As the saying goes, if you have food in your hands, you won't panic.
What was the strength of the aristocratic families?
There were many talents.
But what did they rely on to retain these talents? Wasn't it just money and food?
As a thousand-year-old family, the Kong family had always been prosperous.
Besides her two sons, Kong Yingda had five brothers, each of whom had a daughter and several sons.
In addition to the relatives of the Five Blessings, they were intertwined and intertwined.
One could imagine how deep his foundation was.
However, the real thing that kept them going was the money and food in Kong Yingda's hands, which was also in the hands of the Kong family's head.
Losing 1.7 million jin of rations was a devastating blow to the Kong family.
Although the Kong family still had enough food reserves to feed the entire family for a few years.
But the most important problem was that there were no more tenants.
With the current situation this year, it would definitely be impossible to recruit new tenants.
In a year of disaster, most families would raise the conditions symbolically and give some benefits to the tenants.
Attracting people to work at a high price would definitely not work.
Moreover, tenants were usually long-term.
The commoners had their own wisdom. Most of them would never give up working for the Kong family for the sake of more benefits if they were not in a desperate situation.
If twenty thousand mu of land were to be wasted for a year, the Kong family would have to sit and eat for a year.
Relying solely on the salaries of the descendants of the families who were officials in the imperial court could not support so many people.
Their various businesses would also be affected.
Once they were defeated, the other aristocratic families would seize the opportunity to seize their positions and share their profits.
It was said that scholars worshipped Confucius and Mencius, and Confucius was the ancestor.
However, the old ancestor wasn't as sincere as his benefactor, so he definitely wouldn't stand on the Kong family's side.
Kong Yingda knew that even if the Kong family couldn't be finished in ten days, it wouldn't last for a few years.
There was no point in competing with Li Ke now.
It was better to think about how to get through this crisis.
The Kong family was in a very miserable state, and the Imperial Court was not having it easy either.
Inside Taiji Palace, Chang Tu's Landscape Sect kept sending news.
" Your Majesty, more than ten villages near Chang 'an have been invaded by locusts. Even the houses have been destroyed.”
"Your Majesty, we have reported to the Chang 'an County Magistrate that 154 people were bitten by locusts. Nineteen people choked to death because they swallowed locusts to save food.”
"Your Majesty, large numbers of locusts have been found in Si Province, Ling Province, Gan Province, and other places within the pass.”
Li Shi Min said with a bitter smile.
"I didn't expect that I would still be careless."
"The locust plague this time is actually so terrifying. Not only did it injure people, but it also killed people.”
"Fortunately, it's early spring. Because of the smallflower, there was no sowing in the pass. Otherwise, even the seeds would have been eaten by the locusts.”
Everyone nodded. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise.
If Li Ke hadn't warned them in advance, if Li Shimin hadn't allocated food to Guanzhong and reinforced Changping Granary, countless people would have starved to death.
The entire pass fell into a desolate state. The ground was filled with hungry corpses, and the sky was filled with bones.
"Your Majesty, in the current situation, we still have to consider the lives of the people.”
Fang Xuanling suggested.
"I suggest that we mobilize the army and send them to the various prefectures, counties, and villages in the inner pass to help collect food and distribute it to the people to ensure that they do not starve to death.”
"In addition, burn them with fire and try to eliminate the locusts.”
"Then, bring the injured people to a safe place in the local county for treatment.”
"And…"
Fang Xuanling was indeed a wise prime minister, his suggestions were very practical.
Under the known conditions, this was already the best solution.
"Ancestors, Keming, what do you think?”
Li Shiming looked at Zhangsun Wuji and Du Ruhui asked.
"I agree!"
Zhangsun Wuji and Du Ruhui said in unison. They also felt that Fang Xuanling's suggestion was the most effective.
"Alright, Zhen will immediately issue an edict!"
Li Shimin looked at Li Ji and Cheng Yaojin, his two trusted generals, and ordered.
"Li Ji, Cheng Yaojin, I order the two of you to each lead 50,000 troops and split into two groups to carry out disaster relief in the various prefectures, counties, and villages on the inner pass.”
"Let's do as Xuan Ling says."
"The lives of millions of people in the pass, I'll leave it to you!”
Li Ji solemnly agreed.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will do my best!”
Then, the two of them didn't stop and led their troops to the disaster relief area.
Just as Cheng Yaojin and Li Ji led their troops out of the city, Chang Tu received news from Landscape Sect and immediately handed it over to Li Shimin.
"Your Majesty, the latest news."
Chang Tu said solemnly.
"The King of Shu, Li Ke, led tens of thousands of chickens and ducks to fight against the locusts outside Chang 'an City!”
"The effect is very good!"
Li Shi Min was shocked.
" What?!"
"Is it true?"
Chang Tu nodded silently and didn't explain.
Li Shi Min took a deep breath, he felt that he had asked too much. When had Landscape Sect ever been banned?
Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and the others were stunned. Du Keming fell into deep thought.
They did not expect that there would be such an operation to fight against the locust plague.
"Your Majesty, I…"
Fang Xuanling wanted to say something but was stopped by Li Shimin.
"Xuan Ling, don't say anything."
Li Shi Min said seriously.
"The few of you, come with me and change into the clothes of the commoners and go out of the city to take a look.”
"Chang Tu, arrange some experts to protect us.”
Chang Tu, Zhangsun Wuji, and the others bowed and agreed.
"Here!"
……
After leaving Taiji Palace, Li Shiming rushed out of the city.
He really wanted to see the effect of Li Ke's disaster relief methods.
When they arrived outside the city, Li Shiming was completely stunned.
There were still many locusts flying in the sky, but strangely, there were not many locusts on the land in front of him. Instead, there were chickens and ducks squawking and fighting to eat the locusts.
Compared to the chicken, the duck's flat beak had an advantage now. It could eat a few or even a dozen with just one bite.
The chickens and ducks fought over each other, eating the locusts as if they were competing.
Tens of thousands of chickens and ducks were like bulldozers, pushing forward to eliminate the locusts.
" It can actually be like this!?"
Fang Xuanling asked incredulously, doubting his own life.
Li Shiming, Zhangsun Wuji, and the others didn't say anything, but their eyes were filled with shock. It was obvious that they didn't expect this either.
"Hehe, you guys just saw it. They're all from the nearby villages, right?”
At this moment, a few old farmers appeared and said with a smile.
"If we rely on those cowards from the Imperial Court, we commoners won't be able to survive.”
" That's right. Just talking about how much food was lost and how many Chang Ping granaries were reinforced doesn't solve the actual problem at all!"
"His Majesty and those high-ranking officials of the imperial court are just giving random ideas and scamming people!”
"Sigh, we still have to rely on His Highness the King of Shu to fight the locust plague. He can even go out in a while. If we rely on the imperial court, we commoners will be eaten by the locusts!“
Li Shiming, Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and the others fell silent, their faces flushed red.
P.S. I'm still missing a chapter. I'll make it up tomorrow. I really can't handle it today. I have to ensure the quality.
By the way, if you like it, can someone please give me a vote to urge me to update? If the data looks better, it will be easier to apply for recommendations in the future. Please help me, I'm extremely grateful!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。