There were many thorns on the vitex on the back, scraping on the bare skin, and the friction of walking around soon caused a painful sensation to pierce the heart.

But He Shouhuang didn't realize it, walked out of the county government of Wannian County, and looked at the people who turned from grief to ecstasy after hearing the news from the soldiers, and looked at the people who were carrying sacks of wire nets to catch locusts along the way, and couldn't help but burst into tears.

With a locust plague of this scale, God knows if the imperial court can withstand it.

There were also a few tired locusts on the side of the road, lying on the roots of the grass, chewing without a mouthful.

Glancing at them hatefully, He Shou stepped on them without hesitation.

Some of the displaced people who left the mountains a few years ago had already caught enough locusts and hurried to the direction of the farm. They are the real ones who have no surplus food, and they are destined to have no harvest this year, but they cannot afford to pay the taxes owed to the imperial court. It was rare for the imperial court to mercifully allow them to go out of the mountain, and they kept in mind the agreement to double the tax. Fastest update... / .. /

Ignoring his already wet pants, He Shou walked to the farm with curiosity, he wanted to see what kind of scene the prince was releasing grain.

For the first time, the open space in front of the farm was filled with organisms other than poultry. The people who grabbed the mouth of the sack spontaneously waited in line. Two huge scales were placed in front of the sacks of grain, locusts on the left and grain on the right.

But because there was no one to dry the locusts, they were crowded in front of the fifty-to-one scale.

Seeing the yellow, orange, and orange millet and millet and locusts on the left, the faces of the people who were exchanging showed a relieved smile.

He had only been caught by the locusts for less than half an hour. And the food he exchanged for was enough for his family to eat for more than ten days.

After loading the grain, the people who had exchanged it left with great gratitude.

I saw with my own eyes that someone had changed food, and the people in line behind him also smiled. coincidentally, he handed over the sacks to his son and brother, and prepared to catch some more with his bare hands.

With so many people coming to exchange it, even if there was more food, it would be exchanged quickly.

Seeing more than 200 bags of grain gradually disappearing, the people who had not exchanged them suddenly became anxious.

There was only one heavily armed sergeant watching the entire exchange scene, and seeing the people who were at a loss for what to do when the exchange was halfway, he took a few steps forward and said: "Folks, don't worry, the soldiers led by the prince have already gone to the warehouse to transport grain, no matter how many locusts you bring, they can be exchanged for food." Since there is no food now, why don't you go down first and change some meat? ”

As the sergeant's voice fell, a man from the farm immediately brought large pieces of air-dried beef and smoked mutton.

Seeing so much meat, the people were dumbfounded.

This is.... r

Meat?

And such a good thing? Ordinary farmers, during the New Year, cut a few taels of meat and put it in the rice bowl, which is considered good, but I didn't expect that now it can be exchanged for meat with locusts?

The exchange continued, and the people who had put things on the scales by themselves trembled and let the locusts fall fiercely. Fifty catties of locusts for one catty of grain, they think it is very cost-effective, even if they suffer a little loss, it doesn't matter. But when locusts were exchanged for meat, they didn't think so.

The news of the soldiers was still delivered very quickly, and more and more people caught locusts and were ready to try them on the farm to see if it was true or not.

The queue grew longer and longer, and the farthest line even reached the field below the farm.

The prince will not disappoint the people in the end, and on the road, carriages loaded with grain have been transported.

The horse-drawn cart with the head has been transported into the farm, and the one behind is still down the mountain, and there is no end in sight.

There is no scene more inspiring than this one.

Seeing that the people under his rule were smiling, He Shou also smiled, not caring at all that there was already blood behind him.

In the house of the farm, a child walked out, although he was wearing sackcloth, he was the same as an ordinary farmer's boy, but He Shou still recognized that this one was the prince who had torn his face with him in the main hall before!

People are small, but their words are not ordinary.

"Damn, they all told you that the food should also be protected, and they all thought it was dry products, so it would be safe? Hungry locusts don't care what you are, as long as they can eat it, they dare to mouth! ”

Fang Shuo, the captain of the bow and arrow brigade, was responsible for transporting grain, and because there were two trucks that were simply transporting grain, they were attacked by locusts, and good food entered the mouths of locusts. Although they howled and exterminated all the locusts that attacked the grain convoy, how could they distribute the food mixed with the locusts' stumps and broken bodies?

