xymnovel Chapter 39 I want the whole world to know!
Chapter 39 I want the whole world to know!
When Zhu Ming asked why the vast and resource-rich Ming Dynasty lacked drought-resistant crops and methods to deal with locusts, the scholars responded.
Actually, there is a way.
The civil officials present knew perfectly well that there were at least dozens of methods for controlling locusts in agricultural books throughout history. Catching locusts, digging up eggs, tilling the land, using fire to lure them... each method was tested and proven by the blood and sweat of their predecessors.
But no one dared to speak up, since every natural disaster was a source of political capital for them.
If they don't exploit natural disasters to gain some personal benefit, then their positions in the court will be meaningless.
Moreover, the drama of "malicious disaster relief" is still fresh in our minds, so who knows what Zhu Ming's next line will be?
If I say something wrong, at best I'll donate 500,000 yuan, at worst I'll lose my head.
It's better to avoid trouble than to meddle, and better to remain silent than to meddle.
Zhu Ming looked at the group of ministers who were silent as cicadas in fear and sneered inwardly.
He raised his hand and gestured for Xu Guangqi to continue.
Xu Guangqi straightened up and pulled a thick booklet from his sleeve.
The booklet cover had three characters written neatly on it: "Memorial on Locust Control".
"In recent years, I have paid close attention to agricultural affairs and focused on famine relief."
His voice was loud and clear: "Locust plagues have existed since ancient times and are not unique to our dynasty. I have consulted more than a hundred local chronicles and agricultural books from past dynasties, and visited dozens of prefectures and counties in Shandong, Henan and Zhili, asking old farmers, village heads and locust-catching officials for advice. After three years, I have compiled this memorial."
Zhu Ming leaned forward slightly: "Go on."
Xu Guangqi raised his head, his gaze intense.
"Your Majesty, people generally believe that locust plagues are a calamity sent from heaven, but this is not the case. Locusts are born on the ground, not descended from the sky. I have examined the ancient texts and inspected the actual sites, and found that locust breeding is related to drought and floods, especially the phenomenon of 'extreme drought followed by locusts'."
"Last autumn, locusts left their eggs on the ground, each egg containing dozens to over a hundred, buried about an inch deep. They hatched the following spring when the weather warmed. If spring rains moisten the soil, the eggs will hatch into nymphs, unable to fly but only able to hop. This is an excellent opportunity to eradicate locusts!"
He paused, then raised his voice a few decibels.
"In my memorial on locust control, I divided the methods of locust control into three stages: before the locust eggs hatch, when the locust nymphs first hatch, and after the locusts have grown up and taken flight."
The silence in the hall was broken, and some people began to listen intently.
"Firstly, before the locust eggs hatch. In late autumn and early winter, after the farming season is over, people should be ordered to dig up the ground to search for the eggs. The locust eggs are buried no more than an inch deep in the soil. After tilling the land and exposing them to the sun, the eggs will all wither and die. If this method is carried out thoroughly, the locust plague the following year can be reduced by seven or eight percent."
"Secondly, when the locust nymphs are first hatched. The nymphs cannot fly, they can only jump, and they are easiest to catch when they gather in one place. The proper method is to sound gongs to gather the crowd, surround them with bamboo fences and cloth curtains, drive them into the trenches, and cover them with soil to bury them."
"Within a single ditch, millions of locust nymphs can be killed. Alternatively, take advantage of the heavy morning dew, when the locusts' wings are wet and unable to fly, and spread them out along the field ridges to swat them with brooms. This method requires little labor but yields great results, eliminating locusts from several acres in a single day."
"Thirdly, after the locusts mature and take flight. Once the locusts fly, they darken the sky and become the most difficult to control. However, there are methods to follow. Locusts are attracted to light, so light a fire at night, and the locusts will rush into the fire and burn themselves. Several bushels can be harvested in one night."
"Or dig deep ditches, fill them with water, and the locusts will fly over them, fall to the water, and float downstream. They can then be caught with nets, which can both kill the locusts and provide food."
Xu Guangqi finished speaking in one breath, and the hall fell silent.
He took a breath and continued, "In addition, I have also summarized a method of prevention. One is to modify the terrain, dig ditches to drain water in low-lying areas, and store water in ponds in high-lying areas, so that locusts have nowhere to lay their eggs."
"Second, plant crops that locusts do not eat, such as mung beans, peas, and alfalfa, and intercrop them to reduce locust damage; third, the government must prepare locust-catching equipment, such as bamboo fences, cloth curtains, nets, and torches, with each county storing at least several hundred sets so that they can be used in an emergency when locusts occur."
He raised his head and looked directly at Zhu Ming on the throne.
"Your Majesty, although the locust plague is severe, it is not uncontrollable. If we follow my method, we can eliminate eight or nine out of ten locust nymphs before they even fly. Even if there are adult locusts, they will not be a serious problem."
As Zhu Ming sat on his throne and listened to these words, a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart.
He is a traveler.
