Chapter 248: Early Warning For Locusts
The flocks of chickens, ducks, and geese only needed a few people to watch them from behind. As long as Qin Xiaoe walked ahead to lead the way, the main group would follow her.
So, even with their large numbers, driving them wasn’t troublesome.
Such a large flock of chickens, ducks, and geese looked very impressive from afar.
Along the way, they ate any locusts they encountered.
Xie Chong instructed Qin Xiaoe, “For the time being, I’ll trouble you to guard this area with them. Once you spot locust swarms, eliminate them.”
Xie Chong was taking a big risk by choosing to plant wheat this year. After all, wheat’s ability to attract locusts meant he could lose everything if he wasn’t careful.
But he still chose to try boldly.
When the wheat ripened, the heavy, plump ears of wheat brought joy to everyone.
Judging from these thick and full ears of wheat alone, the output was certainly not low.
But alongside the happiness came worry.
The locusts had already started to appear.
The locusts’ primary target was undoubtedly these hundred acres of wheat fields, but locusts were uncontrollable, and he worried other areas would also suffer.
Therefore, Xie Chong quickly had announcements sent to the border towns and county towns, warning of locust plagues this year.
“Locust plague, what… what can we do about this?”
Upon hearing the words “locust plague,” all the commoners’ faces turned pale.
Farmers feared drought, floods, and locust plagues the most.
These disasters not only rendered their year’s efforts in vain but also caused deaths and could even be accompanied by epidemics.
For a moment, the commoners who learned this news became frantic.
“Dong dong dong…”
Soldiers and constables struck the gongs.
“Everyone, please don’t worry. General Xie has devised some methods to deal with locusts, and if everyone follows these methods, there will be no problem. Besides, everyone has planted potatoes this year. Locusts won’t burrow into the ground to eat potatoes, so there’s no need to panic.”
“Next, I will explain the pest control methods.”
“1. Release all your poultry, like chickens, ducks, and geese. They are natural enemies of locusts.”
“2. Before locust swarms form a plague, everyone should collect the insect eggs in the fields and feed them to your poultry, or even pigs. This will help them gain weight.”
“3. Green locusts are edible. Locusts that turn blackish-brown during a plague are poisonous and not for consumption, but you can catch them. The government will purchase dried locusts at a price of ten copper coins per catty.”
“…”
Hearing these clear and logical methods for controlling locusts, the commoners gradually quieted down.
The preceding points were fine, but the part about green locusts being edible and the government purchasing them at ten copper coins per catty caused quite a sensation.
“Locusts can be eaten?”
In previous dynasties, because of the character ‘locust’ (Locust), some people were accused of disrespecting the imperial family by catching them, leading to their arrest by foolish officials.
As a result, during the previous dynasty, locust plagues ran rampant, and many people died.
During the reign of the previous emperor, there was also a severe locust plague. When the commoners were afraid to catch locusts, it was the previous emperor who personally issued the order permitting the capture and killing of locusts. This is why the commoners of this dynasty are no longer as fearful of locusts.
However, they had never heard that locusts could be eaten.
“Locusts can be eaten, but when they form a plague, their color changes, and at that point, they are poisonous and not edible.”
As he spoke, he had someone bring a large bowl of freshly caught green locusts, their wings removed.
A pot was immediately set up to fry them in oil, and some were also roasted.
This was also an instruction from the General; only by eating locusts in front of the commoners would they truly believe.
The deep-fried locusts smelled truly delicious, and everyone watching swallowed hard.
The roasted locusts were also fragrant, but not as powerfully so as the fried ones.
In front of everyone, the military officers began to eat them.
At this point, all the onlookers believed, and they firmly kept this matter in their hearts.
“Since the locusts in the plague are poisonous, why is the government purchasing them?”
And at a price of ten copper coins per catty.
Regarding these questions, the officers patiently explained, “When locusts are ground into powder and fed to pigs, cattle, and sheep, the livestock will grow better.”
Thus, the movement to control locusts was vigorously promoted and carried out in various counties.
Local governments were not only to propagate information within the city but also to do so in the villages under their jurisdiction.
Furthermore, village heads and chiefs were summoned and instructed to commit these control methods to memory.
After such extensive propaganda for over half a month, the figures of children could often be seen in the rural farmlands.
They were all catching small locusts.
They would take the captured locusts home or gather them to roast them over a fire.
Once roasted, they ate them with great relish.
After all, it was meat. Even though the taste wasn’t as good due to a lack of ingredients, they were still very satisfied.
Those with a bit more means deep-fried them or stir-fried them.
More commonly, they killed the locusts, dried them, and took them to the designated purchase points set up by the government.
Once they were certain that the government would indeed purchase them at ten copper coins per catty, everyone’s enthusiasm for catching locusts was unprecedentedly high.
This wave of enthusiasm had a wide impact, and Qin Wanwan could feel it.
One day, Lin Nan and Jiang Yao, along with a few others, arrived at the General’s Mansion with a large bag of locusts.
“Wanwan, Wanwan, I heard deep-fried locusts are delicious. Let’s try them!”
Qin Wanwan looked at the locusts they had caught and judged, “No, the locusts you caught won’t be delicious.”
“Ah? Why?”
Qin Wanwan ran into the Spirit Pasture Grass and quickly caught a large, plump green locust to show them.
“Yours are small and thin; they won’t taste as good as this locust.”
Her little friends were stunned.
“You… you’ve eaten them?”
Qin Wanwan proudly nodded, “Yes, I’ve eaten them several times. They taste really good.”
Lin Nan’s eyes lit up, “I want to try too.”
The locust in Wanwan’s hand was large and plump, and it did look delicious.
So, they discarded the ones they had caught and all ran to the Spirit Pasture Grass to catch locusts.
Finally, they handed the captured locusts over to Aunt Zhang to prepare.
Deep-fried, charcoal-roasted…
Because of the generous use of seasonings, the charcoal-roasted ones were also very fragrant.
It was their first time eating locusts, and they were amazed.
“This is too delicious!”
Qin Wanwan nodded, “Yes, the little fox and the others like them very much too.”
Qin Wanwan curiously asked, “Why do you want to eat locusts?”
Jiang Yao let out a satisfied burp, “So many people are eating locusts now. Some people are even selling deep-fried locusts on the street. They smell so good.”
Qin Wanwan had been busy picking vegetables and planting flowers these past few days and hadn’t gone out.
Lin Nan said, “Haven’t you noticed there are so many more locusts around here? We heard there’s going to be a locust plague, so everyone is catching locusts. The army is even buying dried locusts, and many people are selling them.”
“Is a locust plague very scary?”
They were young and hadn’t experienced a locust plague, so they had no idea about its true harm.
Jiang Yao said, “My dad said that locust plagues are very scary. They cause many people to go hungry, and many will starve to death because of it.”
“Then why not eat the locusts? They’re very delicious.”
Qin Wanwan knew this: “Because during a locust plague, the locusts are poisonous and people can’t eat them.”
“Why aren’t the locusts poisonous when there isn’t a plague, but become poisonous during a plague?”
Qin Wanwan: …She didn’t know either.
Keke had explained it to her, but it was too difficult for Wanwan to understand and remember.
