The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Xu Yong didn't lie. He specifically targeted restaurants and inns, as well as some duck-raising households in the capital. They were all found by the Wucheng Soldiers and Horses Division.

This is their usual experience of catching thieves.

If the Jinyi Guards and Factory Guards were dispatched, there would have been a huge commotion.

Now that Shuntian Prefecture and the Wucheng Army and Horses Division were added, the government and the public were suddenly shaken. The people in the capital thought that some traitor was about to rebel.

But I saw a strange scene in the capital. People from Jinyiwei, Wucheng Military and Horse Division, Shuntian Mansion, and Dongchang were all chasing ducks.

When they heard that the imperial court was going to use an army of 100,000 ducks to destroy the locusts, the people were all happy.

East Palace,

Zhu Houzhao threw away the military book in his hand and became interested: "You said Lao Gao was named the governor of the 100,000 duck army?"

"Yes, the factory guards are all catching ducks." Gu Dayong had just returned from asking.

Zhu Houzhao fell into deep thought, no, Lao Gao doesn't know how to fight, I want to help him.

Then he had an idea and said with a smile: "Ask Zhou Yu to come see me."

Yan Chengjin sent people to track the locusts, find out their route, open the map, draw their trajectory, and speculate that they would fly from Yongqing County into Shuntian Prefecture.

In two days, all ducks, big and small, were bought, plus 10,000 geese, for a total of 40,000 troops.

An adult duck can eat about three hundred locusts a day. If we only consider one hundred locusts, it would be more than enough to eat three million locusts.

Yan Chengjin asked the troops of the five cities to rush to Yongqing County overnight.

Early the next morning, the sky was gray and bright, and the air was very fresh.

After Yan Chengjin finished breakfast, he rode on an extremely docile old horse and rushed to Yongqing County with Liu Qing from Shuntian Prefecture and the foreman factory guard Jing Xiangzhi.

Forbidden City, Fengtian Palace.

Just after the morning court, Emperor Hongzhi hurried back to his palace. Li Dongyang and three others came to Nuange. Emperor Hongzhi was not seen on either side, so they asked: "Why isn't your majesty here?"

The young eunuch went to Qianqing Palace and then came back to report: "Master Li, His Majesty has left the palace."

Li Dongyang and the three of them looked at each other in shock.

Your Majesty is concerned about the locust plague. I am afraid that he cannot wait for Yan Chengjin's report and wants to see it in person.

The three of them looked at each other and all left the palace.

At that time, the countryside of Yongqing County was very lively, and the mountains and forests were full of ducks, and the sound shook the whole sky.

On the field ridge, many people came from the capital to watch. Emperor Hongzhi also came. He was wearing Confucian clothes and standing in the crowd. He had never seen an army of ducks going out.

I have been waiting for almost an hour, but no locusts have come yet.

Yan Chengjin was not afraid of them flying away. According to the report from the Wucheng Soldiers and Horses Division, the locusts were already on the edge of Yongqing County, only five miles away from here.

Beside Emperor Hongzhi was Xiao Jing, and Li Dongyang and others were also standing in the crowd in casual clothes, as well as many officials. There were so many people on the field ridges and hills that it was almost impossible to stand. Factory guards in plain clothes formed a circle. Only then did he make room for Emperor Hongzhi.

In front of the duck army were Yan Chengjin, Liu Qing and Xu Yong, the military commander of the Five Cities.

It felt uncomfortable to be looked at by the people as a fool, so Liu Qing asked in a low voice: "Why haven't these locusts come yet?"

Xu Yong stared ahead, and the next moment, he shouted: "Sir, here we come!"

I saw a black cloud flying from the sky, getting closer and closer, and countless locusts landed in the fields and grasslands. Everything in the field of vision were locusts.

Yan Chengjin shouted: "The whole army attacks!"

The horn sounded.

The ducks, who had been traveling all night, were already very hungry.

They rushed out and rushed to the fields.

The sky is densely packed with locusts, and the ground is crowded with ducks.

The scene is very shocking!

The people were stunned.

The daily feeding of these ducks and geese is far less rich than that of later generations.

Later generations generally fed leftover rice and corn. At this time, corn had not yet been introduced to the Ming Dynasty, and the people could feed very little, and the locusts became much more ferocious when they saw them.

Yan Chengjin caught a locust. As expected, it was indeed an East Asian migratory locust, much smaller than later generations.

These are pristine locusts that have not been chemically contaminated.

I saw many locusts falling continuously, and the black clouds in the sky seemed to have dispersed. There were only scattered ones, and the ground was completely dark.

"Chicken army! Come to me, anyone who dares to be a deserter will be killed without mercy!"

Just heard a familiar voice.

