During the small court meeting at Lingyun Hall, Su He listened to reports from officials such as the cabinet and the governor's office.
Some time ago, he obtained the imperial seal, and these officials even tried to persuade him to enter.
They wanted Su He to be the emperor and officially establish the country as emperor.
Su He refused directly, instead of giving in and giving in, he just scolded them.
It is too early to proclaim an emperor and establish a country as an emperor. They have this idea that they have won successive victories, and they are a little arrogant.
People are afraid of pride and complacency, and a force is also afraid of pride and complacency.
Pride will inevitably underestimate the opponent and fail to achieve the final victory. You must always be vigilant.
From ancient times to the present, too many people have overturned their fortunes at the last moment, and even if they achieve victory, others will steal the fruits of victory.
What's more, we haven't won yet, we just have a certain advantage.
Su He held a wedding this time. Not only did he marry Borji Jin Naren, but he also married Qu Qingyi.
Qu Qingyi has reached her age and is no longer a little girl.
She is also a secretary and holds many of Su He's core secrets.
Su He cannot allow her to marry anyone else, as this will reveal a lot of secrets and Su He's personality and hobbies.
Everyone under the rule of the Qin Palace was immersed in the joy of Qin Wang Su He's wedding.
The people under Suhe's rule can celebrate enthusiastically, while the people outside are living in dire straits.
Director of the Military Intelligence Bureau Yang Qianhe reported: "His Royal Highness the King of Qin, Hou Jin Jiannu invaded the Ming Dynasty and recently received a letter from Fei Ge. Hou Jin has now invaded Shandong.
Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty issued an order to summon soldiers and horses from all over the country.
Chuang Wang Li Zicheng obtained the firearms provided by us.
Taking advantage of the lack of troops in Henan, they have already begun to take action and prepare to capture Nanyang."
Su Changshenghui, the leader of the secret guards, reported: "His Royal Highness the King of Qin, Huang Taiji invaded the Ming Dynasty.
This is different from the past. In the past, they mainly preyed on young men and women, but now they prey on craftsmen, even the apprentices of craftsmen.
Shanxi merchants recruited a large number of craftsmen for the Later Jin Dynasty in the southern area of the Ming Dynasty.
But these craftsmen are all of average technical level and can make the most rudimentary matchlock guns.
But they can make relatively qualified bronze cannons.
Bronze cannons are very difficult to make, but they are very expensive.
The quality of cannons made before the Ming Dynasty was too poor, which had little to do with the skills of the craftsmen. The main reason was that the Ming Dynasty was too corrupt.
Later Jin acquired these craftsmen, and according to our analysis, they would acquire a batch of bronze cannons and matchlock guns.
Hou Jin’s possession of these firearms will not have much impact on us.”
After Su Changsheng reported on the situation in Houjin, he then reported on the situation in Daming.
"Your Highness the King of Qin, I found that Shanxi merchants are recruiting craftsmen in the Ming Dynasty.
In order to combat the development of firearms in Jin Dynasty and Ming Dynasty.
We, the secret guards, invest a lot of money to compete with these people for craftsmen.
We directly sent people to hire well-known craftsmen at high prices, and reached an agreement with the Ming Dynasty dignitaries to trade craftsmen.
Your Highness the King of Qin, the two provinces of Henan and Huguang in the Ming Dynasty suffered from a large-scale locust plague. Now the locust plague is showing signs of spreading to Hanzhong and Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan.
We need to prepare early."
When Su He heard the previous news, he remained calm and there was no bad news for them.
Jiannu has certain firearms skills, which will have little impact on the situation.
Without a sound industrial foundation, it is impossible to unleash the power of firearms.
The news of the locust plague really shocked Su He.
He looked at Wang Zhongce and asked: "Prime Minister Wang, have you reported any news about locust plagues from various places?"
Wang Zhongce said: "His Royal Highness the King of Qin, when encountering an emergency, all places will communicate via flying pigeons.
Currently, no large-scale locust plague has been detected in areas bordering Henan and Huguang.
There were only a small number of cross-border locusts, and they did not cause much harm in front of the farms and the chickens and ducks raised by the people."
Su He heard Wang Zhongce's report that the locust plague had not yet come to his ruling area and had not developed to its most serious situation.
