Father, I really don’t want to be the emperor

With more people and greater strength, baskets of locusts were quickly brought up, washed and poured into the oil pan. Soon, the crispy smell of locusts was wafting in the space for miles around, and finally the surrounding area Some of the villagers couldn't bear it anymore and came forward to taste it. After tasting it, they spread the word, and the surrounding villagers came over to taste it.

Locusts are not only edible, but also very delicious. Such a news was published in the newspaper the next day, instantly detonating the entire Jiangnan Province.

In addition, hundreds of storytellers walked through the streets and painted a vivid picture of Ning Fan personally eating locusts as the emperor.

So in just a few days, Ning Fan personally ate locusts, which triggered public opinion. Everyone in Jiangnan knew that locusts could be eaten, and everyone knew that locusts were the nemesis of future disasters.

If the locust problem is not solved, the seven provinces south of the Yangtze River will become a hell on earth in the future.

The common people went to the fields one after another, carrying bamboo baskets to catch locusts. Men, women, old and young all went into the fields to catch the insects. At the end of the day, there were always several baskets of locusts in the yard of every household.

In the newspaper on the third day, Ning Fan developed several new ways to eat locusts. Not only can they be fried, but they can also be dried and ground into powder to be eaten as meat powder.

In the villages of this era, people who could read and write were already considered very important. Usually, there was only one scholar from all over the country who could read and write. It was impossible for ordinary people to recognize what was written in the newspaper.

At this moment, hundreds of people from Qingtian Township were crowding on the threshing floor at the head of the village. Scholars from the town came to the village specially to read out the contents of the newspaper to everyone.

"Yang Xiucai, is what you said true? Our Emperor of Dakang has eaten locusts. Is it possible that the Emperor is also short of food?"

"Besides, can locusts be eaten? They must be bitter, astringent, sour and spicy. They will be poisoned after eating them."

……

The people around him were talking a lot. Yang Xiucai stood on the threshing floor with a proud look on his face. When he heard these ignorant people talking about the current emperor, the Yang Xiucai finally showed an impatient look on his face.

"I said you poor people, could you please keep your mouths shut? Can you guess what the Holy One did? Since the Holy One said that the locusts are edible, it means that the taste of the insects must be good."

"The Holy Spirit also said that locusts can be ground into powder and mixed with ordinary weeds. They can be used as fodder for livestock. The livestock will grow meat quickly after eating it."

"The Holy One also said that people can eat locusts, and locusts taste very good after being fried, even better than ordinary meat..."

Yang Xiucai spared no effort to publicize what Ning Fan had just published in the newspaper, but the people around him looked suspicious. Some believed it and hurriedly ran to the fields to catch bugs. Some people didn't believe it and went home. Just a long nap.

"Set a certain price and let the government come forward to purchase the locusts!"

Ning Fan made a quick decision and said to Song Chengzhou.

When locusts are not valuable, they fly all over the sky. Once locusts become valuable, with the power of ordinary people in this era, I am afraid that locusts will soon have no descendants.

Ning Fan first went to the fields to eat locusts, then went to catch the locusts himself, and then sent the power of public opinion to confuse the market.

But just a few days have passed, and the situation has not improved. Although the enthusiasm of the people to catch locusts has been mobilized, the vast majority of the people are not interested in it at all. Being able to catch three to five kilograms of locusts like Ning Fan, Then put it in a pan and fry it. I'm afraid no one can do it.

With no other choice, Ning Fan had no choice but to resort to the trick of spending a lot of money to buy a horse, asking the officials to pay for the locusts.

Of course, the price of purchasing locusts was carefully calculated by Ning Fan. After being purchased, these locusts will be transported to the capital and made into top-quality delicacies. Therefore, Ning Fan is guaranteed to make a profit, even if these locusts cannot be made into delicacies in the future. It can also be dried and ground into powder to make feed or military rations.

The protein content of locusts is very high, that is, it is even higher than the protein content in eggs. Food made from locusts is a very good nutrition for ordinary people, and can even be said to be a tonic.

"Your Majesty, the businessmen from the Northwest Chamber of Commerce have also begun to purchase locusts. They have even begun to compete with our government for business. Their purchase prices are higher."

Song Chengzhou had just announced the purchase price, but he didn't expect to see Ning Fan in a hurry in the blink of an eye.

Ning Fan was dumbfounded after hearing the news. He didn't expect that those businessmen were indeed very shrewd, and they might have realized the true value of these locusts at this time.

"Then don't fight with them, let them buy it. In short, I can tell you that buying locusts will definitely make a profit in the future. These locusts are like eggs, and they can be dried and stored for a year. There was no problem for two years.”

Ning Fan looked down upon the businessmen. As long as they didn't do anything illegal, they were free to buy whatever they wanted with money.

I heard that someone paid money to buy locusts, and people swarmed into the fields. In just one day, people were seen carrying sacks to hold locusts in the streets and alleys. There were even accumulations of locusts at some locust purchase points in the city. Like mountains.

Fortunately, during this period of time in Jiangnan, it was dry without rain every day, so the sun was very good. These locusts were washed and dried quickly, and then put into the warehouse.

Ning Fan was walking in the streets and alleys in casual clothes. He noticed that the products sold at the roadside snack stalls had also changed. Almost every stall sold fried locusts, and there were many diners buying them. , all wealthy businessmen wearing silk and satin.

Maybe at first people had doubts about whether locusts could be eaten, but as more and more people began to eat locusts, the supply of locusts became a delicacy. Every day, you can smell locusts being eaten in the streets and alleys. The aroma after frying.

Even those smart restaurants have developed new cuisines. Locusts can be eaten fried or grilled. In short, locusts still taste very good.

In the Dragon Scale Army camp stationed in the south of the Yangtze River, Chen Yuanqing was sitting in his Chinese army tent. In front of him was a plate of fried golden locusts.

"Is this thing really edible?"

Chen Yuanqing looked at the neatly arranged locusts on the plate in front of him and couldn't help but frown.

"Didn't it say it in the newspaper? Your Majesty has personally gone to the fields to eat locusts, and the feedback has been very good. The elders in those places have also eaten them. Even ordinary people who have eaten them said they are delicious. General, you Let’s try it.”

The soldiers from the two guards nearby saw Chen Yuanqing's hesitant expression and began to persuade him.