Daming: Mixed in Dangzhi County, Beiping

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

At this moment, Guo An was in a good mood and had no time to compliment Zhu Di. Instead, he continued talking.

"Your Majesty, if you are punished, you will be rewarded!"

"Oh?"

Zhu Di's expression narrowed slightly, "Guo Qing, continue speaking."

“The punishment system forces officials to exterminate locusts after discovering them.

As for the reward system, it is to allow officials, gentry, and common people who are talented and actively respond to His Majesty's laws to receive the rewards and motivation they deserve. "

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for having the courage to speak out, everyone is self-interested.

Only rewards can encourage officials, gentry, and common people to fight against those who believe in the locust god, and let them actively exterminate locusts..."

"Well, what Guo Qing said makes sense!"

Zhu Di also nodded slightly, "How to reward? What are the rules for Guo Qing?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

Guo An slightly raised his hand, "I don't know much about what those officials, gentry, and common people like or need, and I don't know what the court should reward them."

Zhu Di was not surprised at all and nodded directly, "In that case, then leave this matter to Wenyuan Pavilion!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

"However, can Guo Qing recommend the person who arranged the development of poison to poison locusts?"

"This……"

Guo An frowned slightly, then bowed his hands respectfully to Zhu Di.

"Your Majesty, Wei Chen thinks that we can choose from Henan, Shanxi, and Shandong provinces, or let local doctors recommend themselves.

These places often suffer from locust plagues, and their local people should know more about locusts! "

"Can!"

Zhu Di nodded.

Guo Andao: "Your Majesty, it will take a long time to develop a poison that poisons locusts but cannot poison humans.

Therefore, Your Majesty must not be anxious! "

Zhu Di looked solemn, "Don't worry Guo Qing, as long as the locust plague can be completely eliminated, even if you wait ten, even twenty or thirty years, it will be worth it!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Guo An was relieved.

As long as this is the beginning, the drug that poisons locusts will definitely be developed.

Guo An has no doubt about the wisdom of the ancients.

Afterwards, after discussing some details again, Guo An resigned and returned home.

……

After lying on the wicker chair and resting for a while, Guo An still shouted.

"Guo Ang!"

Guo Ang hurried over and asked, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

Guo An stood up and walked to the study, "Prepare pen, ink, paper and inkstone, I want to write a letter home!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Guo Ang hurriedly followed.

Afterwards, he quickly helped Guo An study ink and get paper and pen.

Guo An thought for a moment and then started writing.

There are things about the emergence of locust plague in Henan, there are also worries about Shunde Prefecture... and about the development of locust poison...

These are all written in detail on the letter.

Then, give it to Guo Ang.

"Send someone to take these back to the old house and hand them over to the old man!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Guo Ang responded hurriedly and walked out quickly.

As for what happened, Guo Ang didn't ask much.

His Highness, when he wanted to say something, he would just say it without you asking.

However, if you don’t want to say it, if you ask, you will be scolded.

Sent with the letter.

About the locust plague in Henan, word began to spread throughout the capital.

Everyone couldn't help but feel panic again.

Henan, why is there another disaster?
"Don't pass it here!"

"Yeah, but don't let food prices rise..."

These are the voices of ordinary people.

"Don't let the locust plague get worse!"

"We, the gentry family, have suffered enough in the past two years, but don't let any more disasters happen. We, the gentry family, will have no money left!"

"This is someone who did something evil that made God angry and sent the Locust God out to punish..."

"shut up!"

The faces of the gentry around him changed drastically, and they quickly moved away from the gentleman with an angry face.

They are the group of people who have the most comprehensive control of information in the Ming Dynasty. Although they follow Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, they also know that the theory of the locust god is just nonsense.

It was just an excuse they used to bully the emperor when facing some weak emperors.

But if they face some tough emperors, like Zhu Di, then they can only hide obediently.

Otherwise, when you open your eyes again, you will either be betrayed by someone in your family, or you will be sued by those businessmen!

The gentleman also reacted at this moment, with a sneer on his face.

Followed by.

A few days later, the new issue of the Di Di newspaper came out, and everyone in the entire Ming Dynasty was dumbfounded.

"The "Locust Extermination Order"?

"There are so many rewards for actively exterminating locusts?"

