The Ming Dynasty started with caution

There are many imperial farms and official fields in Shuntian Prefecture. It is said that locusts are coming north in large numbers. The ministers are anxious because they are eating their own crops.

"Your Majesty, how about offering a reward for driving away the locusts? The court has issued a notice to exchange locusts for silver, just like the rat extermination operation. I think 20,000 taels of silver should be enough to get rid of them."

The Minister of the Ministry of Revenue hastily proposed.

20,000 taels of silver to kill locusts, let the refugees catch them? You can think of it. The number of locusts is many times that of rats. The waste is more than 20,000 taels of silver.

"Not appropriate. First, the waste is too high. Second, the locusts are all in the fields. Everyone goes to the fields to trample them, and the good fields will become wasteland." Li Dongyang said.

Liu Jian and Xie Qian nodded.

Emperor Hongzhi paced back and forth in front of the emperor. The Great Cold had just passed, and now there was a locust plague again. The hundreds of thousands of hectares of good fields in Shuntian Prefecture are not only imperial farms and official fields, but also many fields of the people.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly thought of Yan Chengjin.

Isn't this locust control similar to the last rat control?

Emperor Hongzhi said to Mou Bin, "Let Yan Chengjin come to see me."

Hanyuan,

Yan Chengjin was flipping through the Ming Dynasty Law, while Wang Shouren was copying the New Book of Tang, which was originally Yan Chengjin's job.

But he helped Wang Shouren get a top-notch evaluation.

In order to thank him, Wang Shouren took the initiative to take over all his editing tasks within three months.

"Brother Gao, do you think this will work?"

Wang Shouren knew that Brother Gao was a very cautious person with very high requirements. If he couldn't satisfy him, how could he be grateful.

After copying, he honestly handed the New Book of Tang to Yan Chengjin.

It is rumored that Wang Shouren's family is a descendant of the calligrapher Wang Xizhi, whose calligraphy is the best in ancient and modern times.

Yan Chengjin didn't know whether it was true, but this guy's calligraphy was really good.

"Well, it's OK, Bo'an. I'll have to trouble you with my editing tasks in the future." Yan Chengjin was afraid that he would slack off, so he just praised him lightly.

Wang Shouren was overjoyed. It seemed that there was no one else who could make Brother Gao say that he could do it, except Brother Gao himself. He was the second one.

Brother Gao was cautious and prudent. If he didn't do it himself, it would be difficult for him to be satisfied.

Wang Shouren continued to copy.

At this moment, Mou Bin walked up to Yan Chengjin with great strides and interrupted his reading: "My dear nephew, His Majesty summons you to go to Fengtian Hall with me immediately."

Yan Chengjin couldn't think of anything that Mou Bin could ask in person, so he asked: "Sir, tell me, I'll make some preparations."

"The locust plague in Hejian Prefecture is coming to Shuntian Prefecture." Mou Bin strode in front and led the way.

Yan Chengjin had already fallen into deep thought.

He had a lot of good land in Shuntian Prefecture. In addition to the thousand acres granted by His Majesty, there were more than 3,000 acres of good land purchased later.

If we really let the locusts take advantage of us, we will definitely suffer heavy losses this year.

"I have served your majesty for many years and have some experience. If you don't know, I will tell your majesty that you should use fire. This way, you won't appear too ignorant and you will have an explanation to your majesty." Mou Bin was afraid that he would not be able to say anything in a while. It was normal for a scholar who had never worked in the fields not to know how to treat locusts, but your majesty had expectations for Yan Chengjin after all.

When they arrived at the Fengtian Hall and were about to pay their respects, Emperor Hongzhi said anxiously: "There was a locust plague in Hejian Prefecture. I saw that when you exterminated rats last time, you walked the line and moved the needle, and you were impeccable in all aspects. I know you are cautious and prudent, and I am afraid that you have some thoughts in your heart that you dare not say, so I summoned you directly."

Yan Chengjin had a dark face.