Yan Chengjin's face was covered with black lines, and Zhu Houzhao was rushing from behind with a large flock of chickens in his sights.

"Where did your Highness find such a chicken?"

Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "I have my own way."

Yan Chengjin estimated that all the running chickens raised by Zhou Yu were here. The chickens would also peck at the locusts, and even fly up to peck at them.

Xiao Jing recognized the person and hurriedly said to Emperor Hongzhi: "That's not..."

Emperor Hongzhi was a little tired from standing. He was more concerned about whether the duck army could destroy the locusts.

Time passed slowly, and in the evening, there were fewer and fewer black spots in the sky.

The people gradually became serious. They hoped that the duck army could eat up the locusts. After all, they were eating their crops.

Yan Chengjin knew this was impossible.

All living things have stress behaviors, and locusts are no exception.

Sure enough, the migratory locusts began to migrate, and the number visible to the naked eye decreased. They were much sparser than at the beginning, and they began to fly northward with the wind.

The people watching have already changed from ridicule to surprise!

Since ancient times, fire and smoke have been ineffective, and many people are helpless against locusts.

Now, most of them have been wiped out.

Emperor Hongzhi said calmly: "Go back to the palace!"

All the way here, the people were talking about the court's call for the duck army. There were jokes and ridicules, but in the end, he took it all on his own.

Yan Chengjin breathed a sigh of relief.

Most of them were annihilated, so it wasn't a failure.

As for the rest, we can only hope that they fly north again and enter the Tatars' pastures...

Back to Fengtian Hall,

the scene of the duck army's expedition still lingered in Emperor Hongzhi's mind.

Li Dongyang and others were also full of aftertaste.

Yan Chengjin strode into the hall, and after the ceremony: "Your servant Yan Chengjin, I have come to report the imperial decree. The locust army invaded our capital with great force. Our Ming Dynasty duck army of 40,000 soldiers has executed 60% of the locust army on the spot!"

Does this count as a military achievement?

After winning the battle, there must be an explanation.

Emperor Hongzhi had a smile on his face. He had seen the scene and joked, "What do you want, a gold medal for immunity from death?"

I don't want a gold medal for immunity from death for the time being. I want to be promoted...

Yan Chengjin said, "If your majesty is willing to give it, I will not refuse."

"Curing locusts cannot be counted as military merit. I will give you 500 taels of silver and 100 acres of land in Liangxiang County."

Yan Chengjin kowtowed, "Thank you, your majesty."

Zhu Houzhao leaned in front of the Fengtian Hall and looked around. Emperor Hongzhi frowned, "What do you want?"

Zhu Houzhao walked quickly into the hall and knelt right below Emperor Hongzhi, "My chicken army has also made merit, and I want to reward it."

Yan Chengjin coughed violently, almost causing internal injuries.

Emperor Hongzhi's face did not look strange, but kind, "What do you want?"

Zhu Houzhao was happy. After pretending to be sick to relieve his father's worries last time, his father seemed to treat him much better.

He didn't expect his father to really give it to him, so when he asked what he wanted, he was really stumped.

"Your son... wants a gold medal for immunity from death."

Emperor Hongzhi's head buzzed, and he quickly held the throne to prevent himself from falling down.

Since Yan Chengjin asked for two pieces, this thing seemed to have become his nightmare.

Li Dongyang almost vomited blood,

Yan Chengjin was choked and speechless.

However, the country belongs to Zhu Houzhao, and this guy has everything, so he naturally follows his temper.

Emperor Hongzhi frowned, and he was happy today, so he didn't bother with Zhu Houzhao, and patiently said: "Think about it clearly when you go back to the East Palace, and then tell me."

After Zhu Houzhao left, Yan Chengjin was kept by Emperor Hongzhi.

Emperor Hongzhi said: "How to deal with these tens of thousands of ducks? You can't let me eat them all by myself, right?"

I didn't think so much before treating locusts, but now it seems that raising ducks to treat locusts is a bad idea.

In later times, there were large-scale breeding farms, and the ducks could be returned at any time, but not in the Ming Dynasty.

The army of ducks was bought from many people. If the court wanted to return the ducks, who would remember who they belonged to?

Yan Chengjin had a bitter face: "I can't finish them."

Li Dongyang and others frowned.

Emperor Hongzhi paced in front of the emperor, calculating in his mind how many years he would have to eat.

After a while, Yan Chengjin said: "This matter was caused by me. If your majesty doesn't want it, I will buy it."

Emperor Hongzhi was stunned.

These ducks have eaten locusts, so they can't be sold even if they are sold, right?

Li Dongyang and the other two looked at Yan Chengjin, how could they not see that this was to share the worries of his majesty.