The Maojin knife from the late Jin Dynasty

Chapter 82 Controlling Locusts
With the arrival of the locust plague, Liu Tai and Gou Xi made a tacit agreement to solve the problem of the locust plague first.

It's like Cao Cao and Lu Bu fought passionately in Xuzhou, but there was a year-long truce in the middle just to solve their respective locust plague problems.

Gou Xi asked Shao Xu to stay for a while, and quickly evacuated with his army, leaving the boundary of Mount Tai and returning to Qingzhou.

It is said that the two sides have made peace for the time being, but it is impossible for anyone to really show their heart to the other party, and they should be wary.

Liu Tai also took the initiative to send people to find Zhao An. After all, it was not difficult to find someone familiar with the surrounding mountains in Laiwu.

After letting Zhao An watch Shao Xu leave, Liu Taicai breathed a sigh of relief.

After this war, rewards should be given to those who should be rewarded, and honors should be given to those who should be honored.

The most important thing is that Liu Tai wrote to Wang Mi, saying that in order to resist Gou Xi, his soldiers suffered heavy losses and consumed countless grains. Even the newly planted grains were eaten by locusts.

Please give me some support from the big man, otherwise I really won’t be able to handle Gou Xi.

At this time, I just want to cry for poverty. As for reporting military achievements and so on, how can I get supplies if I report my military achievements?

The people above must think that since you are so strong, you don't need to add more burdens and continue to hone and hone.

The question is, do I need to hone myself?Now that locusts are rampant, I need food!

Liu Tai did not put all his hopes in the Xiongnu-Han Kingdom. After all, he was now in Taishan County, which was too far away from the political center of the Xiongnu-Han Kingdom.

Not to mention that they can transport food, even if they send someone to send some gold and silver, they will be thankful. But with the coming of the locust plague, it is good that they can protect themselves.

In fact, the impact of this locust plague that almost affected the entire north was greater than Liu Tai expected.

Liu Tai and Gou Xi were in a remote area where the locust plague was raging, so they could still sustain themselves by concentrating their efforts on fighting the locusts.

Nowadays, the locust plague has spread across several states, and the land is so bare that the common people can't find jobs in wealthy families.

Some people have even taken the initiative to leave the land they depend on for survival and flee to other places.

Because the impact of the locust plague is somewhat delayed, they eat food for the future.

It's almost time for the autumn harvest, and the cultivated grain is eaten by them, so there is no harvest for this year, but the common people have more or less a month's worth of grain in their hands to last until the autumn harvest.

Therefore, some people who felt that they could not survive this year had already made all the food into naan bread, and then decisively fled with their families.

If you run for your life now, you might still have a chance to survive, but if you run for your life too late, even this chance will be gone.

Of course, the impact of this locust plague in history on the Xiongnu, Han and Jin Dynasties was that both countries ran out of food.

The news that the Jin court was running out of food and asking for help was notified to surrounding states and counties almost every day, asking them to quickly transport food to Luoyang.

The Xiongnu and Han Dynasties were not much better. With the shortage of food, both regimes completely broke the bottom line and started cannibalism.

Liu Tai naturally had no idea that the impact of this locust plague would be so great, so after casually writing a letter to his uncle, "Hungry Hungry, Liang Liang", he began to devote himself wholeheartedly to the anti-locust project.

Before Chairman Xi came to notify Chu Hui, Chu Hui had tried his best to check the affected area and calculate the harvest situation this year. But to be honest, Chu Hui had no experience in fighting locusts.

However, Xi Zhubo brought Liu Tai's orders about lighting a fire at night and finding some chickens and ducks to eat locusts. Chu Hui also tried it doubtfully. He could only say that it worked, but the effect was not obvious.

After all, locusts have become migratory locusts, and they produce toxins. Even if we want to deal with locusts in the 21st century, we basically rely on human beings and various drugs.

As for using ducks or poultry, they are more used to deal with locust larvae rather than the locusts themselves.

In the 21st century, migratory locusts are also a natural disaster.

However, just as Chu Hui was hesitantly trying to think of a way to deal with this disaster, Liu Tai finally reached an armistice with Gou Xi. The two sides exchanged the bodies of prisoners and soldiers. Liu Tai buried the soldiers and completed the corresponding rituals. After that, he rushed to Fenggao in a hurry.

Liu Tai saw Chu Hui and said, "How is the situation?!"

"The situation is very serious!" Chu Hui said, "At least two-thirds of the land and food in the entire county have been eaten by locusts.

Fortunately, the locust swarm did not stay here for long, and the remaining food was better because it was grown in a relatively remote place.

