After the infantry arrived, Emperor Chongzhen no longer went to cull the locusts with his own hands. Otherwise, Zheng Chongjian, the much older governor of the three sides, would also have to cull the locusts. He would be exhausted! But if you don't cull, the emperor is already culling. As a minister, do you have the nerve to stand and watch?
After clapping his hands and wiping his sweat, Emperor Chongzhen smiled and said to Zheng Chongjian: "When all are culled, I will eat these locusts. After all, they are rich in protein and can supplement nutrition!"
After finishing speaking, seeing Zheng Chongjian looking a little stunned, he remembered the word "protein", which he couldn't understand, so he quickly changed his words and said: "Although ants are small, they are still meat. No matter what, these locusts are better than ants." It’s a lot, isn’t it?”
Hearing this, Zheng Chongjian finally understood. He showed a reluctant smile and said: "Your Majesty is right, eating these locusts is better than eating turf, tree roots or Guanyin soil!"
After this locust plague, due to timely culling, at least other places could be spared from the locust plague, but at least in Jingyang, the impact on the harvest was very large. Even if there are locusts to eat, they won't be able to eat for a few days with just this amount of food.
As soon as he mentioned this matter, Emperor Chongzhen's expression became serious. He looked up and looked around the mountains and plains. Everywhere there were Ming soldiers and Jingyang people culling locusts. He said a little seriously: "Here in Jingyang, we must provide disaster relief. If other places cannot allocate food in time, they will implement temporary measures." Control, all the food of all the squires must be taken out, and the rations of Jingyang must be controlled, so that no one will starve to death. For those enlightened squires, the government can reward them, and the food contributed will be made up for later. But If there is someone who is not discerning and hides food and refuses to take it out, you can catch the example and deal with him severely. Do you understand?"
"Wei Chen understands that in extraordinary times, extraordinary things should be done!" After hearing this, Zheng Chongjian quickly nodded in agreement.
If people are to starve to death, it will give the bandits a basis for rebellion. No matter from which perspective, if we can avoid starving to death, we should naturally try our best not to starve to death. It doesn't matter whether those squires have any opinions. The emperor has spoken. Can these country squires be more powerful than the emperor?
While they were talking, a fast horse suddenly came flying towards him. Zheng Chongjian turned around and said to Emperor Chongzhen, "It should be a messenger from Xi'an Prefecture."
As expected, it was the messenger sent by the prefect of Xi'an who came to report two situations.
The first situation is that the assistant minister Zhang Guowei rushed from the capital and had just arrived in Xi'an.
Emperor Chongzhen was very pleased to hear this news. Calculating the time, Zhang Guowei should have rushed here without any delay after receiving the order.
Severe drought, locust plague, these things must be dealt with in time, otherwise, the chaos in Shaanxi that was finally pacified will likely resurge. Only if the common people have something to eat and this is a place where the border troops gather heavily, will there be no more trouble.
Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen sent an order to Zhang Guowei, asking him to take a rest and survey the disaster situation in Shaanxi as soon as possible, and then vigorously build water conservancy projects, which would also allow the victims of the disaster, such as the people of Jingyang, to work for relief, which was killing two birds with one stone.
The second situation reported by the messenger was about the subordinates of the bandit Li Zicheng. It is said that Li Zicheng shouted "equal land and exempted from taxes" and opened warehouses to release grain. He was able to win over people's hearts and his power grew rapidly. The people near Shangluo Mountain all wanted to escape from the bandits. Although Li Zicheng's troops had already jumped into Henan, the small part that remained in Shaanxi was now developing and growing. If they are not exterminated in time, I am afraid that the chaos will intensify and affect other places.
This is the terrible thing about Li Zicheng's army! Emperor Chongzhen thought to himself, but fortunately Li Zicheng had just emerged from Shangluo Mountain. If it had been two years later and he had been allowed to develop, it would have been really difficult to deal with him!
