Imperial Exam Daily

When he came here, Yang Ye had already thought about this problem. How to control the locust plague, in fact, it is very likely that it cannot be cured. After all, the conditions of this era are like that, intensive farming and no pesticides.

Once migratory locusts take off in swarms, they are ferocious, flying at a height of a thousand meters, and it is obviously impossible to carry a hoe and jump on their heels to dry them. Migratory locusts stick to the crops and eat so fast that they cannot be beaten. If the migratory locusts are burned with fire, it will only lead to a quarrel, and the crops will also be burned.

Conditions are limited, and there is no cure but prevention.

Before the locusts live in groups, the villagers have to be sent to catch them and let the natural enemies of chickens and ducks eat them. Unfortunately, after the locusts have formed a group, they have to take advantage of the fact that the wings of the locusts are long and hard enough to fly. When the migratory locusts are flying in swarms and cannot be dealt with, the crops will be kept.

At night, Yang Ye lit the lamp to write the plan. Drought and locust plague are the focus of this trip, and the two are closely related. Because of the drought, the exposed land soaked in water breeds locusts, which leads to the occurrence of locust plague. Pushed into a desperate situation.

In addition to periodic rectification, the prevention and control of locust plagues must return to the basics. New water conservancy projects are imperative. First, it can alleviate crop water shortages during droughts. Second, locust breeding grounds have been transformed, so it is naturally difficult to grow locusts on a large scale.

The construction of water conservancy has to rely on the imperial court to allocate money.

After the memorial was handed in, Yang Ye didn't dare to sit idle while waiting for the court's reply, and now he had to race against time to deal with the locusts, otherwise it would be troublesome to wait for the locusts to fly.

He asked the prefect to call several magistrates in the disaster-stricken area, and called on the villagers to bring their own chickens and ducks, and to capture the natural enemies of the locusts to deal with the scattered locusts together.

The government has orders, and the work is done quickly, but the locust extermination began in two days. Yang Ye ran around to prepare lime, and taught the villagers to make some long wooden planks, while Tan Shengchang left a few guards for Yang. After Ye kept him safe, he took people to catch the locusts. As for the magistrate, fearing that the county magistrates would be slack in their work, he also brought people to supervise. No one was idle for a while.

In Mancang County and the other three disaster-stricken counties, the people in the city suddenly became very lonely. Many people ran to the countryside to catch locusts. Originally, they heard that the officials were going to catch locusts and wanted to see the excitement. It can be seen that the young and old, children and women are busy, and they are too embarrassed to just stand and play on the ridges of the fields, so they all go to help.

Seeing that there are few people in the city, some peddlers simply carried their things to the countryside to sell. Fruits and water were the best sellers.

The catching of locusts went on like a raging fire for a few days, Tan Shengchang hastily brought the news back to Yang Ye: "In the past few days, the number of locusts has obviously decreased, but now the locusts have turned yellow and black, as you said, The natural enemies of chickens and ducks are no longer eaten, and the villagers can only kill them one by one!"

Yang Ye had expected it a long time ago, because the locusts were caught wantonly, the locusts were frightened and ran around, and the gathered pheromones would spread among the locusts more easily. In this way, living in groups was inevitable, so he started to prepare for the second one early in the morning. stage of prevention.

"No problem, as long as the wings are trimmed before they grow up."

Tan Shengchang wondered: "If the people work together, they still have some confidence to deal with the locusts, but the villagers don't eat the locusts when they see the natural enemies flying away, and the locusts gradually become black again. They are no longer willing to continue to catch locusts, and those who are willing to catch are persuaded, and only a few villagers are still going on.”

Yang Ye frowned. This superstition is really annoying. In order to make the people accept it more, he gave up the idea of ​​letting them prey on scattered locusts.

"Did the magistrate not advise?"

Tan Shengchang said angrily: "Why didn't you persuade me? It's a pity that I didn't persuade you, and I was thrown a corn stick by the unreasonable people, and the bag on my head is still there."

Yang Ye squeezed his eyesight acupoints: "No wonder those people from the imperial court are unwilling to come to the disaster area, and beat up officials if they disagree with each other. Who can resist that?"

Tan Shengchang explained: "Actually, in the previous dynasty, military officers were sent to take charge of the affairs, but because of conflicts with the villagers, the villagers were beaten. Later, the emperor reprimanded the military officers who came over for this matter. Since then, most of them have sent civil servants to take charge. The civil servants were sensible and easy to talk about, and the result became what it is now."

Yang Ye flinched: "Your Majesty, please let your lord protect the little official. The little official doesn't want to go back to Beijing. After all, there are beautiful family members waiting at home."

Tan Shengchang said: "Master Yang is still in the mood to joke."

"Well, let's go and see together, there are always traces to follow."

Yang Ye went to the county field. According to Tan Shengchang, many villagers had already quit the strike, and only a few were still going on strike. However, even those few villagers were lobbied by the quitting villagers.

The magistrate and the magistrate are gathering villagers to advise them.

"My lord, if you offend the gods and insects, you will suffer from natural disasters. You are an adult, you don't have to worry about food and drink, but you also have to think about us poor people. We all live on that one-third of an acre of land, not to mention suffering from disasters." , and have to pay taxes, this is not letting us poor people live!"

"Do you think so?"

"You can't catch locusts anymore. If you capture them alive, you know they can't eat them, let alone people!"

