"Hurry, hurry! The young master has an order, and everyone in the Zhuangzi will go to the chicken farm to drive the chickens out! The children who passed the assessment last year quickly gathered at the head of the village and went to the chicken farm to catch chickens together! Hurry up, hurry up! Han Xiaodong, you go and inform the west of the village, Lao Niu, you go and notify the west of the village, Da Niu and Erniu, you two go and notify the north of the village, and I will notify the south of the village! ”

Not long after Li Zexuan left Yunshan, Meicun and Hanjiazhuang at the foot of Yunshan all took action, and when other places were still immersed in the panic caused by the locust plague, hundreds of families in these two Zhuangzi had already launched self-rescue operations according to Li Zexuan's orders!

"Lao Hu, what are you doing at this time to catch chickens in the chicken farm? Where are you going? ”

"Rush to the ground and eat grasshoppers! The young master said that there are nearly 150,000 chickens raised in Hanjiazhuang and Meicun together, and it only takes more than half an hour for these chickens to eat the locusts in tens of thousands of acres of fertile fields! Hurry up, everyone! If we assemble a quarter of an hour earlier, the crops in the field will be less plagued by locusts for a quarter of an hour! ”

"Good boy! Can it still be like this? There are only three or four thousand acres of fields in our village, so wouldn't we have cleared up the locusts in a while? Lao Hu, you wait! I'm going to the chicken farm! ”

Hu Hanyun moved out of the name of Li Zexuan, and immediately responded to Jing Cong, mainly because compared to other Zhuangzi outside, the people of Hanjiazhuang and Meicun were much less in awe of locusts, after all, in the autumn of last year, the people of the two Zhuangzi had caught the autumn locusts and sold them in Yanhuang Academy, so when the locust plague came today, the people of these two Zhuangzi were relatively calm, they only had anxiety in their hearts, but they were not afraid!

Almost at the same time, hundreds of officials from the county government of Lantian County went out with the notices brought back by He County's order, and began to post them at various intersections in the city and on the Zhuangzi outside the city, with the title of the notice being "All of us are united to fight the locust plague"!

The content of the notice is also very simple and clear, roughly meaning: "Yong'an Hou Order: There is no so-called locust god in the world, and the locust plague is not terrible, just destroy it;

From now on, the county government of Lantian County began to buy locusts from the people, with two catties per penny and unlimited amounts;

In addition, the Tianji Brigade composed of 150,000 chickens in Hanjiazhuang and Meicun is about to sweep the farmland of the entire Lantian County from north to south. ”

Seeing this locust extermination notice from Li Zexuan, the anxious and panicked hearts of the people of Lantian County finally calmed down, especially after seeing the news that the county government of Lantian County was preparing to buy locusts, the people could no longer sit still.

"Let's go! What are you waiting for? Hou Ye has said that there is no locust god in this world, let's catch locusts, which can not only sell for money, but also destroy the locusts in the ground! ”

"Yes, yes, yes! Call the doll at home to catch locusts together! ”

"Master Hou said, drive the chickens in the house to the ground! Let's go! ”

Under Li Zexuan's several rectifications, the county government of the entire Lantian County has become very efficient, and the people of Zhuangzi have been moved by the wind one by one, driving chickens and locusts in the field, and tens of thousands of people in Lantian County have gradually embarked on the road of self-help and disaster relief.

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At this time, the court is also very lively.

"As far as I have received the news so far, Qizhou, Qingzhou, Bianzhou, Huazhou, Zhengzhou, Jinzhou, Luozhou, Chenzhou, Xuzhou, Shangzhou, Yongzhou, Bingzhou, Luzhou, Chang'an 14 prefectures, more than 300 counties have all suffered locust plagues, and the overwhelming locusts are spreading towards Fengzhou and Qizhou. If you have a good plan, please speak freely! ”

Inside the Tai Chi Temple.

The civil and military officials, who had just finished the early dynasty for a few hours, were once again summoned back by Li Er, Li Ergao sat on the head, looked at everyone and said with a serious face.

"Your Majesty, since ancient times, the people have believed that the locust plague from the sky represents the wrath of the heavens, and the people will definitely rumor about it, and now the top priority is to stabilize the people's hearts, and the saint should personally go to the fields, kill livestock, put incense on the table, sacrifice to the heavens and pray, and give amnesty to the world to calm the hearts of the people!"

Confucian leader Kong Yingda stood up at this time and bowed his hand to Li Er.

From the perspective of the ancients, there is nothing wrong with Kong Yingda's suggestion, looking at the previous dynasties and kings, most of the reactions to locust plagues are like this!