"So many ways to get rid of locusts?"

"Your Majesty also summoned many doctors, or people who know about locusts, to develop locust-killing poison?"

"Is there really a locust-killing poison?"

"Didn't Your Majesty just start looking for someone to develop it?"

"If it is developed, how much credit will it have?"

"For our great Ming Dynasty to eliminate the locust plague and make great achievements, you should think carefully about it!"

"If that's the case, doesn't it mean he can be knighted?"

"Inevitable... this matter depends on the effectiveness of killing locusts!"

"I'm going to answer the call!"

"I'm going too..."

The entire Ming Dynasty, especially the people in the north, suddenly became enthusiastic.

Merchants can be knighted, so they must be too!
……

"Teacher, not only are the people not afraid now, they are even crazy. They go to the fields day and night to catch locusts and are called upon to develop poison to control locusts!"

When the news from various provinces came back to the capital, Zhu Gaochi came to the Shunde County Prince's Mansion with excitement on his face.

"There is no need for Yu Hubu to lead people to recruit those common people. Those common people are more active than Yu Hubu and others.

Wherever there were the most locusts, the common people, gentry and merchants swarmed there. !
I'm afraid that in just a few days, the locusts that were blocking out the sky and the sun would be wiped out by the people! "

"That's good!"

Guo An couldn't help but smile.

"Teacher, you are really amazing. In the past, there was a locust plague, and the court conscripted the common people to catch and eliminate the locusts.

As a result, everyone was either afraid of the Locust God, sick, or had something going on at home...

Many people are not interested in exterminating locusts.

But now, everyone is so positive..."

Guo Andao: "Your Highness, this is all driven by profit!

In the past, those people didn't take it seriously because their fields had already been destroyed by locusts, or they felt that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't kill the locusts, and in the end, they still had to watch the locusts eat up all their food!
And now, if they really figure out all the mysteries of locusts and develop a drug that can exterminate them, they can be crowned knights!

Guangzong Yaozu, a wife and a shadow child!

Such a great benefit, not to mention allowing so many of them to catch locusts, even if it is just one person facing thousands of locusts alone, they will not have any fear! "

"Yes, the world is bustling with people, all for profit, and the temples and temples are all crowded with people, all for fame!"

Zhu Gaochi sighed softly.

Immediately, he became energetic again.

"However, I still learned a lot from the teacher this time!"

"..."

Guo An was stunned for a moment.

"Your Highness is ridiculous!" Zhu Gaochi thought to himself: "If you want the common people or gentry and merchants to act according to the will of the court, in addition to punishment, you also need inducements!"

Guo An nodded slightly, "This is natural!"

Suddenly, Zhu Gaochi asked: "Teacher, is my father going to attack Wala?"

Guo An looked stunned, "Your Highness, you don't know?"

A flash of light flashed in Zhu Gaochi's eyes, "My father just ordered that we first intend to transport some grain and grass baggage to Ningxia, Liangzhou, and Shaanxi Xingdusi, and did not say that we would conquer Oara in the future."

"It won't be long!"

Guo Andao said: "It's either this year or next year. If it drags on for a few more years, those Oara people will completely occupy and digest the grassland vacated by the Tatars, and they will gradually grow stronger.

As for the Tatars, their bones will be corroded by the gentle countryside of the Tatar city. "

"I see!"

Zhu Gaochi nodded slightly, understanding in his heart.

Within the next month.

The entire capital was spreading news of locust extermination from Henan.

Among them, what people like to discuss most is, how many kilograms of locusts are caught or killed by the people in Henan every day?
Which state or county eliminated the most locusts?
Or, which medical center develops a drug that poisons locusts...

However, it is a pity that those drugs can indeed poison locusts, but locusts do not like to eat, so naturally they cannot poison locusts, and they are even poisonous to humans!

People are no longer afraid of the locust plague in Henan, some are just curious!
Until more than a month later.

The locust plague in Henan has finally settled.

Those locusts were completely eliminated in Henan and did not escape.

This time, the locust plague caused the least damage in history.

After Yu Xin returned to the capital and replied to Zhu Di's order, he came to the Shunde County Prince's Mansion to express his gratitude to Guo An.

Guo An was very polite to this old man who was nearly sixty years old.

He even invited Yu Xin to have a meal at his house.

