he valued food.

When the people saw His Highness the King of Han personally going to the fields to harvest rice, they were encouraged and started harvesting vigorously one by one.

The early rice grew very well this year, and the people were very happy when they harvested it. They have lived in Marsh Mansion for decades, or even their entire lives, and have never seen rice growing so well.

The common people knew that the early rice grew well this year, thanks to His Highness the King of Han. If His Highness the King of Han had not told them the farming methods, their rice would not have grown so well. For this, the people were very grateful to Zhao Yao.

When the people were harvesting early rice, Zhao Yao offered a high price to buy half of the rice in their hands. The reason why I bought half of it was because I wanted to keep half for the people to eat.

Last year, after Zhao Yao came to Marsh Mansion, the first order he issued was to exempt the people from taxes for three years, which included food.

The people of Marsh Mansion not only have to hand over a certain amount of grain to the local government every year, but they also have to hand over a certain amount of grain to the court. The same is true for other state capitals in Lingnan, and the same is true for the people in other prince's fiefdoms. In other words, people in many places have to hand in food twice a year.

In places where food is abundant, people can still have a surplus of food after turning in food twice. However, for people in most places, after turning in food twice, they do not have much food leftover, which results in many people being unable to eat. Full meal. This is also the reason why the people in Lingnan cannot have enough to eat despite planting two crops of rice.

Zhao Yao felt that it was too harsh to ask the people to hand in food twice, so he directly ordered the abolition of the rule that the people should hand in food to the court. The food that was handed over to the imperial court was handed over by him, the feudal prince. The people of Marsh Mansion only need to hand over the food to him.

Previously, the people of Marsh Mansion were worried that His Highness the King of Han would increase the amount they handed over. Unexpectedly, not only did it not increase, but it also decreased. The most important thing is that they don't need to turn in any food for three years. After three years, they only need to hand over a little grain to His Highness the King of Han.

There is no need to hand over grain this year, and this year's harvest is good, so the people naturally have a lot of surplus grain, and there is no problem in selling half of it.

The people were also happy to sell half of the grain to Zhao Yao. Not only could they make money, but they could also sell it well to His Highness the King of Han. Why not do it.

This year, Zhao Yao made another windmill, and the early rice harvest went very smoothly and faster than in previous years. Within a few days, the first batch of early rice production came out.

In the past, the annual output of early rice was at most one hundred catties per mu, but this year the output of early rice reached two hundred catties per mu, a full double.

Two hundred kilograms per acre was something Zhao Yao never expected. Based on previous yields per mu, Zhao Yao thought that this year's early rice yield per mu would be at most 140 or 50 kilograms per mu, which would be enough to weigh 160 kilograms. Unexpectedly, it was directly 200 kilograms, which surprised him.

The people were also shocked to learn that this year's early rice was twice as much as in previous years. Two hundred pounds per acre, this is something they can't even think about. After being surprised, came a huge surprise. Many people cried with joy, especially those of an older generation.

Over the years, no, counting from their ancestors, they have never seen two hundred catties per acre. Now that they have seen it with their own eyes, this means that they will no longer have to go hungry in the future, and they will have enough to eat.

Not only the people of Shuma Prefecture, but also the people of other prefectures did not dare to think about having enough to eat. Although they always hope to have enough to eat every day, this is impossible. But now, they can finally have enough to eat every day. This makes them unhappy and they don't cry.

For this reason, the people of the entire Marsh Mansion came to the door of the Hanwang Mansion to thank Zhao Yao for allowing them to have enough to eat.

Looking at the people kneeling at the door and kowtowing to him, Zhao Yao was deeply moved. He hurriedly helped the older people kneeling at the front and asked them to get up quickly.

These old people were the elders of each village. They knelt on the ground and thanked Zhao Yao with tears, saying that Zhao Yao was the Bodhisattva who saved them.

Zhao Yao told the people that it was his responsibility as the king of Han to keep them fed. If he can't even feed them every day, then he is so useless as the King of Han.

He also told the people that letting them have enough food was just the beginning. From now on, they would not only have enough food every day, but also meat every meal. You can also wear beautiful clothes, go to school and learn to read, and earn more money...

In the past, the people of Marsh Mansion would not believe what Zhao Yao said, but now they do.

The early rice harvest was not over yet. After Zhao Yao appeased the people, he asked them to go back and continue harvesting.

Officials witnessed the common people kneeling at the gate of the Han Dynasty to thank Zhao Yao. Although they were not His Royal Highness the King of Han, they were very moved and proud when they saw how grateful the people were to Zhao Yao.

This year's early rice harvest was so good, and they also played a role. It was basically the first time for the officials of Zhao Yao's small court to serve as officials, so it was also the first time for them to see the people burst into tears of gratitude. At this moment, in addition to feeling proud, they also deeply felt the meaning of their official duties.

Wen Daoji's eyes were red and he sighed with sobs: "Your Highness is really amazing." This was not the first time he experienced such a thing, but every time he experienced such a thing, he would be very moved.

Other officials echoed his words. Zheng Qian sighed in his heart: Now I finally understand the meaning of being an official that my lord told me before.

In the past few years, Zheng Qian traveled around and saw the poverty and poverty of many people. Although he was touched in his heart, he did not feel too deeply. After arriving at Marsh Mansion, he was appointed as the Minister of Household Affairs. He only wanted to do his job well and not let his lord down. As for the people, he never thought about it. Of course, I never thought about getting the gratitude of the people.