Thinking of this, suddenly Li Ruolian, the commander of the Jinyi Guards, hurried over and reported: "Your Majesty, after checking, there are indeed rumors that worshiping the Locust God will be useful. They said that the Locust God was placed in many places and the locusts flew away. There were also people He said that a local official in other places organized a culling of locusts, but was impeached by the imperial censor, and then lost his official position and was convicted!"
He spoke with a bit of disdain. Because he knew that no local official had ever been convicted of organizing a culling of locusts. This was simply a rumor! After finishing speaking, he added: "Your Majesty, as long as you give me some time, I will definitely find out the person who spread the rumors!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen's eyes suddenly lit up. Do you still need to pull it out? Why bother to do so much? There is no need to pull it.
Therefore, he directly explained to Li Ruolian: "Time is running out. There is no need to investigate this matter further. You go to the Jingyang County Magistrate and ask him to issue a notice saying that this is a rumor spread by thieves. I am here and there is no need to investigate." No official was punished for this, but those who did nothing and allowed the locusts to infest are the ones I want to punish! Haha, the so-called worshiping the locust god, by the time they have finished worshiping, the locusts have already eaten everything, of course Fly away. All these are lies, let the people know the true face of the bandit, don't believe it!"
Li Ruolian was slightly surprised when he heard this. He thought that the emperor obtained this news through that elusive source again. Therefore, without any doubt, he immediately obeyed the order.
In fact, of course Emperor Chongzhen didn't know the truth. It might be a meddlesome person or someone with ulterior motives who spread the rumor, or it might actually be some people among the thieves who spread the message.
For him, none of this matters. The important thing is to let the people know how to deal with the locust plague correctly, and not to believe the rumors. By the way, they know that the thieves do not see good things in them, and they wish they had nothing to eat, so they will force them to join the bandits and cause chaos!
Zheng Chongjian was listening to these conversations and couldn't help but be surprised. He figured out all of this as soon as he thought about it. Because of this, he admired the emperor even more. He didn't expect that the emperor would take action against the bandit so quickly. I believe that not many previous Ming emperors can match this quick thinking and brilliant means.
After this happens, the story of the emperor's personal participation in culling locusts will spread among the people of Jingyang. With such a sharp contrast, the people naturally knew that the emperor was the best for them. And those bandits were a scourge originally, and they are just as much a scourge now!
While he was thinking about it, Emperor Chongzhen turned around and said to him: "I remember that the "Complete Book of Nongzheng" records the methods of preventing and exterminating locusts. Speaking of which, this "Complete Book of Nongzheng" is indeed a treasure. I think every local official should understand it. You don’t have to go into details, but at least you should know the general content written in the book!”
At this point, Emperor Chongzhen sighed with emotion: "If we could really do this, these things like worshiping the locust god would never happen!"
When Zheng Chongjian heard this, he nodded repeatedly. Some time ago, he heard that the emperor had established a new agricultural department because of the "Complete Book of Agricultural Affairs", so out of curiosity, he asked someone to buy a set. Therefore, he knew that what the emperor said was true.
No matter what, all dynasties have been based on farming, and there are many books on agriculture. For example, "Qi Min Yao Shu" and the "Agricultural Book" of the previous dynasty are both, but these books are basically specific details of farming. However, this "Agricultural Policy Encyclopedia" is not all that. It is mainly divided into two parts, one is the elaboration of agricultural political ideas, and the other is the specific details of farming.
If an official wants to understand books such as "Essentials for Qi Min" and "Book of Agriculture", it would be a bit of a fuss. But this "Agricultural Policy Encyclopedia" is very suitable for officials in charge of politics to read. For example, the section on famine policy in "The Complete Book of Agriculture" has eighteen volumes. It summarizes discussions and policies on famine preparation in the past dynasties, makes statistics on floods, droughts and insect disasters, analyzes disaster relief measures and their pros and cons, and finally There are 414 types of plants that can satisfy hunger.
If the Jingyang County Magistrate had read the "Complete Book of Agricultural Affairs", he would at least know how to remedy the situation after the locust plague and how to keep the people alive.