There's a locust plague.

Zhu Di then began to convene the governor's office of the five armies, as well as important ministers such as the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Rites, and held a short meeting.

A few days later.

The atmosphere in the entire court suddenly changed.

All armies in the capital began to conduct large-scale military training.

……

The weather in the capital is getting hotter and hotter.

Guo An was lying under the pavilion with a look of despair on his face.

"Your Highness, someone from the train workshop is here!"

Guo Ang walked in and reported to Guo An in a low voice.

"Oh?"

Guo An opened his eyes and looked at Guo Ang.

Guo Ang hurriedly said: "Your Highness, they said the train test was successful!"

"Finally it worked!"

Guo An looked happy.

He quickly stood up and prepared to walk out.

However, before taking a few steps, he turned around and walked towards the main hall.

"Tell them I know!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Guo Ang walked down.

"Here, bring me another iced watermelon!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Soon, a servant came in holding a watermelon.

Cut it open and handed Guo An a steel spoon.

Guo An started eating by himself.

Early the next morning.

Guo An got up early and took Xu Yong and other guards to the train workshop.

Xu Cai, Tao Yizhen and others hurried forward to greet them.

"Have all the modifications been completed?"

Guo An asked directly.

"Reporting to Your Highness, all modifications have been completed!"

Xu Cai nodded and said, "Xiao Ren and others have also tested it. Even if it is running at full speed, the train will not overturn or derail!"

"Very good!"

Guo An looked at the obviously modified train in front of him and walked straight up.

"Get started and give it a try!"

Seeing this, the expressions of Xu Cai and Tao Yizhen changed again.

"Your Highness, although the villain and others are confident, the train is too dangerous. Your Highness, please watch from the outside."

"You have already tried it, what are you afraid of?"

Guo An smiled slightly, his face full of determination.

“You haven’t had a car roll over before, so there weren’t any casualties?

I'll stand on top, you guys move quickly! "

Xu Cai, Tao Yizhen and others were still in a bit of a dilemma.

Guo An added: "If I don't give it a try up there, do you still want His Majesty or His Royal Highness to come up and give it a try?"

"Your Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

Hearing this, Xu Cai and Tao Yizhen shrank their eyes with disbelief on their faces.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince are also coming?"

Guo An said quietly: "If you want to start running these trains, your Majesty and His Royal Highness will definitely ride on them. At that time, you will probably stop in front and shout danger to prevent your Majesty and His Royal Highness from getting on." ?”

"This……"

Xu Cai and Tao Yizhen were immediately speechless.

"You must have enough confidence in what you create!"

Guo Andao: "Let's drive, don't worry about overturning or derailment!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

This time, Xu Cai, Tao Yizhen and others did not stop him.

Instead, he went to light the boiler himself.

After a while, a burst of black smoke rose, and the train began to move slowly.

"This time, the train is much smoother!"

After completing the circle, Guo An nodded with satisfaction.

"Thanks to His Highness for your guidance!"

Xu Cai, Tao Yizhen and others said hurriedly.

Guo An glanced at the two of them, ignored them, and said directly: "Increase the speed to the maximum!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Xu Cai responded and walked towards the boiler again.

Afterwards, the speed of the train obviously increased.

"This is right!"

After looking at the houses and courtyard walls that quickly retreated outside, Guo An smiled with satisfaction, "If the train can't outrun the horses at full speed, then why bother making this thing?"

On the side, Xu Cai, Tao Yizhen and others also looked proud.

This big iron car that runs faster than a horse and doesn't need to rest was made by them!

"Let's build a few more carriages!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

“Build at least nine more!”

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"The train is successfully built. The stewards and the fifth-level craftsmen will each be rewarded with two hundred taels of silver. The fourth-level craftsmen will be rewarded with one hundred and eighty taels, the third-level craftsmen will be rewarded with one hundred and fifty taels, the second-level craftsmen will be rewarded with one hundred taels, and the first- and third-level craftsmen will be rewarded with one hundred and eighty taels." Those below will be rewarded fifty taels!”

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Half an hour later.

Guo An left with Xu Cai, Tao Yizhen and other craftsmen in charge, accompanied by hundreds of craftsmen.

The entire train workshop suddenly became noisy.

...(End of chapter)