“Governments in various places are strictly ordered not to conceal the locust plague.
The Metropolitan Procuratorate dispatched supervisory censors to supervise the situation in various places. If any concealment of reports or official inaction occurred, they would be dealt with immediately.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs evaluates the performance of officials in various places in response to the locust plague.
Inform the governors of all provinces to immediately launch rescue work in the event of a locust plague.
In the disaster-stricken areas, tax exemptions are directly provided, and the government organizes work-for-relief projects to help the people affected by the disaster."
Su He issued several orders in succession, asking local governments to actively respond to the locust plague.
After the small court meeting at Lingyun Palace, Su He took Wang Zhongce and immediately rushed to the Academy of Sciences' plantation outside Hanzhong City.
Wang Zhongce was in the carriage and asked curiously: "Your Highness, King Qin, where are we going?"
"Zhong Ce, do you remember that before the Ming army encircled us, I sent Wang Bonuo to Macau to pass through the Xiyi people and buy some saplings and seeds."
Wang Bonuo was sent to Macau by Su He to do business with the Portuguese in Macau, and he was also asked to take the opportunity to contact the Dutch and Spanish.
Buy a large selection of Western books and seeds of several crops.
The two most important shopping items are rubber trees and pyrethrum.
Wang Bonuo met the Spaniards, who planted these two crops in large quantities on Luzon Island.
Wang Bonuo bribed the Spanish and bought a large number of rubber saplings and pyrethrum seeds.
Rubber saplings are mainly planted in southern Yunnan.
Pyrethrum seeds are grown in various places, with Hanzhong being the main planting place.
Wang Bonuo also purchased seeds of many cash crops, including corn, tomatoes and potatoes.
Wang Zhongce nodded and said: "When my eldest brother came home, he went to Yunnan and Guizhou to plant things.
He contracted barren hills and didn't know if there was any value in planting those things.
Those things are not medicinal herbs. How could he grow them?
Are any of the Western plants he brought capable of killing locusts?"
Su He heard that Wang Bonuo wanted to contract wasteland, which was not farmland.
He agreed to Wang Bonuo's request, but he wasn't sure what he was planting. It should be a plant he obtained from the Portuguese.
"Zhong Ce, do you remember the plants Wang Bonuo brought? There is a small chrysanthemum, which can kill locusts."
When Wang Zhongce heard what Su He said, his eyes widened and he couldn't believe it.
Locusts can eat plants, and plants can also solve locust plagues.
They came to the door of the plantation, the carriage stopped, and Su He and Wang Zhongce walked into the plantation together.
Wang Zhongce asked worriedly: "Your Highness, King Qin, can those little chrysanthemums really solve the locust plague?"
Su He nodded seriously and said: "Zhong Ce, don't worry, it can really solve the locust plague.
We also need to solve the locust plague.
Locusts can fly, and they can fly dozens or hundreds of miles a day.
If the crops in Henan and Huguang are eaten up, they will definitely fly to various places, and some of them will definitely fly to our controlled areas."
Wang Zhongce said puzzledly: "I saw that various farms and people are raising a large number of chickens and ducks.
Chickens and ducks are very effective in dealing with locust plagues.
Some small-scale locust plagues occurred in various prefectures, but they were all eaten up by local chickens and ducks, without causing much impact.
Isn’t it okay to still use this method now?”
A young man with a vicissitudes of life, saw Su He and the others approaching, and was leading a group of people to greet them.
Hearing Wang Zhongce's words, he immediately said: "Small-scale scattered locusts can be treated with chickens and ducks.
In the initial stage of the locust plague, chickens and ducks are a very effective method.
Fried locusts are also a delicacy.
It can also be used as a condiment for feed and fed to pigs and other livestock.
The locust plague has officially taken shape, with millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of locusts swarming in swarms.
These locusts produce highly toxic substances in their bodies. Chickens and ducks will die soon after eating the locusts.
People will die if they eat locusts or chickens and ducks that have died of illness. If the amount is larger, people will die.
We sent people to observe the locust plague in Henan and Huguang and have obtained first-hand information."
Locusts swarm in large numbers.