Thinking of this, Zheng Chongjian's face became serious and he replied seriously: "I think what your Majesty said is very true. This set of "The Complete Book of Agricultural Affairs" should really be known to all the officials close to the people!"
Hearing what Zheng Chongjian said, Emperor Chongzhen thought for a while and then made a decision. He immediately asked someone to draw up an edict that all the Ming Dynasty officials in charge of the world, that is, county magistrates, prefects, prefects, etc., must be manned. Read the set thoroughly. In addition, as for the Ministry of Personnel, whenever a new local official is sent out, he must first undergo an assessment, and the content is based on the knowledge in the "Complete Book of Agricultural Affairs". If they fail the assessment, they will not be allowed to be released as local administrative officials.
Although this seems to be a bit of a fuss, after all, even if a field official fails the exam, he knows that there is this book and he can look it up when he needs it later. However, this is what Emperor Chongzhen wants to do, just to let those officials who are close to the people know that he attaches great importance to the "Complete Book of Agricultural Affairs", and that familiarity with this book is his basic requirement!
After finishing this government affairs, it was already evening. The sky in the west is a fiery red, which means that tomorrow will definitely be another sunny day.
With the army joining in to cull the locusts, by this evening, they were basically culled. Although there are definitely some who have slipped through the net in the fields, it will not take much time to complete it just by the people of Jingyang.
After this "fighting side by side", Jingyang people and Ming soldiers can be seen laughing and talking everywhere. You may not be able to understand the dialects spoken in various places, so you use both hands and feet to explain. At first glance, the relationship between the military and the people is almost like brotherly love.
Zheng Chongjian glanced at all this secretly, and his heart was filled with joy. As the governor of the three sides, he naturally knew how bad the relationship between the army and the people was in this place where the bandit troubles began. But what he saw now made him believe that at least the people of Jingyang were basically unlikely to have any objections and would firmly stand on the side of the government and the army.
It was also at this time that the Jingyang County Magistrate and the Jingyang squires hurried to the imperial chariot's place, with sweat on their faces and their official uniforms clinging to their bodies, and invited the emperor and the emperor's troops to enter the city to rest.
Seeing the Jingyang County Magistrate like this, I knew that he had also worked hard all day, so I felt much less angry towards him. In addition, he could use the previous events to counteract the influence of Li Zicheng's troops, so he said calmly: "There is no need to enter the city. The people have been tired for a day, so go back and rest. I and the soldiers are in this city Just camp outside.”
To be honest, these Jingyang people actually welcomed the emperor to the city for a rest. However, they still have a headache with so many troops entering the city. Little Jingyang, how to arrange so many troops? It’s not good to sleep on the street, why not sleep in a private house? But even if all the people vacate their houses, I'm afraid it won't be enough, right? There are just so many war horses, I don’t know how to arrange them!
After listening to the emperor's words, these Jingyang squires couldn't help but feel a little more moved that the emperor was so considerate of the people of Jingyang. In addition, the emperor even personally went to cull locusts for Jingyang before, and their gratitude to the emperor was even more overwhelming.
When they were about to say something, Emperor Chongzhen had already spoken first, warning the Jingyang County magistrate that they must deal with the aftermath of this locust plague, otherwise they would not be lenient.
The Jingyang County Magistrate knew that the emperor would not punish him again, and he couldn't help but feel comforted. At the same time, he quickly promised that he would fulfill his duties and be a good parent official in the future.
After chatting about this serious topic, Emperor Chongzhen showed a smile and said: "I am leading the army south to quell the rebellion. We cannot wait too long. Okay, how about exchanging the rations brought with the army and the people of Jingyang for the culled locusts?"
Upon hearing this, the Jingyang County Magistrate and the squire were overjoyed. You know, when we were culling just now, many locusts dug pits, swept them in, and buried them alive. But now if we can exchange for food, we can at least recover a lot of losses.