Fang Shuo hunched his waist and said aggrievedly: "Your Highness, why can't you eat the food mixed with locusts?" When I was a child, I used to roast locusts on fire, and I ate a lot of them, but I didn't see any problems. ”

Seeing Fang Shuo hunched over, Li Chengqian slapped him on the head and said angrily: "Bastard, it's just two and a half carts of grain, it's a big deal to feed the chickens, but it's a lack of virtue to give it to the people to eat!" ”

Although eating some locusts is nothing, maybe you can supplement calcium or something, but Li Chengqian is not willing to do such a dangerous thing.

The first locusts all took off in the deep mountains and rivers, and they didn't know how many kinds of bacteria and viruses they carried. Locusts can be eaten, but those who dare to move their mouths at this time are ruthless. Even though the Tang Dynasty was sparsely populated, there were too many people moving and gathering because of the disaster, and the plague could spread more unscrupulously.

was beaten by the prince for no reason, Fang Shuo felt very aggrieved, when this kind of grievance, after looking at an old guy who was tiptoeing over behind the prince, shirtless and holding a thorn in his hand, suddenly disappeared.

Li Chengqian wanted to draw Fang Shuo again, but he coldly pulled it onto Fang Shuo's armor.

With a flash of leaning to protect the prince behind him, Fang Shuo drew his knife without hesitation: "Who is coming!" ”

In terms of the protection of the prince, the soldiers led by the prince seem to be loose, but in fact they strive for excellence.

With Fang Shuo's voice, two crossbow arrows shot out of nowhere, half of which sank into the ground in front of He Shou.

He Shou was startled, but he was still very calm and stood still a dozen steps apart, kneeling down with Jing Tiao in both hands: "Weichen Wannian County Commander He Shou, meet His Royal Highness the Prince!" Many things have come to an end before, and we are ignorant, I don't know the deep meaning of His Royal Highness the Prince, and the crime is extremely evil. Therefore, Weichen is willing to bear the guilt and ask His Highness for forgiveness! ”

Li Chengqian glanced at it a few times before remembering the identity of this guy. There is no way, there is really too much difference between He Shou, who is neatly dressed, and the guy who is shirtless and playing hooligan in front of him, and is covered in blood.

With He Shou's movements, there were a few softer thorn sticks, which hung down to his shoulders, scratching bloody marks.

Pushing Fang Shuo away, Li Chengqian took a few steps forward to help He Shou, and said, "How can He County Ling despise himself so much, Lone is not a person who will be repaid." ”

He Shou didn't get up, and said ashamedly: "Your Highness is kind-hearted, not angry because the people are stupid, and on the first day of the locust plague, he put grain to help the people. ”

The thorn strip behind He Shou was carefully removed by the soldiers. After receiving the wound medicine handed by Fang Shuo, regardless of He Shou's obstruction, Li Chengqian personally treated his wound.

A single wound is not serious, but if there are so many wounds in the back, it is a serious injury.

When Li Chengqian finished giving He Shou the medicine, He Shou was already in tears.

Tearing off the cloak behind Fang Shuo's back and putting it on He Shou's body, Li Chengqian walked towards the grain place.

He Shou stood up and followed closely behind him.

In the beginning, the people who exchanged food tried to make the scales even, but now, they are all just a bunch of things. There are a lot of locusts and a lot of food, so instead of picking and searching, it is better to quickly change them and make room for the next one.

Whether it is taking advantage of the balance or suffering a loss, when you leave with food on your back, you are all smiling.

Looking at the smiling face in front of him, Li Chengqian couldn't help laughing.

"He Shou, you don't plan to pursue your sins, but there is a shortage of people here, so I have to entrust you to preside over it. There is a big drama in Chang'an City, and Lone really wants to see it. Therefore, the matter of the farm will be handed over to you, and Liao Zhong will help you. In addition, the crown prince and a thousand forbidden troops are also under your command for the time being, no problem! ”

Ignoring the drooping cloak, He Shou immediately bowed down and said, "I am willing to share my worries for Your Highness!" ”

He heard that the prince obviously wanted to help him and preside over this matter, which was much higher than the merits he could obtain as a county magistrate. What's more, the three thousand soldiers are under his command, which is no longer appreciation, but a trust at the level of favor.

Stretching out his hand to help He Shou up, Li Chengqian immediately ordered the guards to send him back to Chang'an.