He knew about the Little Ice Age, the years of natural disasters at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and the countless analyses of this period of history by later generations.
But when we actually arrive in this era, and stand on the Hall of Supreme Harmony, we can hear an ancient person speaking eloquently about the habits of locusts, the timing of their capture, and methods of prevention.
He suddenly realized that he, as a time traveler, might not necessarily see things as clearly as these ancient people.
As he pondered this, Zhu Ming picked up the book "Memorial on Eliminating Locusts" and opened it to take a look.
The handwriting was dense and meticulous, written in tiny characters, with annotations, charts, and numbers in vermilion ink alongside, showing utmost care.
He nodded and placed the booklet on the imperial desk.
"it is good."
It was just one word, but the weight of it was felt throughout the hall.
"Minister Xu, I ask you, has anyone tried these methods?"
"Your Majesty, I have tried this method in the suburbs of the capital, Tianjin, Baoding, and other places. Two years ago, when locusts broke out, I led my tenants to catch locusts according to the methods in the 'Memorial on Locust Control,' and within three days, we killed more than 2,000 catties of locust nymphs. That year, our farmland was not greatly damaged. Last year, when there was a locust plague in Shandong, I sent copies of the methods in the memorial to the local areas. Qidong, Jiyang, and other counties followed the order and the results were remarkable."
"Then why not promote it?"
Xu Guangqi was silent for a moment, then a bitter smile appeared on his lips.
"Your Majesty, I submitted the 'Memorial on Locust Control' to the Ministry of Revenue three years ago. The Ministry of Revenue said, 'This matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites. Locust plagues are celestial phenomena and should be addressed by the Ministry of Rites through prayers.' I then submitted it to the Ministry of Rites, who said, 'Locust control is an agricultural matter and should be handled by the Ministry of Revenue.'"
"At the beginning of the year, I also submitted a memorial with suggestions, but local officials did not take it to heart."
A slight cough was heard from inside the hall.
Zhu Ming chuckled, but it wasn't a happy laugh; it was a cold laugh.
"So, you all just ignored the prevention and control plan I proposed at the beginning of the year?"
We have a solution.
Xu Guangqi had a solution, and every dynasty has had a solution.
As a time traveler, Zhu Ming also knew that drought and locust plagues were also occurring in the late Ming Dynasty, so he had already instructed them to pay attention to agricultural policies and prevention and control plans at the beginning of the year.
Why is it that drought still occurs when it should, and locusts still appear when it should?
Because government orders and regulations cannot leave the capital, and once they do, who will follow the rules?
To put it bluntly, the emperor has no real power or authority. Every word he says and every decree he issues is just fodder for the civil officials' gossip. In the end, whatever they say goes.
Zhu Ming lamented that in ancient times, when information dissemination was backward, it wasn't that the emperors were incompetent, but rather that the officials in the underground were too capable of causing trouble.
We can't do without suppressing and reprimanding them. "No matter how good the method is, if it can't be passed on, it's just a piece of waste paper. No matter how brilliant the policy is, if it doesn't reach the fields, it's just farts."
"My esteemed ministers, tell me, is this drought and locust plague a natural disaster or a man-made calamity?"
No one dared to utter a sound.
Zhu Ming did not pursue the matter further, and his gaze returned to Xu Guangqi.
"Minister Xu, your memorial on locust control is very good."
"But locust plagues have plagued us for thousands of years, and every dynasty has its own lessons learned. Are the officials unaware of this? Are the common people unaware of this either?" He paused, his tone becoming serious. "My esteemed ministers, are you also unaware of this?"
"...", everyone in the hall fell silent once again.
"This is the last time!" Zhu Ming's gaze swept over the crowd, his tone brooking no argument. "Therefore, I want the entire world to know about this locust control plan!"
"His Majesty!"
Xu Guangqi was taken aback.
Zhu Ming raised his voice, "Starting today, the Tianqi Daily will open a special section on agriculture, called 'Agricultural Administration'."
"You will be in charge of providing the articles. You can use pictures and text to promote and publicize drought-resistant crops, locust control methods, planting seasons, fertilizer usage, new agricultural tools, and so on to the people of the Ming Dynasty."
These words caused an uproar among the civil officials in the hall.
These civil servants dreamed of having the authority to control the narrative of the Ming Dynasty's Tianqi Daily.
However, despite submitting numerous memorials to recommend themselves, Emperor Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty completely ignored them.
Nowadays, it is such an honor to be directly in charge of a section for Xu Guangqi in the palace.
Moreover, Xu Guangqi made the front page earlier this month because of his planting of sweet potatoes.
"Yielding 30 dan per mu: Xu Guangqi, Vice Minister of Revenue, successfully cultivates sweet potatoes."
This directly ignited the entire Ming Dynasty, which was even more enviable than writing a book or biographies.
"Your Majesty, I feel this is inappropriate..." Guo Yunhou, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward and said, "Agriculture falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue, and I believe that the Ministry of Revenue should be in charge of this agricultural sector!"