This can't be blamed on me. The history books all say that you are kind and amiable, but I saw that you were also very ruthless when you beat Zhu Houzhao.

The history books cannot be trusted, so you have to be more careful.

However, after more contact with Emperor Hongzhi, the trust ranking of Emperor Hongzhi in his heart was also slowly rising.

However, there is a way to cure locusts in the future.

Yan Chengjin bowed and saluted: "I have a superficial idea, I don't know if I should tell you or not?"

Li Dongyang's old face twitched fiercely.

If this kid really becomes his son-in-law in the future, he must make him correct this bad habit.

The ministers didn't care.

But Emperor Hongzhi's eyes lit up: "Just tell me, Mr. Yan."

Yan Chengjin said: "I want to ask a few questions first. When was the locust plague discovered, how many are there, is the route to the north clear, and what is the weather condition?"

Before speaking, of course, you have to make full preparations and understand more about the situation in order to analyze it.

"Just the day before yesterday, there were countless locusts. As for the route, no one has reported it yet. There is no wind or rain today." Li Dongyang said.

Emperor Hongzhi and Li Dongyang and others were confused, but after hearing his question, this guy seemed to be very experienced, and they couldn't help but have more expectations.

Yan Chengjin pondered for a few times.

These questions seem to be unrelated, but in fact they are very related, but Emperor Hongzhi doesn't know it.

Weather conditions, heavy rain will make locusts reproduce more.

Knowing the migration route, you can prepare in advance.

Emperor Hongzhi and others looked at him eagerly, waiting for Yan Chengjin to speak, but unexpectedly, Yan Chengjin's words made them feel very disappointed.

"In Hejian Prefecture, I can't do anything."

When Emperor Hongzhi and Li Dongyang were disappointed, Yan Chengjin spoke again.

"But if locusts dare to come to Shuntian Prefecture, I have a way, maybe they can't come back."

Emperor Hongzhi stood up: "What is the way?"

"I beg your Majesty to immediately summon an army of 100,000 ducks and wait in the capital!"

Emperor Hongzhi thought he had heard wrong and cast an inquiring look at Li Dongyang.

Li Dongyang nodded blankly. Yes, your Majesty, what he just said was an army of 100,000 ducks...

The ministers' jaws dropped to the ground in shock and they almost couldn't pick them up.

Even the eunuchs in the Fengtian Hall, who were always calm and composed, cast astonished eyes at Yan Chengjin.

Yan Chengjin was not talking nonsense.

He really had no way to deal with Hejian Prefecture. There was no air transport these days. By the time you drove 100,000 ducks over, the locusts would have already changed the map.

The loss of Hejian Prefecture was inevitable.

But it would take about three days for the locusts to migrate to Shuntian Prefecture, so they could make full preparations in advance.

The locust plague in Hejian Prefecture was formed in just a few days, although they said there were countless of them.

But Yan Chengjin didn't believe it.

The ancients liked to use exaggeration to describe the shocking scenes.

He guessed that the number was only a million. Herding ducks to control locusts can be achieved under certain conditions. If ducks flying in the sky are still useless, ducks landing on the ground can be used.

Emperor Hongzhi and his ministers were confused.

When have you ever heard of using ducks to control locusts? No matter how you listen to it, it seems like a joke.

Li Dongyang fell into deep thought. Yan Chengjin is usually very cautious. How could he say something that would cause trouble? Could it really work?

Yan Chengjin knew they didn't believe it: "This method is to herd ducks to control locusts. Ducks feed on locusts. A duck can eat more than a hundred locusts a day. As long as we gather duck armies in the capital and Shuntian Prefecture and rush to the locust migration route, the locust plague may be resolved."

"The locust plague cannot be delayed. If it doesn't work, how can you bear it?" A minister questioned.

Emperor Hongzhi nodded.

Yan Chengjin thought for a moment and said, "I have delayed the opportunity, so I deserve to die, but I have a gold medal in my hand, so why not return one to Your Majesty as a token of my own death?"

"..."Emperor Hongzhi.