The news that the head of the five surnamed Qiwang families secretly entered Chang'an was also written into the intelligence by Geng Buqu. Such tiptoeing behavior is not what the patriarch of the family should do. It can be guessed that they are ready to appear like an earth-shattering attack, and then directly put pressure on the emperor. Before the catastrophe, no matter how reasonable the emperor was, he couldn't refute them.

Passing by the grain stores in the city, you can also see the proud faces of the grain merchants.

These stupid people, don't you feel hot with disaster money? Thinking about the big granary on the north bank of Weishui, Li Chengqian was full of sympathy for them.

As soon as the grain starts to be distributed or put on the market, these guys who are ready to stock up will immediately go bankrupt.

Five hundred guards, after sending the crown prince to the palace, returned to Wannian County. Now that the locust plague has just come, it is easy for the people to catch locusts, and when they encounter a place where locusts are gathered, they basically only need to open their pockets and collect them, and they will be full. With so many locusts, they need a lot of food. The wagons transporting grain were driven over and over again, and they could barely keep up with the speed of changing grain.

Behind the Taiji Gate, in front of the Taiji Palace, is the office area of the officials. On the left is Zhongshu Province, and on the right is Menxia Province. Whether it's a book or a door, they're all busy like ants on a hot pot. Hongling was in a hurry to make an endless stream of exchanges, bringing reports from various state capitals, which could be summed up by the word "miserable" throughout the article.

When people have not completely conquered the environment, insect plagues are not once or twice, but this nightmarish locust plague has really not been experienced.

Mo said that the seedlings in the farmland, even the leaves, did not escape the mouths of the locusts, and people could not find anything to eat except for the food at home, except for the wild vegetable roots.

He didn't change back into the prince's robe, so he wore a dirty linen dress and walked to the palace of the government.

As expected, the Lizheng Hall at this time was completely not as quiet as the usual court meeting, and when you stood outside the hall, you could hear the noisy quarrels inside.

It seems that the five surnames and seven hopes have already taken action!

With a strong curiosity, Li Chengqian was about to go in.

When he looked at the history of the Tang Dynasty, he was very curious about these seven transcendent families, and now that he had the opportunity to see them in person, how could he not take a look.

The door of the hall was open, and as soon as Li Chengqian was about to enter, the person who came out grabbed his arm and dragged him out.

It was the eldest grandson Wuji who came out.

While wiping his face, the eldest grandson Wuji said, "What are you doing here, don't you hurry back." If it's a weekday court, even if you're still young, it's not a problem to come in and learn, but today, don't make do with it. ”

There are a lot of spittle stars on the face of the eldest grandson Wuji, and there is even a big one. It seems that the five surnames are all big shots, otherwise, as the eldest grandson Wuji, how could he be spit on, and he could only take his face.

Quietly pulling out his arm, Li Chengqian asked suspiciously: "Uncle, since there is such a fierce quarrel inside, why did you come out?" Don't.... Do you want to find Master Li? ”

Come to think of it, there is only one possibility. The five surnames and seven hopes were able to come to the court, and it is estimated that the old people in the family were used. The Datang law stipulates that if a person is over eighty, he will drown without taboo. That is to say, the elderly over 80 years old can pull poop no matter where they are, even if it is the court.

If the five surnames really dispatched a big man over the age of eighty, I'm afraid only Li Gang is qualified to deal with it.

However, Li Chengqian didn't plan to bring the old gentleman over, and he scolded each other for not having a good taste, and really making the old gentleman angry, it would definitely outweigh the losses.

The eldest grandson Wuji waved his hand: "Your Majesty said, the five surnames asked the court this time, and each family must not ask for help from outside, but can only rely on their own strength." The old man didn't come out to ask for help. ”

"And what are you doing here?"

Li Chengqian blinked, if it is said that the most backbone of the court to deal with the five surnames, it is definitely the eldest grandson Wuji.

Letting go of his hand, the eldest grandson Wuji covered his stomach and walked a few steps along the wind before returning.

"Dig into the roots, ask what the hell! The old man just went to the thatched house! ”

After speaking, the eldest grandson Wuji walked away with small steps.

This time, he went against the wind. A somewhat strange smell drifted into Li Chengqian's nose along the wind.

Forehead....

I didn't have time to sigh, so I immediately ran to the side.

Looking at the wide open hall door, Li Chengqian naturally forgot the instructions of the eldest grandson Wuji, and walked in.