When he saw the people sincerely thanking Zhao Yao just now, something deep in his heart was deeply touched, and he finally understood what Zhao Yao said to him many years ago.

"We are lucky to have His Highness who always considers the people." Wen Daoji had no choice but to be with Zhao Yao at first, but now he is completely convinced by Zhao Yao. "His Royal Highness is appreciated and loved by the people. We cannot hold His Highness back. We must also do our jobs well and consider the people."

Other officials nodded in agreement.

Wen Daoji and Zheng Qian were called by Tongxi to see Zhao Yao.

As soon as Zhao Yao saw them, he told them about the locust plague in the north. After they heard this, they were shocked. After Zhao Yao finished talking about how to solve the locust plague, their faces became better.

"The first batch of early rice has been harvested. Zheng Qian, you will arrange for people to purchase the people's grain tomorrow." Zhao Yao ordered, "After purchasing, I will send people to send the grain to the north to prevent anyone in the north from taking the opportunity to raise the price of grain." The price has left the people in the north with no food to eat.”

"Don't worry, Your Highness, I will do it tomorrow." During the trade conference, the Ministry of Revenue made a lot of money, so there was no need to worry about having no money to buy food from the people.

"Your Highness, are you buying grain from foreign countries these days just to send it to the north?" Just after Wen Daoji finished speaking, he suddenly remembered that Zhao Yao had not used the Ministry of Finance's money and asked with a look of shock, "Your Highness, you paid for it yourself Money to buy food and send it to the north? Is this the emperor’s order?”

"It was not my father's order, but my own decision to buy grain and send it to the north."

"Did you decide it yourself?" Wen Daoji exclaimed.

Zheng Qian's cousin was also very surprised.

Seeing the shocked expressions of Wen Daoji and the others, Zhao Yao asked, "Shouldn't I do this?"

Wen Daoji quickly shook his head: "Your Highness, this is not a question of whether you should do it or not, but this is what the imperial court in the capital should do. Why do you want to buy grain yourself and send it to the north?"

"There is a lot of food here, and it is convenient to buy food from other countries." Zhao Yao said, "Although the north is not my fiefdom, the people in the north are also the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and I am the prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, so I should help the people in the north. Get through this.”

This was not the first time that Wen Daoji met Zhao Yao. He had known Zhao Yao for many years. Although he could not say that he fully understood the temperament of His Highness, he still had some understanding. He knew that Zhao Yao did not do this to gain a good reputation, let alone gain the emperor's favor. He simply wanted to help the people in the north.

Over the years, His Highness has done countless things to help the people, and His Highness has never thought of asking for anything in return.

"Your Highness is kind." It is their honor to follow such His Highness. Having His Highness in the Great Zhou Dynasty is a blessing to the Great Zhou Dynasty and also a blessing to the people.

Zhao Yao waved his hand and said, "I just did what I should do."

"Your Highness, not everyone thinks like you." Wen Daoji said meaningfully, "The princes in the capital don't think like you."

"Fourth brother and eighth brother will be just like me."

When Wen Daoji heard this, he just smiled and said nothing more.

The princes in the capital would do anything to win the heir. The kings of Chu and Wei may be able to send food to the north like His Highness, but their real purpose is not to help the north survive this disaster, but to gain a good reputation.

"Please be more careful about purchasing food."

Zheng Qian said respectfully: "Yes, Your Highness."

"It's good for you two to know about the locust plague in the north, and don't spread it outside, so as not to panic people." Although the north is thousands of miles away from Lingnan, everyone will be worried and uneasy after hearing about it. If foreign merchants knew about it, they would definitely take the opportunity to raise the price of grain.

Wen Daoji said: "Your Highness, don't worry, we will never tell anyone else."

"After the early rice harvest is completed, we will arrange for the planting of the second season of rice." Zhao Yao said, "This year's early rice harvest is good, and the second season will not be bad."

"Thanks to your previous methods, Your Highness."

"The harvest of the terraced fields is very good. We must increase the cultivation of the terraced fields this year so that next year's harvest will be even greater." Although the yield per mu of the terraced fields has not reached 200 kilograms, it is still 150 kilograms. To be honest, Zhao Yao didn't expect this. He originally thought that the yield per mu of terraced fields could only reach 90 kilograms, but he did not expect it to be more than 100 kilograms. "We want to make Lingnan's grain output surpass that of Jiangnan within two or three years and become the largest granary in the Great Zhou Dynasty."

If Zhao Yao had said such words to them before, Wen Daoji and Zheng Qian would have thought he was talking in his sleep, but they believed that Zhao Yao's words would definitely come true.

"Your Highness, we can definitely do it."

"I also believe we can do it." It is only a matter of time before we surpass Jiangnan.

Zhao Yao gave Wen Daoji and Zheng Qian some instructions before letting them return to the Yamen.

After Wen Daoji and the others left, Zhao Yao calculated the time and felt that the emperor should have received the letter sent back by Xiao Jin two days ago. I should also have received his letter yesterday about how to deal with the locust plague.

In these two days, the emperor should send people to the north to deal with the locust plague.

Zhao Yao prayed in his heart, hoping that the locust plague had just begun and would not become very serious. (End of chapter)