Chapter 46 Don’t Offend the Locust God
“Where are the locusts?”
"There can't be locusts again!"
The villagers were horrified and looked around, and sure enough, they saw locusts flying around.
"Don't pounce!"
"Just go slowly!"
"Don't offend the Locust God!"
"There will be retribution for offending the Locust God!"
The men took off their shirts and waved their arms to drive them away gently, fearing that their big movements would hurt the locusts.
Finally, the locust flapped its wings and flew away.
The villagers breathed a sigh of relief and immediately knelt down to pray.
"Please, Locust God, have mercy and spare Heihe Village!"
"We will definitely burn incense and send the locust god off respectfully!"
"Please, God of Locusts, don't come again!"
…
The gongs in Heihe Village rang again, and the villagers gathered in the threshing ground.
The appearance of locusts cast a shadow over the hearts of the villagers who had been overjoyed recently.
There are many locust plagues in years of severe drought.
Around this time two years ago, locusts passed through the area. The villagers set up an altar, burned incense, and beat drums and gongs to drive them away. They barely managed to keep a little food supply, but many people were scratched and bleeding by the locusts' sharp wings.
There were no locusts last year, and everyone was secretly feeling lucky, but they didn't expect it to come so suddenly.
"Everyone, don't worry. There aren't many locusts this year. Starting tomorrow, every household should burn incense and pray by the fields. I believe that as long as our hearts are sincere enough, the locust god will surely grant us a good harvest..."
"Wrong!"
The headman's words were interrupted by a soft and tender baby voice.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yuxue's adorable little baby sitting on Ye Buwei's neck with an anxious look on his face.
"Xiao Jiuer, what did you just say?" The village head's wrinkled face was full of kindness.
"Xiaojiu said that what the head of the village just said was wrong." Ye Buwei said.
The village head was a little surprised. "I said something wrong? What was wrong?"
Ye Buwei said, "When I was young, I traveled to some places. Locust plagues actually happened everywhere, but there was no such thing as a locust god elsewhere. They all fought against locust plagues by culling them."
Hunt and kill?
The villagers' faces changed drastically.
Only Ye Buwei would say this. If anyone else said this, their saliva would drown that person.
"Don't hunt and kill them!"
"If you kill the locust god, he'll come back for revenge. He'll cover the entire sky and leave no grass behind!"
The villagers now trust the Ye family very much, but they have their own insistence on this matter.
Because real examples are right before our eyes.
Many years ago, there was a locust plague in the neighboring county. At first, there were only a few locusts, but on the third day after they were hunted, a large number of locusts swept in like a dark cloud. Wherever they went, not only the crops, but even the leaves of the trees were not left.
Everyone said that this was the revenge of the locust god. If those small number of locusts had not been killed at the beginning, there would not have been the subsequent catastrophic disaster.
From then on, everyone knew that the locust god would only respond to soft words and not hard ones, so they had to get rid of it, otherwise disaster would befall them.
The village head looked at Ye Buwei. He knew that Ye Buwei was a man of insight and ability.
But this time he couldn't listen to him because Ye Buwei was a layman in farm matters.
"Father Yanping, this is our tradition in Xianchuan County. Other counties have used the hunting method you mentioned before, but they suffered great losses and regretted it bitterly. We should just use the old and safe method. We are about to have a good harvest, so we can't take any risks!"
"Yes, Father Yan Ping, you don't know that before, when we set up an altar and burned incense in the fields, the locusts would avoid us. The locust god's mind is as clear as a mirror. Tell me, does it work?"
Ye Buwei sighed softly, "Locusts are afraid of smoke and fire. If you set up an incense table, they will naturally avoid it. Locusts are pests. It is ridiculous to revere them as gods."
"Father Yan Ping, please be quiet! We can't let the Locust God hear us! If we offend the Locust God, something terrible will happen!"
"Yes, Yan Ping's father, luckily there are no locusts at night. The locust god can't hear what you say, otherwise your rice will be in trouble!"
The villagers wanted to come forward and shut Ye Buwei's mouth.
The old villagers knelt on the ground and prayed, "Please forgive Yan Ping's father, the locust god. Ignorance is not a crime!"
"Father Yan Ping meant no offense. I beg the Locust God to forgive such outrageous words!"
Ye Buwei: “…”
He really didn't know what to say.
A long time ago... there was a locust plague in the capital, and he witnessed the scene of locust extermination with his own eyes.
But in this remote mountain place, everyone regards locusts as gods, and it is extremely difficult for him to break this deeply rooted concept.
"Why!"
The little dumpling drooped its head in annoyance like a wilted flower bud.
You two looked at each other, feeling helpless.
…
Early the next morning, the villagers carried their own offering tables to the fields.
The Ye family naturally chose to believe what Xiaojiu and Ye Buwei said, so they did not plan to follow suit and set up an incense table.
Little Dumpling was standing on a small path beside the field, his two little hands being held by two big hands, his father on the left and his second uncle on the right.
The little girl pursed her lips tightly and shook Ye Yanping's hand, "Ding ding, waving!"
Xiaojiu's pronunciation has become clearer recently, but he still speaks two words at a time.
Ye Yanping asked, "Xiao Jiu'er, what do you want Daddy to put on?"
Little Dumpling pointed at the villagers busy setting up the incense table and said, "Same as before, set it up!"
Ye Yanping glanced at Ye Yan'an and asked, "Xiao Jiu'er, do you mean that we should set up an incense table like everyone else?"
"That's right!"
The two brothers were puzzled. Isn't there any locust god? Why did Xiaojiu ask for an incense table?
Is there really a locust god this time?
Ye Yanping put the little ball on his neck, and the two brothers ran home in two steps.
"Dad, something terrible has happened! This time there really is a locust god!"
Ye Buwei frowned slightly at the nonsensical words, but when he heard that it was Xiaojiu's request, Ye Buwei understood instantly.
"Listen to Xiaojiu. Not only do you have to set up the incense table, but you also have to follow everyone else in burning incense and praying. You have to act as pious as everyone else."
"Okay, okay! I'll go right away!" Ye Yanping picked up the table and ran outside. "This is incredible! It seems the Locust God really exists!"
Ye Yan'an looked at his eldest brother's back, "Dad, didn't you say locusts are just pests? I know you never say anything you're not sure of, but what's the meaning of this action?"
"Locusts are indeed pests."
"Then why should our family follow in this useless effort?"
"If we don't follow suit and set up the incense table, our family will be blamed when the locusts come." Ye Buwei smiled and gently stroked the little dumpling's head. "Our little Jiu'er is really smart."
Ye Yan'an suddenly understood.
Seeing that the Ye family also brought in the altar and started burning incense and praying, the whole village breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yan Ping, we thought you weren't coming!"
They had originally planned to set up an altar for the Ye family in the fields. After all, the Ye family had helped the entire village so much, so it was only right that they could offer a little help.
"I dare not not come, otherwise I will offend the Locust God and it will be very difficult to deal with! My father told me to pray sincerely!"
Ye Yanping had a look of awe on his face as he followed everyone else in burning incense and kneeling in worship.
"Okay, okay, our villagers are united, the Locust God will definitely protect the whole village!"
The village head was very happy. Ye Buwei looked cold and stubborn on weekdays, but he didn't expect that he would listen to advice at the critical moment.
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