"sure!"
Sun Jianguo answered decisively.
These locusts are a rare delicacy, rich in nutrients and with delicious meat. They're crunchy and tasty, just like shrimp.
Sun Jian vaguely remembered that later generations used dried locusts as a kind of Chinese medicine.
It has been proven that locusts are not only harmless to eat, but also have the effects of warming the stomach and tonifying the yang, strengthening the spleen and aiding digestion, and dispelling wind and relieving cough.
It can even be ground into powder and applied topically.
However, Sun Jian couldn't recall what specific disease the external application was for.
"Locusts are not a calamity from heaven at all, but rather an auspicious sign. It's just that people have been bound by fixed ideas and believe that they are poisonous and harmful, so they are unwilling to accept it."
Sun Jian said lazily.
“But…but those words sound rather frightening.” Li Gancheng sighed deeply.
Yao Tianzheng's brows furrowed so deeply that they almost formed a deep frown. He also let out a long sigh and said, "Yes! It's simply unheard of."
"Fine, if you don't believe me, that's fine too. I just said that this method is the only way to solve the locust plague. If handled properly, the people will not only be unaffected by the natural disaster, but their livelihoods will also be restored by eating this wave of locusts."
Sun Jian knew they would not accept this, so he did not consider it a necessary piece of advice.
Yao Tianzheng did not respond to Sun Jian's words. Instead, he earnestly emphasized, "Sir, you must not mention these remarks in front of His Majesty unless absolutely necessary."
It wasn't that he didn't trust Sun Jian, but these remarks were unacceptable and unacceptable to the public.
Sun Jian nodded helplessly.
Even Yao Tianzheng and Li Gancheng, who trusted him the most, reacted this way, so Sun Jian was naturally not foolish enough to say these things directly in front of the emperor.
Soon everyone entered the palace and waited at the entrance of the Taiji Hall.
Meanwhile, Sun Jian's memorial had already been delivered to Emperor Ganwu's jade desk by a young eunuch.
In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Sun Jian, Li Gancheng, and Yao Tianzheng were summoned by imperial decree.
In a side hall of the Taiji Hall, Emperor Qianwu, dressed in a dragon robe, sat in the center, solemnly reviewing the memorial that Sun Jian had submitted in advance.
This is the fourth time he has watched it!
Every time he saw it, the old emperor's heart skipped a beat.
After reading it four times, the old emperor's face grew paler and paler, and his eyebrows furrowed together.
Locust plague!
Moreover, it's a locust plague that's rare in a century; the weight and significance of those words are immense.
Even with Emperor Ganwu's years of shrewdness and experience, he could not hide the complex emotions in his heart at this moment.
The three people below the stage dared not utter a sound, all waiting for His Majesty's question.
"Wang De, please take a seat."
"As you command."
After reading the memorial, Emperor Ganwu did not immediately inquire about the specific details of Sun Jian's imperial estates and fields. Instead, he first ordered the chief eunuch to offer seats to Sun Jian and the other two.
Emperor Ganwu knew that a memorial jointly submitted by the Crown Prince and his tutor Yao Tianzheng could not be mere rhetoric.
After a long silence, Emperor Ganwu suddenly stood up from his dragon throne and raised his voice, saying, "Wang De, notify all the officials in the Imperial Study to come to the Taiji Hall for a meeting immediately, without delay!"
Wang De also realized that something was wrong and dared not slack off in the slightest. He hurriedly accepted the order and went to inform the others, even quickening his pace.
He had followed Emperor Qianwu for most of his life, and it was rare for him to see the emperor with such an expression and tone.
After Wang De left, Emperor Ganwu looked coldly at Sun Jian, a gaze that sent chills down one's spine.
"Minister Sun, based on the figures in your memorial, this locust plague may involve hundreds of billions of adult locusts simultaneously?"
Sun Jian nodded, his face serious: "How dare I lie about the disaster and deceive Your Majesty? I am familiar with crops, and judging from historical experience and the number of insect eggs in the roots of crops... I'm afraid... I'm afraid it's more than that!"
"More than just how much?"
A subtle shift appeared in Emperor Ganwu's words.
Ignoring all that, Sun Jian directly stated his prediction: "This locust plague will initially reach tens of billions, then hundreds of billions in a short period, and may even reach trillions at its peak."
hiss!
Upon hearing this, everyone present, except for Sun Jian, gasped in shock.
Even Li Gancheng and Yao Tianzheng were the same.
They had previously discussed the scale of the locust plague as a once-in-a-century disaster, but they hadn't talked about the specific numbers.
Sun Jian's words startled them.
Oh my god!
Trillions of them...
I'm afraid the entire Daqian area will be eaten up and left barren and desolate.
Sun Jian was telling the truth; locusts have an extremely short adult lifespan and reproduce at breakneck speed.
Judging from the densely packed number of insect eggs, it may only take about half a month to reach 100 billion.
Emperor Ganwu turned the memorial upside down and paced back and forth.
Throughout the ordeal, his eyebrows remained furrowed, and his complex expression left no one knowing what he was thinking.
These past few years have already been plagued by natural disasters. Longxi, Longnan, and even the Guanzhong Plain first suffered two years of severe drought, resulting in a complete crop failure.
Then, last year, the Northwest region was hit by a rare earthquake, leaving corpses everywhere, people displaced, and suffering immensely, a scene resembling purgatory.
The earthquake triggered flash floods and the Yellow River overflowing its banks.
Coupled with years of war, the heavy taxes became unbearable, leading to a decline in the nation's strength and the people's livelihood. In many places, even cannibalism occurred.
If we were to encounter another locust plague like this, Dagan would likely face annihilation.
Ancient emperors paid great attention to feng shui and astrology, and at that moment, Emperor Ganwu began to doubt himself again.
He even began to believe that it was his own fault that led to this terrible calamity.
"Is Heaven truly going to destroy me? Why is it trying to kill me...?"
Thinking of this, Emperor Ganwu looked up at the sky outside the palace not far away, his heart filled with mixed feelings.
Seeing Emperor Ganwu's appearance, Sun Jia cupped his hands and took two steps forward: "Your Majesty, this humble subject has something to say."
"speak!"
Emperor Ganwu's face was so gloomy it could drip water. He didn't look at Sun Jian, but instead kept his gaze fixed on the sky outside the palace.
"Your Majesty, please do not blame yourself. Whether it is the locust plague, the earthquake, or the Yellow River flooding, all dynasties throughout history have suffered from natural disasters."
"Throughout history, there has been no direct relationship between accidental natural disasters and ruling emperors. This locust plague is no exception; it is not a matter of human affairs but purely a natural disaster."
Upon hearing Sun Jian's words, not only did Emperor Ganwu turn around to listen attentively, but even Yao Tianzheng and Li Gancheng, who were standing nearby, showed slight changes in their expressions.
Sun Jian felt a surge of secret satisfaction.
As the saying goes, flattery will get you everywhere!
At this critical juncture, how can we possibly turn a locust plague into a blessing without offering some flattery?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
