Chapter 317 I Request to Accept It Alone
"Su Qing, do you have any good ideas to kill locusts?" asked Tian Khan.
"Your Majesty, to provide disaster relief, the first priority is to solve the human problem." Su Bucheng said calmly.
"Tell me about it!" Tian Khan encouraged.
"Your Majesty, since ancient times there has been a saying that 'disasters are punishment from heaven'. When a country is about to fail due to its misconduct, heaven will first send disasters as a warning.
Therefore, there were large locusts in various states. When they flew, they covered the sky. When they fell, they ate crops. The sound was like wind and rain. However, the people did not dare to kill the locusts.
They all burned incense and prayed, offering sacrifices and praying for mercy. They watched the seedlings being eaten but dared not touch them.
There are also some officials who are mediocre scholars who stick to literary principles and do not know how to adapt to changes. They think that killing too many insects will damage the harmony, so they allow all the crops to be destroyed!
Guanzhong, Hebei, and Henan are important grain-producing areas of our dynasty. If we don’t curb this in time, the people will suffer and become displaced, which will eventually lead to unrest in the court.”
Su Bucheng's idioms are astonishing, profound and insightful, especially his assessment of officials as "mediocre scholars who stick to literary matters and don't know how to adapt to changes." This sentence is quite weighty.
He was practically pointing fingers at the group of inspectors who had impeached him last time, as well as the now high and mighty Khan.
"Cough cough!" Du Ruhui coughed violently.
Su Bucheng paused, and was so excited that he lost himself in thought and blurted out everything he should and shouldn't say.
Tian Khan stood up and thought about what Su Bucheng had just said.
Troubled by the locust plague, yet afraid to take action, he was not alone in his inability to adapt. Wasn't he the same?
"Su Qing, do you know the habits of locusts?" Tian Khan asked after thinking for a while.
"Your Majesty, a locust generation lasts from 60 to 200 days, from egg to nymph to adult.
Summer locusts are the first generation, and autumn locusts are the second generation.
Locusts mature in summer and autumn, when crops are growing and maturing, which is most conducive to the rampant locusts and the most serious and widespread damage to crops.
Migratory locusts can produce one or two generations a year, and even three or four generations in severe droughts."
"How should we destroy it?" Tian Khan asked anxiously, not expecting Su Bucheng to have such a deep understanding of locusts.
"Your Majesty, there are two ways to kill locusts: catching them and digging trenches.
That means mobilizing the people to catch locusts or digging trenches and building embankments to drive the locusts into the trenches and kill them." Su Bucheng replied.
"Oh, this is the method you used last time?" asked Tian Khan.
"Your Majesty, that's right!" Su Bucheng said.
“However, this method is time-consuming and labor-intensive, requiring a large amount of manpower, with minimal results.
A combination of trenching and burning can be used to eliminate locusts. Once the locusts have freed themselves to fly, they will flock to a fire at night. Dig a pit near the fire, burn and bury the locusts, and they will be completely eliminated."
Taking advantage of the locusts' habit of moving towards light at night, they dug trenches next to the fire and buried the locusts while burning them.
This was proposed by Su Ying from modern times when he later reviewed it with him. It was actually the locust control method used by Yao Chong during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty.
"Really?" Tian Khan stood up excitedly.
"Yes! We must exterminate the locusts as quickly as possible. In addition to publicizing the methods of extermination, we also need strong cooperation from the government and a dedicated person to be responsible.
He was specifically responsible for supervising the locust control in various villages, and was not allowed to return to Beijing until all the locusts were gone and the crops in the fields had grown.
In order to prevent insect eggs from being left in the mountains and swamps, each state and county should conduct regular inspections during the slack season and report to the provincial inspector in a timely manner.
Prevent locusts from breeding. If locusts are found during inspections next year, officials should be demoted according to the severity of the situation.
"Including locust control in the performance evaluation of officials in each state and county is the only way to truly and effectively control locusts," Su Bucheng said.
"Hiss!" The left and right ministers, who had been silent all this time, exclaimed.
This is a drastic move! Exterminating locusts will be included in official performance evaluations, and if they return the following year, they will be demoted! This will leave officials at all levels with no excuses or laxity.