Because people in ancient times did not have perfect scientific knowledge, many people had a panic about the appearance of locust plagues, and the ancient concept of the unity of heaven and man naturally reminded people that this was the wrath of heaven and a warning to the world.

There is a good saying, the way of thinking determines the way out! With this in mind, the next step is no longer to think about how to deal with the locust plague effectively, but to pray in the fields for mercy from the locusts. But obviously, the army of locusts will certainly not be as the emperor and the people wish, after the locusts have eaten up the grain in the fields of the people, those rulers who are a little more far-sighted will open warehouses to the people to release grain, so that the people will not be cornered and rebel!

As soon as Kong Yingda's voice fell, many ministers immediately echoed in the court.

"Your Majesty, what Kong Saijiu said is extremely true! The top priority of the imperial court is to stabilize the people's hearts! ”

"That's right! Please also set up an altar to pray and give amnesty to the world! ”

Li Er, who was sitting at the top, couldn't help frowning when he heard this, because he didn't think that praying to the heavens could make this locust disappear in the sky.

Seeing Li Er's frowning, the eldest grandson Wuji stood up at this time and said: "Your Majesty, although there is some truth in what Kong Saijiu said, the old minister believes that the top priority at the moment should be to promulgate a holy decree, announce it to the world, and call on the people to take immediate action to resist the locust plague!" ”

When Kong Yingda heard this, he couldn't help but say: "Dare to ask Zhao Guogong, the locust plague is a scourge of heaven, how can the people resist it?" ”

The eldest grandson Wuji said: "I have tens of millions of people in the Tang Dynasty, if everyone goes to the field to catch locusts, why worry about the locust plague?" Anyway, the old man thinks that the effect is better than praying to the heavens! ”

Kong Yingda was a little angry and said: "Nonsense! Not to mention that locusts cover the sky and the sun and are endless, let's just say that the people don't know how many people will treat locusts as divine insects, Zhao Guogong asked them to catch locusts, how are they willing? ”

The eldest grandson Wuji said with a straight face: "Kong sacrifice wine, you are also a person who reads poetry and books, you should know better than anyone else, the theory of gods and insects is pure nonsense, locusts eat crops and harm the people, and they should be pests, and the minister thinks that the saint should immediately issue a holy decree to designate locusts as pests and encourage the people of the world to kill them in anger!" ”

"That's it! How can a mere grasshopper be a god worm? If you kill it, you will kill it, can God still punish God because of this? ”

Cheng Yanjin couldn't help but speak at this time.

His Zhuangzi is suffering from locusts at this time, and he doesn't have any good feelings about locusts! Besides, Lao Cheng doesn't know how many people he has killed in his life, how can he be afraid of killing locusts!

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui also said together at this time: "The old minister agrees with Zhao Guogong's suggestion!" ”

In fact, there are not a few ministers who understand that locusts are divine insects is nonsense, and there are still many rational people, but there is just a lack of a leading brother to stand up! Now seeing that the eldest grandson Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui are all standing on the side of "killing locusts" with a clear banner, there are many echoes.

"Your Majesty should issue a decree calling on the people to hunt down locusts!"

"Locusts are not divine insects, but pests, and they should be hunted and killed!"

Li Er's frowning brows finally stretched out at this time, he nodded, and said in a deep voice: "Since ancient times, the people have taken food as the sky, and the locusts have fed on grains, which is a scourge to the common people, how can it be called a divine worm?" Today, as the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, I issued an edict to order the people of the world to catch locusts, if the heavens are angry because of this, I am willing to bear the punishment of God as the emperor of the people, and I will never regret it! ”

Li Er's loud voice, like an oath to heaven and earth, sounded like a bell, resounding in every corner of the Taiji Palace, all officials heard it, all moved, although they did not believe that locusts are divine insects, but all the people in this hall today, there is no disrespect for heaven and earth, let alone disrespect for ghosts and gods! When Li Er said this, in their opinion, he was definitely a benevolent monarch who sacrificed his life to save the common people!

"Father! Never! If there is really a divine punishment from heaven, then it will come down to the sons! ”

Li Chengqian, who was standing under Li Er's head, was in a hurry when he heard the words, and hurriedly bowed down.

"The old minister asks His Majesty to take back what Fang Cai said, if there is a divine punishment from heaven, the minister Sun Wuji, is willing to bear the divine punishment for His Majesty with his old, weak, sick and disabled body!"

The eldest grandson Wuji gave a deep bow and said in a deep voice.

