Li Yue and his entourage of more than 20 rode on the official road leading to Quanzhou. Li Yue was anxious to take office, and asked Du Sanjin to lead the 2,000 people selected from the Holy Protector Army to stay in Lin'an, waiting to receive the muskets cast by the Ordnance Supervisor. He took Wang Teng and more than 20 other people to set off first.

Along the way, the trees withered and the fields cracked. There were half-hundred-year-old people kneeling on the side of the road, holding bowls in both hands, begging for food from passers-by.

Li Yue and they heard that the climate here this year is quite abnormal, it is the beginning of spring in February, it is extremely hot, and the entire Fujian Road has not rained for three months. After a long drought, locust plagues broke out in various prefectures and counties.

By noon, the weather was unstoppable, not only the cavalry was thirsty, but even the war horses could not stand it, so Li Yue had to lead everyone to look for water in the nearby villages.

When entering the village, it is just noon, the people can only eat one meal in the year of famine, the Han people believe that the noon yang qi is enough, and eating at this time can best enhance physical strength, so it is the lunch time of each family in the village here.

A group of cavalry brutally broke into the village, and Wang Teng commanded his soldiers to look for water everywhere.

Li Yue dismounted and sat under a big poplar tree to enjoy the shade, he looked around, and the people in the village saw that the cavalry had entered the village and all hid, the door bed was closed, and the stove fire was extinguished.

Li Yue sighed when he saw this, it seems that the military-civilian relationship in Daliang is not very ideal. When General Zong led the troops that year, he stipulated that he would not be taken prisoner if he starved to death, and he would not demolish his house if he froze to death. Therefore, wherever the Zongjia army went, the people were all eating pot pulp to greet each other. It's a pity that there is only one Zong Peng in the big beam.

These more than 20 people are still the elite selected by themselves from the Holy Protector Army, and the military discipline of the Imperial Army of the Great Liang Dynasty is unimaginable. When Li Yue first arrived in Quanzhou, he could rely on these people, so he couldn't stop the robbery of his subordinates, otherwise who would sell his life?

He shouted impatiently: "Don't hurt people's lives, otherwise they will be killed!" ”

While Wang Teng asked people to find water, he also sent people to look for food in the village. The soldiers dismounted and swept from house to house with knives, and immediately made the village full of chickens and dogs.

After a while, a soldier came back with a few chickens. Wang Teng saw the blood stains on the soldiers' bodies, so he asked, "What's the matter?" ”

The soldier spat a mouthful of saliva on the ground and said fiercely: "There is a crazy woman who actually let a dog bite me, and I cut it with a knife!" ”

Li Yue glanced at the soldier, and the soldier hurriedly explained: "I mean I cut down the dog, and it didn't hurt anyone. ”

When Li Yue heard him say this, he closed his eyes and continued to wave the folding fan to enjoy the coolness.

After a while, a soldier ran back with a happy face: "Lord Zhizhou, we have found a well!" ”

Li Yue got up in surprise and asked Wang Teng to take the soldiers straight to the well. The well is hidden at the foot of a hill in the east of the village, where the environment is shady, and the soldiers gather around the well to drink water and cheer.

Wang Teng pushed away the crowd with his big hand, and roared in his mouth: "You thieves and birds get out of the way, let the Sprinkler family take a sip." ”

The soldiers are rushing to drink water, who cares about the chief. Wang Teng was thirsty, so he stretched his ape arm and pushed everyone into it.

Wang Teng walked to the well, saw that there was water in the barrel, and was overjoyed to drink wildly, just as he was refreshed, one hand suddenly dialed his head, and then held the water with both hands, which was also a binge drink.

Wang Tengzheng was stunned when he saw Li Yue standing up comfortably, staring at him with provocative eyes while burping.

Wang Teng asked the soldier beside him, "How did Master Li get in?" ”

Wang Teng laughed and said, "There are so many ghost ideas in the head! ”

Li Yue turned his head to look ahead, Wang Teng saw that his expression was different, and he also looked along and saw many villagers holding wooden sticks and hoes in their hands, although they were trembling and fearful, they were slowly approaching.

Wang Teng drew his sword and roared: "What do you want? ”

Some bold villagers shouted: "This is our life, you waste water like this, you want us to die!" ”

Wang Teng waved his knife and pointed: "If you dare to take a step forward, there will be no mercy!" ”

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers behind him all drew their swords and glared at the villagers, who saw that the soldiers were so fierce and vicious, some of them turned around and ran away in fright, and some sat on the ground and cried. Although the villagers did not disperse, they did not regain their previous momentum.

Wang Teng spat on the ground, and said with disdain: "A group of rats! Then he turned his head to look at Li Yue and found that Master Li was holding a water bag and pouring water into it.

After tossing for a while, the group continued on the road. While walking, Li Yue suddenly said: "The well is not very deep, but it is full of water, which shows that the drought is not serious." ”

Wang Teng followed behind Li Yue and said, "It hasn't rained for three months, and there are not many dead people now." However, coupled with the locust plague, people everywhere on Fujian Road are panicked. ”

Li Yue said: "The locust plague is an urgent matter, and if it is not eliminated, it will be more troublesome than the drought. I don't know why the magistrate of Fujian Road didn't report the disaster to the court in time? ”

Wang Teng was silent for a while before he spoke: "Since ancient times, the plague of the locust gods has been caused by the immorality of the Son of Heaven. Wherever the locust god passed, not a single grass grew. There is no other way but to worship heaven and earth and beg the gods. ”

Wang Teng's words were heard in Li Yue's ears, and they were really mixed. Even a forbidden army officer like Wang Teng only knew the gods of heaven and earth, and thought that the locust plague was a heavenly punishment. If the matter of getting rid of the locusts is not handled well, it will offend the wrath of the people.

"What do you want this thing for?" Li Yue, who was a little angry, knocked wildly on Wang Teng's head and said: "The locust plague is not a punishment from heaven, it is mostly caused by drought. As long as you deal with it properly, it is not difficult to get rid of locusts. ”

Wang Teng rubbed his head and asked with an aggrieved expression: "Head, can the locust plague really be eliminated?" ”

"It must be removed!" Li Yue nodded affirmatively, "Don't be in a hurry to go to Quanzhou, go to Nan'an County first." ”

The group hurried and arrived at the county seat of Nan'an at night. The next day, Li Yue went directly to the county government and asked the old magistrate of Nan'an, who was over 70 years old, to order the elimination of locusts.

The old county order refused, and Li Yue had no choice but to reveal his identity. This time he went to Quanzhou to set up a maritime trading house was only one of Li Yue's tasks, and he also knew Quanzhou's affairs.

Nan'an County was under the rule of Quanzhou, and although the old county order was reluctant, the official level crushed the cattle to death, so he had to issue a locust removal proclamation according to Li Yue's order. The notice also specified the method of eliminating locusts, and demanded that all localities in Nan'an County must exterminate locusts according to the order.

However, in the eyes of the common people who are mainly farmers, such as Daliang, it is tantamount to a fantasy. There are even a few old immortals who are going to Nan'an Zhi County, saying that they would rather hang themselves than anger the locust god.

The prestige of the locust god, whether it is the officials or the common people, is as fearful as a tiger. Everyone would rather let the rice and trees that had just been planted be eaten by the locusts than follow Li Yue's orders to kill the locusts.

Li Yue didn't expect that even the official order of the county government would not be able to do it, so he had to go out in person at this time to prepare to forcibly exterminate the locusts.