"The second strategy is prevention and control. Managing a big country is like cooking small dishes. Managing a locust plague is like controlling a flood. Blocking is worse than sparing. Waiting for the locusts to become a disaster and then thinking of ways to put it out is just to make up for it."
"If we want to reduce the locust plague, or even completely solve it, we must let the people know how to prevent and control it..."
"From ancient times to the present, locust plagues have occurred almost every year. I collected a large amount of information on the growth of locusts and records of locust plagues in previous generations, and came to a conclusion."
Zhou Zhenwen talked in detail and began to introduce in detail the living habits and growth characteristics of locusts.
Empress Liang Zhao and other ministers listened attentively, and Jigu, the Minister of Household Affairs, wrote vigorously and kept recording what Zhou Zhenwen said.
"Locust plagues basically appear after droughts, and lakes dry up and become dry lakes. The dry and warm environment gives locusts the opportunity to reproduce in large numbers... After summary, the conditions required for locusts to reproduce in large numbers are that a dry and water-deficient environment Wasteland, secondly, there are gaps in the land, and thirdly, vegetation coverage is sparse. Where these conditions are met, insect eggs are prone to appear, and locust larvae breed in large numbers, causing a locust plague."
"Therefore, the second prevention method proposed by me is to completely eliminate the locust plague from several aspects."
"First, let the people go to the fields to look for small holes like honeycombs. Once found, dig them up with a shovel to see if there are locust eggs. If there are any, dig them up immediately and burn them with fire."
"Secondly, you can plant some crops that locusts don't like to eat in areas prone to locust plagues, such as soybeans, mung beans, black beans, sesame, cotton, buckwheat..."
"At the same time, let the people raise some chickens, ducks and other poultry. An adult duck can eat hundreds of locusts a day..."
"You can also use lime and straw ash for control. Applying these things on crops can prevent locusts from gnawing..."
Zhou Zhenwen talked about more than a dozen methods of prevention and control in one breath, including the physical level, the biological level, the chemical level, and almost included most of the treatment methods he knew in his previous life.
This is also a prevention and control method accumulated over five thousand years in China.
"I see!"
"There is so much knowledge in controlling locusts?"
"Been taught a lesson!"
"If everyone in the world could learn this, locust plagues would naturally be impossible..."
The ministers nodded one after another, looking like they were being taught.
Empress Liang Zhao also looked surprised. She didn't expect Zhou Zhenwen to have so many unique insights into controlling locusts?
The reason why the ministers were surprised and educated was because there was no systematic method for controlling locusts in the wilderness, and no officials wrote books or commentaries. To a large extent, they all relied on the spontaneous actions of the people and the cooperation of the government in governance.
This also leads to frequent locust plagues.
Since martial arts exists in this world, people and officials also rely on people who know martial arts. In the early stages of the locust plague, martial arts masters carry out physical deworming. In this deworming mode, people in this world have no control over other methods of deworming. Bug, studying is not enough.
This actually stems from the living environment and historical process of the two worlds.
In the world where Zhou Zhenwen lived, there was no martial arts, and there were no martial arts masters who came and went. To control locusts, it required generations of efforts to study the habits of locusts, kill eggs, and prevent the emergence of locust plagues.
These valuable governance experiences are the result of bloody lessons.
Every locust plague is an unimaginable disaster and despair.
"Locusts appear in Qingzhou. A large number of locusts are waking up and metamorphosing. Before they completely metamorphose, the court should deal with them as soon as possible and use the method just mentioned by the minister to kill larvae and eggs in a large area to prevent an uncontrollable locust plague."
Zhou Zhenwen cupped his hands and said in a deep voice.
All the ministers nodded in agreement, thinking that what Zhou Zhenwen said was reasonable.
Empress Liang Zhao nodded slightly and looked at Zhou Zhenwen: "Zhou Aiqing just said two strategies, what is the other strategy?"
Zhou Zhenwen thought for a while and said one word: "Eat!"
"eat?"
As soon as these words came out, the ministers' expressions suddenly changed and they shuddered.