But I am afraid that the remaining food will not be able to feed the entire people of Taishan County until next year's corn is planted! "

When Liu Tai heard this, he couldn't help but press his brow. After thinking for a while, he said:
“Let me renovate all the fields that have been gnawed by locusts, and let the sun bask in all the lands where these locusts have been.

We're getting ready to plant the next wave of new crops! "

"New crops?!" Chu Hui heard Liu Tai's words and immediately reacted, "You mean winter wheat?"

"Is there any choice?!" Liu Tai said, "At least no matter how bad the taste of winter wheat is, it can be harvested in April or May next year. Farmers who want to survive should renovate all the land and plant winter wheat!"

Liu Tai looked at Chu Hui and said, "I remember not buying winter wheat seeds from the Yang family all the time. Isn't that enough?"

"That's enough!" Chu Hui, who has been in charge of this matter, nodded to Liu Tai, "Let's plant this batch of winter wheat first to deal with the emergency."

However, Chu Hui came back to his senses and said to Liu Tai, "But if the locust plague is not solved, even if winter wheat is planted, these locusts will not show mercy!"

"We just do our best to obey fate!" Liu Tai took a deep breath and said, "I don't know what the weakness of things like locusts is, but I know that if we don't do anything, we will just wait to die.

First, let the people dig up the soil. At least the eggs produced by the locusts in the soil will be exposed to the sun and they will naturally be killed by the sun.

Then all canals for winter wheat cultivation in Taishan County were dredged.

In my opinion, locust plagues generally only occur during droughts, so keeping crops adequately hydrated should be a way to curb locust plagues.

In addition, find a way to raise some chickens and ducks. These are not used to deal with migratory locusts, but to deal with locusts climbing on the ground. "

"General Liu, you seem to know a lot about fighting locusts!" Chu Hui couldn't help but sigh when he heard Liu Tai's orderly arrangements.

"Whether it works or not, just give it a try!" Liu Tai replied calmly.

Chu Hui said: "The first step is easy to say. The people who have fields know that new seeds have been replaced, and I believe they will definitely be willing to cultivate the fields.

But dredging canals is a big project!If we leave it to the people, I'm afraid it won't be completed within this year? "

Liu Taidao: "Relief for work, let the people take action first, let them devote themselves wholeheartedly to the project. The money we robbed from the local wealthy families is enough to last until next year, plus one-third of this year's The grain, calculated carefully every day, should be enough to last until the winter wheat harvest.

Then let the county soldiers be the main force in dredging the river. Most of them are local people. They will not hate the taxis for the survival of the entire Taishan County.

Then all the people who come to participate in the labor will be given the responsibility to take care of the food. I believe they will definitely be willing to save their original food! "

When Liu Tai said this, he couldn't help but take a deep breath and continued:

"Also, don't open any porridge sheds in Taishan. If the Yang family dares to open one, you will be smashed by me.

Starting today, the entire Taishan County will implement the rule of "No food for those who do not work", and everyone will work for me.

As long as you are willing to work, you can fill your stomach. "

Hearing Liu Tailuo's somewhat ferocious look at this moment, Chu Hui said, "Do you need to borrow some food from the Yang family? I believe they must still have some savings."

"If you can overcome the difficulties on your own, try your best to overcome them by yourself." Liu Tai took a deep breath and said,
“For a family like the Yang Family, no matter how innocent they are, we can only give them a chance to make something better.

If you give him a chance to help you in times of need, I'm afraid he will eat them up. The family is full of bad guys and can't be trusted! "

"General, in fact, a certain person is also from a noble family!" Chu Hui heard Liu Tai say about his grudge against the noble family.

Liu Tai looked at Chu Hui and finally said, "Well, not all aristocratic families are bad!"

"Work, work!" Chu Hui looked at Liu Tai's tough attitude and decided to change the subject.

To be honest, Chu Hui also had a headache looking at Liu Tai. This locust plague looked to Chu Hui as an opportunity to change Liu Tai's concept.

Introducing the power of the aristocratic family actually does no harm to Liu Tai, and can even help the family Liu Tai take off.

But Chu Hui did not expect that even at this time, Liu Tai had no intention of going to the Yang family to seek help.

This gave Chu Hui a headache, because it showed that Liu Tai did not want to introduce the power of the famous family into his base.

Chu Hui himself belongs to a noble family, so in Chu Hui's view, the power of a noble family is almost infinite, and it is the noble family that dominates the entire world.

If Liu Tai doesn't introduce the power of the aristocratic family, he will encounter bottlenecks sooner or later.