When Yang Ye arrived, he could hear the people quarreling and bustling. One of the young men danced the most and repeatedly provoked the people to respond.

He pointed to Tan Shengchang: "Send someone to find out what that kid does and what the family does."

"Do you suspect that he hit the magistrate?"

Yang Ye didn't speak, pushed aside the crowd and squeezed to the prefect's side.

"Master Yang, why are you here?"

Yang Ye raised his hand to signal the magistrate not to speak, he was neither angry nor annoyed, he just looked at the crowd: "I am a little confused, can I ask you a question?"

The noisy crowd was quiet for a moment, and Yang Ye then asked: "What kind of disaster will you suffer if you offend the locusts?"

"What do you mean, my lord? What kind of disaster can it be? Naturally, it is a severe drought, and the crops cannot be harvested."

Yang Ye nodded thoughtfully: "Then what do locusts eat?"

"What can I eat? Of course I eat crops!"

"That being said, I find it strange. Villagers catching locusts will anger the gods and bring disasters, causing the sky to be drought. The crops will be drought-dead. The crops will be drought-dead. What will the gods eat? Are the gods and insects going to perish together with the common people? Are you going to starve to death if you don’t have anything to eat?”

The people were in an uproar, and there was a lot of discussion, and suddenly someone said: "My lord has read a lot, so he can naturally bully the people with eloquence. In short, this god insect can no longer be caught!"

Yang Ye sighed: "Okay, what you said is also reasonable. But the locusts are going to eat up the crops, what should everyone do? Wait to starve to death?"

"Your Excellency is an official sent by the imperial court, so it is natural for you to find a way to solve the disaster."

"I see that you gangsters are going to rebel!" Tan Shengchang jumped up angrily. He wondered how a gentle and humble person like the magistrate would clash with the villagers, and was thrown corn in the chaos Bangzi, listening to these people's arguments nowadays, I only hate how the magistrate can't be stronger and smash the mouths of these unscrupulous people.

Yang Ye caught people with sharp eyes and quick hands: "Nowadays is here to solve problems, not to cause trouble!"

"I'm not as good-tempered as Master Yang!"

"If you can't listen to it, go back first, or plug your ears with cotton."

Tan Shengchang panted heavily through his nostrils, and finally retreated.

Yang Ye then said to the common people: "I'm not good at learning, so I ask you to give me some advice. How did you treat locusts in the past?"

In the end, he was still a sensible farmer, and whispered: "Master, in the past, we worshiped the sky. When we prayed for rain, we also prayed that the gods and insects would not come to harvest the crops."

"What about after offering sacrifices to heaven? How's the harvest?"

The people fell silent.

Yang Ye changed his gentle face just now, and said sharply: "Don't tell me, the county is still suffering from drought after offering sacrifices to heaven, and locusts are still coming to attack the crops! Why is this? It is because the gods that everyone thinks are actually Pests, regarded as gods, should be able to protect everyone, feed and clothe everyone, not starve everyone! They are not god insects, they are pests, and everyone’s retreat will only encourage pests arrogance!"

He pointed angrily at the peasants standing in front of him, and at the women in the crowd: "Let you starve, and you will also starve. You are protecting the locusts because you want the children in your arms to have nothing to eat. Let you go hungry." The 80-year-old mother at home has no porridge to drink!"

Yang Ye spoke fiercely, and the people carrying hoes and hammers lowered their heads and looked at him in embarrassment.

"My lord, you are offending me by saying that..."

"Shut up! I just want to ask, what is your intention to instigate the people not to catch locusts? Do you really believe in gods and insects or do you want everyone to starve to death? How much food do you have in your granary? Enough for you to survive for several years Days without harvest?"

"Self-nature is a true belief, and the grassroots are all for the good of everyone."

"Oh? If that's the case, I'd like to trouble everyone to take a closer look. Does this person suggest that everyone sacrifice to the sky together? Take a step back and say that everyone participates in the sacrifice to the sky. Is he very active every time?"

Those who wanted to speak were blocked from speaking, they hid in the crowd and lowered their heads, and the common people dared not speak. Yang Ye's face changed too quickly, and the deterrent force made everyone dare not move more.

"I know that everyone has suffered from disasters, and the court also knows everyone's difficulties. The emperor is worried day and night, so I hereby send this official to the disaster area. It is because the emperor has everyone in his heart. Now I am trying my best to solve the problem for you. It’s fine to obey the arrangement, and even beat the magistrate! You don’t need to accept the favor of the emperor or the official, then you have to put yourself in your shoes and think for the elderly and children at home. continue like this?"

After saying that, Yang Ye shook his sleeves: "Think about it yourself."

He summoned the magistrate and several magistrates, and evacuated back to the city together with the officers and soldiers.

The magistrate followed Yang Ye back to the city, and felt uneasy for a long time because of what he had said. After a long time, he was frightened and said: "My lord, are you planning to take care of the locust plague this time?"

Yang Ye's mouth was dry after talking, he took Tan Shengchang's water and drank a few mouthfuls before he said: "If I don't care, will the emperor let me go back?"

He tilted his head and asked Tan Shengchang: "Did the most tricky villagers see clearly today, can they send someone to investigate?"

"I have gone according to the arrangement of the adults."

"How dare ordinary people talk to court officials like this, there must be something wrong with it."