Hundreds of officials followed Shi Li and said: "Please Your Majesty take back what Fang Cai said, if there is a divine punishment from heaven, the ministers are willing to accept the divine punishment for Your Majesty!" ”

The monarch loves the people, the ministers love the monarch, and the ministers are willing to die for the monarch, this picture of the harmony between the monarch and the ministers can be regarded as a good story in the early Tang Dynasty!

Li Erchang breathed a sigh of relief, then shook his head and said: "I am the king of a country, I am for the people of the world, for the sake of the country, I have a clear conscience, I don't believe that God will punish me for this!" Zhao Song, immediately tell the world what I just said! ”

Zhao Song said with a heavy face: "The old slave obeys the order!" ”

Kong Yingda arched his hand at this time and said: "Your Majesty is dedicated to the people, and you will definitely move the heavens!" But at present, the locusts in various states and counties are endless, and it is necessary to catch locusts by manpower alone, so when will they be caught? At that time, the crops in the fields were probably wiped out by the scourge! Therefore, the minister also hopes that His Majesty can make plans as soon as possible, so that the state capitals in various places are ready to open warehouses and release grain to appease the people! ”

Li Er didn't panic at all, but smiled confidently: "Kong Aiqing, do you still remember the decree on raising chickens and reducing the tax issued by the imperial court last year? ”

Last summer, under the persecution of Li Er, Li Zexuan offered three strategies to control locusts, one of which was to use the decree of raising chickens to reduce the tax to attract the people to raise a large number of chickens, and then when the locust plague came, use chickens to kill some of the locusts!

However, because the prophecy of the locust plague could not be leaked out, this three strategies for controlling locusts were only known to the three important ministers of the empire, the eldest grandson Wuji and Fang Xuanling, at that time, and these ministers were ordered by Li Ersan to be strictly kept secret, so the officials generally did not know the deep meaning behind the decree of raising chickens and reducing taxes!

When Kong Yingda heard this, he nodded and said, "Of course the minister remembers!" It's just that His Majesty mentioned at this time that the decree on raising chickens and reducing taxes will benefit from the control of locusts? ”

Li Er smiled, then nodded at the eldest grandson Wuji, and said, "Auxiliary, you come!" ”

The eldest grandson Wuji arched his hand, and then said to Kong Yingda: "Kong sacrifice wine, last year, under the implementation of the imperial court's decree on raising chickens and reducing taxes, the number of chickens raised by the people in all states and counties in the world increased sharply, and this chicken loves to eat locusts the most. Moreover, last year, the imperial court sent a fleet south to exchange grain, and now the granaries in Datang are full of grain, even if the people lose some of their crops, the imperial court has the ability to save the people from fire and water! ”

Not only Kong Yingda, but the other ministers above the court were shocked when they heard this, they were surprised not by the strategy of using chickens to eliminate locusts, but by thinking of the policy of raising chickens and reducing taxes by the imperial court last year, and this year's locust plague came, Li Er and Changsun Wuji just proposed the strategy of using chickens to kill locusts, in the middle, why are there so many coincidences?

Could it be that when Li Er proposed the decree of "raising chickens and reducing taxes" last year, he had already expected that there would be a locust plague this year?

Thinking of last year's imperial court sending a fleet south to exchange food, all of this seemed to be calculated by Li Er, Kong Yingda and other ministers couldn't help but show a trace of horror in their eyes when they looked at Li Er!

Our Majesty is able to know what the future holds? It's scary, it's really scary!

This is the minister who does not know the truth at this moment, and he thinks the same way!

After being silent for a long time, Kong Yingda felt that there was still something wrong, he arched his hand towards the eldest grandson Wuji, and said: "Chickens can certainly eat locusts, but last year, because people everywhere were buying chicken seedlings, the price of chicken seedlings skyrocketed, and in the end, each family raised only twenty or thirty chickens at most, but each family has at least thirty or forty acres of land, these twenty or thirty chickens are tantamount to a drop in the bucket!" ”

When the eldest grandson Wuji heard this, he couldn't help but be silent for a while, because what the eldest grandson Wuji said was indeed the truth, the price of chicken seedlings in Chang'an City last year was definitely the most expensive year in the past ten years, even if the imperial court launched a chicken raising reduction policy, the people couldn't raise much!

It's not that I don't want to raise it, but I can't afford it!

Li Er, who was sitting at the top, couldn't help but sink his face.

"Twenty or thirty is not enough, but is 150,000 enough?"

At this moment, a loud voice came from outside the Taiji Palace, and then, I saw a young man striding in, although this young man was not wearing an official uniform, but he was extraordinary, who else could it be if it wasn't Li Zexuan?

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