At that time, if you want to introduce the power of the aristocratic family again, you will have to pay a price.

In this case, the sooner we introduce the power of the aristocratic family, the sooner we will naturally consolidate our own foundation, but why not?

Chu Hui couldn't help but shake his head when he thought of this, but Chu Hui had no intention of changing jobs or stabbing Liu Tai in the back.

Because Liu Tai was very wary of introducing aristocratic families, and he still had discussions with Chu Hui on other matters.

Of course, more importantly, Liu Tai resisted Gou Xi head-on, which made Chu Hui more determined to choose Liu Tai.

Because the more troubled the times, the more powerful people need to be around in order to be safer.

Gou Xi is the most powerful man in the Jin court now, but his attack on Taishan County this time was still blocked in Laiwu and made no progress.

This further illustrates Liu Tai's ability to lead troops.

Liu Tai not only trusts himself, but also gives himself a stage. Apart from not bringing in aristocratic families, he doesn't have much shortcomings. If he can really assist Liu Tai to achieve something in the world.

"It's just that the general is still young after all. He doesn't know how powerful the family is. Guangwu's ability to revive the Han Dynasty relies on the power of the family!" Chu Hui shook his head. Even if it doesn't work this time, he should look for a chance next time.

After Liu Tai handed over the internal affairs to Chu Hui, he immediately summoned Zhao An and Yu Yao to discuss military affairs.

Yu Yao was a school lieutenant selected from the locals of Mount Tai. In Liu Tai's opinion, he was the type who was good at both civil and military affairs, but was neither good at them nor at all. However, he was promoted because he was an all-rounder. Of course, the most important thing was that he claimed to be To ban future generations.

The descendants of Yu Jin did not enjoy the glory and wealth like the other five good generals after Yu Jin's death.

Basically, Cao Wei's policy was to suppress and suppress again. Even if the Sima family took over the world, the policy of employing people was to use the ninth-grade Zhongzheng system. The Yu family, which had fallen into the dust, was nothing.

Therefore, it is inevitable that Yu Yao is somewhat resentful of this world.

But I didn't expect Liu Tai to call. After hearing that he was a descendant of Yu Jin, he said decisively:
"It is the right way for Yu Jin to surrender to the Han Dynasty. As a descendant of Yu Jin, you should be treated with courtesy. Let you manage the Taishan County soldiers!"

Then Yu Yao was promoted to the rank of Colonel Taishan, which was regarded as a one-step rise to the top.

For Liu Tai, he naturally did not believe that this guy was a descendant of Yu Jin, but there were not many celebrities named Yu in this era, so he just used Yu Jin as a sign.

And Liu Tai admired this guy as much as he was known as a descendant of King Zhang, but he didn't know if it was true anyway.

But the territory of Qingzhou is only as far back as this guy's name. If he was born in Youzhou, he would be the queen of Prince Jing of Zhongshan.

In Liu Tai's opinion, this Yu Yao's situation should be similar to his own, just looking for a good person to take advantage of the tiger's skin.

Liu Tai said at this moment, looking at Zhao An and Yu Yao, he said: "Now the fight against locusts has become a top priority. In order to fight against locusts, Mr. Chu and I have discussed dredging the water channels in Mount Tai. If it is left to the people, this matter will be too much." It’s slow, so let the county soldiers take charge!”

Liu Tai said this and continued, "In addition, this matter is related to the lives of the people in the county. If it is completed successfully, it can still be regarded as military merit. This matter will be recorded in military history for reward!"

Hearing that it was counted as a military achievement, Yu Yao breathed a sigh of relief, lowered his head and responded, "I have the order!"

Liu Tai nodded, turned his gaze to Zhao And and said, "You are good at making your soldiers disperse without being defeated.

If it's a frontal battle, it's a bit weak, but if it's a battle behind enemy lines, it can often be miraculous.

So I hope you can take advantage of this opportunity to get closer to the people, understand the people, and integrate with the people.

If you are asked to carry out some combat missions behind enemy lines in the future, you and your team can make the villages behind enemy lines believe in you and believe that only by resisting the Jin Dynasty and restoring the Han Dynasty will there be a future.

By then, your activities behind enemy lines will be as easy as a drop of water blending into the ocean! "

Zhao An was thoughtful when he heard Liu Tai's words, and now he saluted Liu Tai solemnly, because Zhao An felt that Liu Tai was really teaching him the art of war, but he said, "Thank you, general, for your advice!"

Liu Tai nodded. In Liu Tai's view, this locust plague is also an opportunity for him. If he can solve this crisis in Taishan County, he will truly have a foundation.

(End of this chapter)