They feel frightened and sickened just thinking about what locusts look like! !
Jigu, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, even said directly: "Master Zhou, you cannot eat locusts, they are poisonous!"
"To be precise, it's a locust plague, and the locusts that gather together are poisonous!" Zhou Zhenwen glanced at Jigu, the Minister of Household Affairs, and corrected him.
"Are the locusts that form a locust plague and gather together poisonous?"
"What does this mean?"
"I hope Grand Master Zhou can give me some advice!"
Jigu, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, frowned slightly, bowed and asked.
"Locusts are a very special creature. They grow from eggs and undergo mutations. When they become adults, they will appear in two situations."
"The first is the solitary locust, which is also called a nymph. The nymphs are non-toxic and can be eaten by humans. Chickens, ducks, plovers and other animals also eat nymphs that have not yet caused a disaster. Many animals feed on locusts, which are insects with extremely high nutritional value and can provide them with nutrients."
"The second type is the locusts that have gathered into a disaster and begun to devour crops and trees in large areas. After these locusts gather, their bodies will secrete a special substance, and the color of their bodies will change, becoming eye-catching and eye-catching. Bright, mainly black, yellow, red or other bright colors, the appearance will become ferocious, and the temperament will change drastically..."
"From being timid, gentle, and shy when living alone, I became irritable, aggressive, and had a huge appetite..."
"This is also the origin of the locust plague."
"So, locusts that have not mutated can be eaten. After being fried or roasted, they have a delicious color and fragrance. However, those locusts that have changed color cannot be eaten. They contain poison. If eaten in small amounts, they may not be fatal. But once eaten in excess, It will be life-threatening, and when those gregarious locusts are attacked, they will arouse their ferocity, increase the toxicity in the body, and turn into deadly poison."
Zhou Zhenwen explained the knowledge about locusts in a relatively simple and easy-to-understand way.
Locusts have a magical group defense skill, which has been scientifically proven. Social locusts synthesize and release large amounts of the compound phenylacetonitrile in their bodies, which is a special organic compound also known as benzyl cyanide. Listed as Category III precursor chemicals for control.
When gregarious locusts are not threatened, the phenylacetonitrile in their bodies will not be converted into the poison hydrocyanic acid, but only serves as an olfactory signal to warn predators. When a predator insists on attacking, locusts will immediately convert phenylacetonitrile into the poison hydrocyanic acid for defense.
Even after more than sixty gregarious locusts mutate, their color and shape will change, becoming more ferocious, aggressive and aggressive.
"A great scholar of Zhou Dynasty, with a profound knowledge of locusts and a strong memory, really makes me admire him!" Jigu, the Minister of Household Affairs, bowed and showed admiration.
"Shang Shu Ji, you're welcome!" Zhou Zhenwen nodded slightly.
Empress Liang Zhao thought for a while and felt that this matter was feasible, but it would not be easy to implement it and let the people eat locusts.
After all, the fact that locusts are poisonous is deeply rooted in people's hearts. If you want to change people's hearts, you can't just say something or give an order.
"Master Zhou, how do you think we can get people to put aside their scruples and eat locusts?" Empress Liang Zhao asked.
Zhou Zhenwen looked at the empress Liang Zhao and said in a deep voice: "If you want to make the people believe that locusts are not poisonous, you must have a prestigious person to set an example and eat locusts in front of the people. Only then can the concerns of the people be dispelled!"
"Who does Grand Master Zhou think is suitable?" Empress Liang Zhao looked at Zhou Zhenwen, her heart skipped a beat, and she had a bad premonition.
Zhou Zhenwen smiled slightly, bowed his hands, and said softly: "I think...your majesty is the most suitable! Your majesty is the true dragon emperor, and he should be an example for all people. If your majesty eats locusts, the people of the world will definitely follow suit, and the locust plague will naturally cease. exist!"
"What?"
"You want me to eat locusts?"
Empress Liang Zhao's expression became a little unbearable. Zhou Zhenwen actually asked her to eat locusts?
this......