In the locust swarm, a pheromone is released, which stimulates the locusts to release a large amount of the volatile compound phenylacetonitrile.
When gregarious locusts are attacked, they immediately convert phenylacetonitrile into the highly toxic compound hydrocyanic acid.
When locusts form a locust plague, they cease to be a delicious dish and become a deadly poison.
Su He introduced: "This is my student Yun Congqing. He is an expert at the Institute of Agriculture of the Academy of Sciences. He specializes in studying locusts and other pests and cultivating pyrethrum."
Wang Zhongce nodded, he already understood what Yun Congqing meant.
Once a locust plague forms, it cannot be solved by using chickens and ducks to control locusts until it is eliminated in its initial form.
Su He looked at Yun Congqing and asked, "You have been studying locusts in the past few years. How is the progress now?"
As Yun Congqing was his student, Su He taught Yun Congqing all about locusts and some common pests, as well as basic control theories.
Yun Congqing's main job is to verify the theory proposed by Su He.
After all, much of Su He's knowledge came from books.
Some people compile books very irresponsibly and compile them randomly.
Su He has put forward many erroneous theories in the past two years.
These ideas were directly falsified by the students, which also made the students realize that Su He was a great scholar, not a god.
Su He will also make mistakes, and the theories they learned need to be verified.
When Yun Congqing heard Su He's question, he said excitedly: "Teacher, about the prevention and control of locusts.
The most effective method found at this stage is to use biological control, using chickens and ducks to nip the locust plague in the bud.
Prevention and control of chickens and ducks is a temporary solution. If we want to eliminate the locust plague, we must find a permanent solution.
After several years of hard work, we have found the place where locusts lay their eggs.
Locusts generally lay eggs on both sides of river banks, and river management can effectively eliminate the occurrence of locusts.
Concrete dams have been built on both sides of the Han River. Even if they are not concrete dams, they are solid dams.
It can effectively curb the emergence of locusts. By observing the locust situation around Hanzhong, we have confirmed that this method is extremely effective.
This is the fundamental solution.”
After Yun Congqing finished speaking, he took a piece of soil from his assistant's hand.
"Your Highness King Qin, this is a lump of soil containing a large number of locust eggs.
As long as the environment is suitable, these locust eggs will hatch in large numbers."
Su He took the clod of soil and saw that there were a large number of locust eggs inside.
He handed the clod to Wang Zhongce to look at.
When he looked at the densely packed locust eggs, he could think of the overwhelming locusts.
Yun Congqing's method is the ultimate solution to solve the problem of locust spawning grounds.
Su He asked Yun Congqing: "Locusts from Henan and Huguang are about to land on our territory.
Two crops of pyrethrum have been planted here, and three or four crops of pyrethrum have been planted in the south.
Have you solved the problem of purification of pyrethrins now?"
Su He asked with some expectation.
The only effective way to deal with large-scale locusts that have formed a locust plague is to use pesticides to kill the locusts.
There is no concept of organic chemistry now, and there is no way to produce highly effective pesticides such as DDT and dichlorvos.
Pesticides include only natural pesticides and inorganic pesticides made from simple compounds.
The synthesis of inorganic pesticides is too expensive and the technology is too complex.
The most effective broad-spectrum pesticide among natural pesticides is pyrethrins.
Until the Su River was crossed in later generations, pyrethroid insecticides were still used extensively.
There are many plants that contain pyrethrins, but the only plant that can efficiently extract pyrethrins is pyrethrum.
The pollen, stems and leaves of this plant grown in Europe can be made into highly effective pesticides through simple extraction.
Pyrethrum seeds can be left for further planting.
Pyrethrin is a highly effective broad-spectrum insecticide that is both contact and stomach-killing.
It has a particularly good effect on locusts.
Yun Congqing said proudly: "Teacher, we have solved the problem of purification of pyrethrins.
At present, the planting area of pyrethrum is limited, but the stored pyrethrin should be able to cope with this locust plague.
To really popularize this insecticide, we have to wait until pyrethrum is planted on a large scale.
But mosquito-repellent incense made from pyrethrum will soon be on the market, which can effectively solve malaria.
Pyrethrin is extremely effective against locusts, and a small amount of spraying can kill locusts."
"It's great. With this pesticide, we no longer have to worry about locusts crossing the border."
