How could we make such a big mistake in solving the locust problem?"
"Locusts are not easy to get rid of. Instead of organizing people to exterminate the pests, he bought chickens, ducks and geese and sent them to the three provinces of Jiangnan. Is this meant to be eaten by the people of the three provinces of Jiangnan?"
"Haha! If that's the case, it would be great. It can be regarded as disaster relief. What I'm afraid of is that His Highness the Crown Prince wants to let chickens, ducks and geese eat locusts. This is completely nonsense!"
"It is true that chickens, ducks and geese can eat insects, but the locusts in the locust plague are poisonous. If so many chickens, ducks and geese are poisoned to death, wouldn't it be a waste!"
"Alas! I hope the locust plague can be lifted in the three provinces of Jiangnan. Otherwise, once the locust plague spreads to us, our food will be exhausted!"
…
The people discussed this matter a lot, and the officials did not believe it either.
"Tell me, is His Highness the Prince's idea really useful?
So many soldiers cannot solve the locust plague, but chickens, ducks and geese can solve it?"
"I don't know about this, but this is what His Highness the Crown Prince wants. We just have to do it honestly. As for whether it succeeds in the end, that's not our problem."
"Alas! So much money has been wasted on buying chickens, ducks and geese. Why not buy more grain and feed it to the people in the three provinces of Jiangnan!"
"Shhh! We can just talk a few words in private, but don't let outsiders know, otherwise, our heads will be lost!"
The officials were very cautious in everything they did. After buying the chickens, ducks and geese, they sent people to the three provinces of Jiangnan quickly. When the nobles from the aristocratic families heard about this, they all sneered in their hearts.
"Good thing! This is a great thing!"
"Think about it, the three provinces of Jiangnan are suffering from a locust plague. Regardless of whether the locust plague can be lifted, they will be short of food. Then they will have to come to us to buy food!"
"Haha! Let's triple the value of our two houses right away! Haha! Those disaster victims can't afford it, so they have to ask the court to buy it. Didn't His Highness the Prince just get 50 million taels of silver?"
"I also heard that the money will be used to build rivers and roads, haha! It's better for us to earn it honestly!"
The aristocrats of the aristocratic family only want to make a fortune and don't care about the lives of the people in other places. However, their wishful thinking will definitely come to nothing.
Because Lin Fan had already bought enough food from all over the world through the merchants in Xi'an City, and it was all piled up in the granary.
Moreover, what they didn't know was that at this time, the people in the three provinces of Jiangnan were so excited that they were about to jump up!
"Haha! Great! These locusts are really eaten up!"
"His Royal Highness the Prince is truly a god! How did he know that these chickens, ducks and geese can eat locusts?
Moreover, after eating it, eggs start to be laid, which is too much!”
"These are the chickens, ducks and geese bought by His Highness the Crown Prince, and the eggs are also his Highness's. We have to pick them up and keep them for His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"These chickens, ducks and geese were all bought with the imperial court's money. No one can seize them privately. Otherwise, we will never finish with them!"
Seeing the locust plague being lifted, the people in the three provinces of Jiangnan were extremely excited and followed the chickens, ducks and geese to pick up their eggs.
When the locusts encountered chickens, ducks and geese, they were no match at all. In less than half a day, one-third of them were eaten. By the morning of the next day, the locust plague was basically empty.
What followed was chickens, ducks and geese all over the mountains and plains, and the people in the government were also deceived. Is it just as simple as that?
So if they had lost so many men before, wouldn't it have been all in vain?
"Damn it! Chickens, ducks and geese can eat locusts. Why is it not recorded in the book?
If His Royal Highness hadn't been well-informed, wouldn't we have suffered more losses?"
All the scholars are confused.
At first, they were not very convinced of Lin Fan. From this moment on, they were completely convinced of Lin Fan. They felt that Lin Fan was well-informed and knowledgeable!
"If His Highness the Crown Prince knows this, he must be a sage. I am willing to honor His Highness the Crown Prince as a literary sage from now on!"
The scholars said one after another.
They are all people who like to put money on their faces. At this time, they naturally want to try their best to get closer to His Highness the Crown Prince, and this is exactly what Lin Fan needs.
Morning visit to the Hall of Supreme Harmony!
"Your Highness, you are really amazing. After those chickens, ducks and geese arrived in the three provinces of Jiangnan, they started to eat them. Those locusts were all eaten up!"
"Your Highness, in order to thank you, the common people spontaneously picked up all the chickens, ducks and goose eggs, and now they have been handed over to the government. The government is asking whether they should be sold or sent to the capital!"
"Your Highness, those chickens, ducks and geese are wandering all over the mountains and plains. It is difficult to catch them. However, the government officials are doing their best to deal with them. They will all be caught in the next few days!"
…
Listening to the officials' reports, Lin Fan almost wanted to give these people a look. How much are chicken, duck and goose eggs worth?
There is no need for you to ask yourselves, just give it to the people directly.
"Ni Yuanlu, please convey my decree now. Let the government officials distribute those chicken, duck and goose eggs to the common people, so that every common person can eat them!"
"Also, tell the people that although locusts are poisonous, chickens, ducks and geese are naturally capable of restraining locusts, so they will not be poisonous if they eat them."
"Let the people catch it on their own. Whoever catches it belongs to whom. However, try not to eat it. These chickens, ducks and geese have just eaten locusts and will lay a lot of eggs."
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
"Yes! Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
Ni Yuanlu said in a deep voice.
"Haha! His Highness the Crown Prince's move really kills two birds with one stone. It saves the government trouble and benefits the people at the same time. It is a disguised form of disaster relief!"
The officials all said with a smile.
Ni Yuanlu also said: "His Royal Highness, this move is indeed very high. With these chickens, ducks and geese, the common people can also eat some meat during the winter!"
Lin Fan nodded and said in a deep voice: "Ni Yuanlu, take the account books from the Ministry of Household Affairs and go to inspect the granaries in various places to see if there is any shortage of food in the granaries."
"Remember, you have to check everything carefully. If you find that the grain in any granary is missing half a catty, you have to ask for it back from me!"
"Kill all the guards of the granary who don't come back!"
hiss!
After Lin Fan said this, all the officials present took a breath of air. His Royal Highness spent money lavishly, but when it came to keeping money, he was also meticulous!
As the saying goes, you rely on the mountains to feed the mountains, and you rely on the water to feed the water. The guards of the granaries in various places will definitely line their own pockets and eat the food in the granaries themselves!
If they were all killed like this, then I don’t know how many officials of the Ming Dynasty would be killed.
"Your Highness, I will do my best to handle this matter!"