Tian Khan remained silent, his mind still wavering. This move was earth-shattering and would inevitably cause an uproar in the court.
"Your Majesty, time is of the essence. If we delay any further, the people of Guanzhong will suffer a fruitless harvest this year.
If saving people and killing insects leads to disaster, I will bear the consequences alone and will not ask for help." Su Bucheng knelt down and pleaded.
The left and right ministers smiled at each other. This man is a true loyal minister. He only has the people in his heart, not fame or fortune.
"Your Majesty, for the sake of the people of Guanzhong and the people of the world, I second the proposal! If disaster is caused by fate, I will bear it alone and will not rely on Guanzhong!" The left and right prime ministers also pleaded.
"My dear ministers, please stand up quickly! I have granted your permission.
If this matter truly is a divine punishment, I alone should bear it, how could I burden you, my beloved ministers?" The Heavenly Khan helped the three men to their feet.
"Your Majesty, it is almost evening. I would like to leave the city and kill the locusts immediately!" Su Bucheng pleaded.
"Yes! Mr. Su is tired from the journey. It's not too late to have dinner first!
I'll go see how effective our locust extermination efforts are this night!" Tian Khan said, "Come, serve the food!"
Soon, the eunuchs filed in and set up four tables. The emperor and his ministers sat down to eat separately.
"Gurgle..." Su Bucheng's stomach rumbled as he smelled the hot food.
I was so busy running around all the way that I only had a Hu pancake in the morning. Now I was shocked to realize that my stomach was empty.
"Have a meal, have a meal!" Tian Khan called out.
The things that have been bothering and worrying me for these days have finally been resolved, and I feel relieved.
Tian Khan, in a good mood, also had an appetite.
"Lord Su, which road did you take to return to the capital so quickly?" The Right Prime Minister Du Ruhui, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
"In reply to the Right Prime Minister, I went from Wuzhou to Dayuling and took the line back to the capital." Su Bucheng said lightly.
I chatted with the two special envoys on the way and learned that in addition to Fang Zuo Xiang, there is now Du You Xiang in the court. I also specifically wanted to know about their appearance, habits, etc.
The right prime minister was too thin and could be recognized without much effort.
"Did Lord Su take a break on the road?" Du Ruhui asked again.
"Well, when I'm really sleepy, I sleep for an hour or two at the post station, day and night." Su Bucheng ate voraciously.
"I don't have much of an appetite. Lord Su, please do it for me!" Du Ruhui handed the untouched food on his plate to Su Bucheng.
Su Bucheng looked at the Right Prime Minister in surprise, "Thank you, Your Excellency!"
He took the plate and ate it all up in no time, mixing it with rice.
"Haha, Su Qing has a good appetite!" Tian Khan looked at him enviously.
"I am very pleased that you have such a good appetite like Mr. Su!"
"Your Majesty, I have always had a small appetite!" Du Ruhui smiled faintly.
After the meal, the king and his ministers prepared to set off.
"Aye!" Crown Prince Li Chengqian came quickly, slightly panting.
"Gao Ming, what's the matter?" Tian Khan saw his son coming to him in a hurry, so he knew something must have happened.
"I heard that the Chang'an County Magistrate, Lord Su, has arrived and is going to kill locusts outside the city tonight. I also want to go and take a look!" Li Chengqian wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"You are quite fast in getting news!" Tian Khan smiled and said nothing.
"Mother told me!" Li Chengqian's eyes sparkled.
"Let's go!" Tian Khan nodded, understanding what his wife meant.
"Yes! Aye!" Li Chengqian's eyes lit up and he said happily.
Looking at the dusty Su Bucheng, he asked, "Are you Lord Su, the magistrate of Chang'an County?"
"Your Highness, that's right!" Su Bucheng bowed.
"Are the vermicelli and colored silk fabrics produced by your Su family?" Li Chengqian asked.
"Your Highness, this is the child of my daughter Su Ying!" Su Bucheng replied.
"Oh, Lord Su's daughter is so smart, it's a pity that she has to stay in Lingnan to be in charge of brocade production, otherwise I would definitely meet her." Li Chengqian felt very sorry.
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