Su He said excitedly.
Yuncongqing has solved the problem of purification of pyrethroids in such a short period of time. This is really good news.
In the future, they will also have a highly effective pesticide that can make crops such as food more productive.
In addition to being effective, pesticides are also cheap.
Pesticides that are too expensive cannot be widely used.
The use of pesticides requires cost accounting.
If the price of applying pesticides to one acre of land is more expensive than that of grain, no farmer will be willing to apply pesticides.
This is also the reason why several inorganic pesticides have been discovered in laboratories but cannot be widely used.
Yun Congqing continued: "Teacher, pyrethrin is also very safe to use and its toxicity is very low.
We experimented with piglets and mice and fed them continuously for many days, but none of them died.
We made death row prisoners inhale pyrethrin solution for a long time, and only some of them became dizzy and vomited, but there was no greater harm."
Su He ordered with great satisfaction: "Yun Congqing, take out the pyrethrins in stock.
Send your assistants to various places to guide local officials in controlling locusts."
Su He gave the order and took his people back to Hanzhong City.
After entering Hanzhong City, Su He did not return to Prince Qin's Mansion, but came to the machinery company.
He asked the craftsmen of the machinery company to produce the sprayer as soon as possible.
They are divided into simple push-pull sprayers and steam engine-powered large sprayers.
The principle of the sprayer is very simple, and the craftsmen quickly produced the sprayer after hard work.
Spraying pesticides through a sprayer can make the pesticides spray more evenly in the air, which can effectively exert the contact killing ability of pyrethrins and kill a large number of locusts.
…………………………
Ma Kaiheng, the magistrate of Huayin County, looked at the earthy yellow clouds in the sky.
These are not real clouds, but large-scale moving swarms of locusts.
Locusts flying from Henan are about to arrive in Huayin County.
They plant a large number of sweet potatoes in their county, and now is the time when the sweet potatoes are just beginning to bloom.
These sweet potatoes are a life-saving food for farmers across the county.
Huayin County is located on the border of Shaanxi and Henan.
Now there is another war in Henan, and a large number of refugees from Henan have poured into Huayin County.
He is also from Henan, and their county has attracted many Henan people to settle.
Ma Kaiheng already knows the tragic situation in Henan.
Wherever the locusts arrived, not to mention the grass and leaves were eaten away.
He looked at Ma Xianhong, an expert sent by the Qin Palace to support him.
She is a female expert, and Ma Kaiheng does not underestimate her at all.
Experts from the Academy of Sciences deserve their respect.
"Horse expert, locusts have come, but we can't let them eat the sweet potato leaves."
"Mazhi County, you don't have to worry. The steam engine and boiler have been burned. When the locust swarm arrives, I will have people spray pesticides as soon as possible."
Ma Xianhong stared nervously at the swarm of locusts. They had tested pyrethrin, and a small amount of pyrethrin could kill the locusts.
The pyrethrins they purified have a higher concentration and can easily kill locusts and other pests.
But this was their first time dealing with such a large-scale locust swarm.
She saw the locust swarm covering the sky and had arrived at the designated location.
"Turn on the machine and spread pesticides."
The high-speed running steam engine belt is connected to the sprayer.
Dozens of sprayers protect this farmland.
A water column composed of pesticides was sprayed directly into the air.
The powerful power brought by the steam engine can make the water mist spray farther.
When the locust swarms come into contact with the water mist, they fall to the ground with a crackle.
A small number of special locusts can tolerate the killing of pesticides.
But these locusts, which are not in swarms, will not cause much damage to crops.
When Ma Kaiheng saw this scene, he said excitedly: "Your Academy of Sciences is really great, and it can now eliminate locusts.
With this pesticide, crops will no longer be afraid of locusts."
Ma Xianhong saw that pyrethrin had a good insecticidal effect.
She was relieved that this pesticide was indeed effective and could kill locusts in large numbers.
The Han people have been fighting against locusts since ancient times, but there has never been an effective way to deal with them.
From now on, the cause of locust control has reached a new level, and they can effectively curb the locust plague.
Ma Xianhong left behind a manual sprayer and some pesticides.
They took a carriage and rushed to the next locust gathering place.
