Datang: Starting from a fortune-telling stall, Wu Zetian was suddenly abducted

Chapter 53: With a son like this, what more can I ask for?
"Many people have eaten locusts when they were hungry. But they didn't make locusts delicious like Taoist Yuan."

"He also made it clear that locusts are just an insect, and everything about the locust god is made up by others."

"Since it has taken away the people's food rations, then we have to make them pay the price. Even if it kills the gods, it doesn't matter."

After hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but patted the dragon chair and said:

"It doesn't matter if he kills the gods. This Taoist priest is exactly what I said. He is indeed a man of temperament."

"Chengqian, did he give you any good advice?"

There was light shining in Li Chengqian's eyes,

"He didn't give any direct advice, but the two of us discussed a plan."

"That is to encourage people to catch locusts and hand them over to the government in exchange for food or copper coins."

"Add in the methods of chicken and duck predation, bonfire trapping and burying in trenches, and the locust plague will be eliminated."

Li Shimin and the three of them looked at each other and nodded secretly. This plan is feasible.

After Li Shimin pondered for a moment, he said to Li Chengqian:
"Chengqian, do you have many people under your command to exterminate locusts now?"

Li Chengqian said proudly:

"a lot of."

"There are those who are good at ideological work; there are those who are good at hunting; there are those who are good at organizing."

Li Shimin nodded and said:
"Then keep some of these people for yourself, and prepare a list of the rest and give it to the officials, so that they can go to Henan Road and other places to provide reinforcements and guide the specific work of eradicating locusts."

"They will not be used in vain. When the locust plague passes, I will reward them based on their performance."

After hearing this, Li Chengqian agreed immediately,
"My son, please go back and do it now."

"In addition, I suggested that some manpower should be arranged in Guan Nei and Hedong. If nothing unexpected happens, the locusts will arrive soon."

After hearing this, Li Shimin pondered instead,

"Cheng Qian, your words reminded me that Chang'an is within the pass."

"If you send out all your capable people, what will you do if you have no one available when the locust plague comes?"

Li Chengqian smiled and said:

"Father is too worried."

"Now people in the [-] counties around Chang'an can basically eliminate locusts independently and spontaneously without too many manpower."

"Besides, I'm young. If you run around more and do more work, there's no problem at all. I can handle it."

After hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but laugh, looked at Fang and Du and said:

"I, Li Shimin, have a son like this, what more could I ask for?"

He looked at Li Chengqian again and said softly:

"If I dare to use you like this, I'm afraid I won't be able to explain it to your mother."

"I will give an order to Guo Xiaoke now. You go to him and ask for three thousand Shence troops to help you deal with the locust plague."

Shence Army.

Li Shimin's personal imperial army is the main armed force under his direct control.

Li Shimin dared to devote 3000 troops to Li Chengqian. This was actually a manifestation of his absolute trust in Li Chengqian.

As soon as he said these words, Li Chengqian felt hot in his heart, and said with a sour taste on the tip of his nose:
"My dear father, I thank you for your trust. I will do my best to eliminate the locust plague."

"Live up to your father's trust."

All matters have been discussed.

But to everyone's surprise, not only did the locust plague not ease, but it became more and more severe.

At this time, the locust plague is already spreading across the country.

The locust plague continues in Henan Road, Hedong Road, and Longyou Road. There are also overwhelming locusts in Guannai Road and Hedong Road.Even Huainan Road, Jiangnan Road, and Jiannan Road have begun to see traces of locusts.Memorials for help from all over the country were piled up like snowflakes on Li Shimin's case.

Li Shimin added many details based on the locust extermination plan proposed by Li Chengqian, and was busy until midnight every day.

At this time, Li Chengqian, who was in Liquan County, had not slept for three days and three nights.

He had just returned from hard-hit Lantian County.

After returning to the military tent and taking a sip of hot tea, he walked out of the military tent again in great anxiety.

Riding on the bright moonlight, I looked at the bare yellow land in front of me.

He took a deep breath, let out a long sigh helplessly, and said to Wei Yingcai beside him:

"Yingcai, tell me, does the Locust God really exist?"

Wei Yingcai was silent for a long time.

"It's hard for my subordinates to say."

Li Chengqian asked back:

"Why is it so hard to say?"

Wei Yingcai replied:
"My subordinates didn't believe it before. But after what happened to you, Your Highness, my subordinates began to waver."

"It's just that what His Highness did later made me think that if I had to fight with this Locust God, I might lose my life."

"But I didn't expect that more and more locusts were killed. Now I can't help but suspect that this is the revenge of the Locust God."

Li Chengqian then asked:

"Does your idea also represent the opinion of the majority of people?"

Wei Yingcai did not answer directly, but sighed:
"Alas, manpower will eventually run out."

After hearing this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but smile sadly, and shouted to the endless yellow land in front of him:
"Locust God, where are you? Come out and let me, Li Chengqian, see you."

"Let me tell you, I, Li Chengqian, will not admit defeat, and I will not lose to you even to the death."

After he finished speaking, a mouthful of blood suddenly spurted out, and then he fell directly to the ground.

This frightened Wei Yingcai and the guards next to him. They all panicked and carefully carried Li Chengqian to the Chinese army's tent.

Fortunately, Empress Changsun arranged for Li Chengqian to have an imperial physician, who also rushed over after hearing the news.

After the imperial physician took Li Chengqian's pulse, he said to Wei Yingcai and the guards around him:
"Your Highness is suffering from illness due to overwork and depression in the chest."

"He needs to rest now. He can't stay here any longer. He should quickly return to the East Palace and recover slowly for a while, and he will naturally recover."

At this time, Li Chengqian also woke up. After listening to the imperial doctor's words, he said in a weak voice:
"I can't leave. If I leave now, I will really lose to the Locust God."

"If I leave, it will be difficult to move forward with the locust extermination."

Everyone tried to persuade him, but Li Chengqian refused to listen.In desperation, Wei Yingcai had to arrange for his guards to report to Li Shimin overnight.

At this time, Li Shimin had just laid down in Qingning Palace. He was shocked when he heard the news that Li Chengqian had fainted. He got up and asked about Li Chengqian's condition.

Empress Changsun beside him also sat up at this moment, and despite Li Shimin's dissuasion, came to the outer hall with him.

When the guards reported that Li Chengqian had fainted due to overwork and suffocation in his chest, the couple could not sit still and rushed to Liquan County overnight.

Along the way, Li Shimin was relatively calm.

The eldest grandson kept praying to God to keep his son safe.

When he arrived at the military tent, Changsun looked at the bloodless Li Chengqian and felt his heart pounding. He grabbed Li Chengqian's withered arm, and his tears kept falling like broken beads.

Several imperial doctors who followed also hurried forward and conducted a detailed examination of Li Chengqian again.

Only then did he report to Li Shimin, saying that the prince had become ill due to overwork and that he should cultivate himself more.

(End of this chapter)