Therefore, the Jingyang County Magistrate quickly agreed, and then hurried back with the squires to announce the news.
Emperor Chongzhen watched them leave, smiled and turned to Zheng Chongjian and Li Ruolian, as well as He Renlong, Wu Sangui and others who had returned to him, and said: "Tonight, I will treat you all to a locust feast! I believe it. Oh my, this tastes absolutely delicious!”
In later generations, locust delicacies were available in many places. Emperor Chongzhen once ate it once when he was traveling.
The soldiers of the Ming Dynasty began to set up camp, and Emperor Chongzhen did not need to worry about this. Sack after sack of locusts were carried to the military camp in exchange for food, and Emperor Chongzhen did not need to worry about it. At this time, he asked someone to select some locusts and started a locust feast.
One method is to pour the locusts into boiling water, close the lid of the pot, and increase the intensity of the fire. After the grasshoppers turn from green to brown, they are taken out and dried in the sun, and their wings and stinging feet are removed. Since time was limited, it was naturally not dried in the sun, but dried, and then fried. The aroma made the waiting civil servants and military officers, and even Emperor Chongzhen himself, want to taste it immediately.
Another method is to remove the wings and legs of the locusts and slowly roast them on a skewer over a charcoal fire. When roasting, the locusts should be evenly brushed with cooking oil to ensure that the roasted locusts are charred on the outside and tender on the inside. Then sprinkle with a little cumin powder, salt and other seasonings. The aroma is so fragrant that it makes people salivate even more than frying it before.
…
Of course, Emperor Chongzhen did not do these things himself, but after he told them, veterans in the army did it, and he watched as others did.
The night is getting darker, and the stars are dazzlingly visible in the night sky. The aroma of the royal chariot's place wafted around, making all the soldiers yearn for it. The locust feast that the emperor cooked seemed to be very delicious!
Of course, the soldiers' handling of locusts is not so particular.
When it was almost ready, Emperor Chongzhen even asked the Jingyang County Magistrate and several active squires to eat the locust feast together.
Of course, Emperor Chongzhen used his chopsticks first and took a bite of each dish. He looked like he was enjoying each dish and said it was delicious.
His words immediately caused a lot of "grunts". However, the civil servants and military officers present here have been busy for a day, and their stomachs are already growling with hunger. It was a bit impatient to be so tempted by the emperor.
After the emperor let them taste it, they all couldn't wait to eat it. Civil servants are a little better, and they pay more attention to their food and appearance. The generals, such as He Renlong and others, couldn't look at their eating faces. But even as he was eating, he kept praising: "It's delicious, it's delicious!"
In fact, at this time, even the most unpleasant food will taste delicious to them!
After that, many people present recalled the delicious food that night, and they all missed it very much. They also made the same locust feast in private, but it no longer tasted as delicious as they remembered. Of course, they attributed this difference to the emperor's superior cooking skills.
After this incident spread, it can be said that everyone followed suit. The emperor ate the locust feast, and so many people praised the deliciousness of the locust feast. It would be such a pity if I didn't eat it myself and taste the taste of the locust feast!
Just like that, with the emperor's demonstration effect, the locust plague in the Ming Dynasty will no longer have such a big impact in history.
In addition to proper prevention, locust plagues rarely occur again. There are also many wealthy households who will immediately offer rewards to buy locusts when they hear that there are swarms of locusts, so that they can eat a long-awaited locust feast.
In fact, Emperor Chongzhen had already expected this, so he invited the Jingyang County Magistrate and the squires to have a locust feast together at that time, just to let the news spread faster.
But there was one thing that Emperor Chongzhen did not expect.
After he left, in order to commemorate the emperor's visit to Jingyang, the people of Jingyang erected monuments in the place where he slayed the locusts and where he ate the locust feast. As a result, the literati and poets of the Ming Dynasty were attracted to come and take a look, commemorate the emperor's past here, and often compose a few poems as long as they were nearby. In the end, this place became a tourist attraction in Jingyang!
