Chapter 152: The Fifth Princess Consort 152

Chapter 152: The Fifth Princess Consort 152

The locust plague in various regions has become extremely severe, and the current crop yield is already beyond hope.

In such circumstances, the primary task of controlling the locusts is to prevent their further spread, effectively manage the plague, and find ways to avoid recurring plagues in the coming years.

The strategy for effectively managing this locust plague can be divided into the following steps:

First, manual capture and extermination of locusts. Emergency specialized locust control agencies should be established in each region, with a system of personal responsibility led by government officials. They should actively mobilize and encourage local residents to manually capture and exterminate locusts.

This is a necessary measure, as the locusts have now grown into flying insects, spreading across fields and homes. Although the method of manual capture is slow and cumbersome, it is an essential part of the process at this time.

Over the years, An Qing and Yinqi have made significant improvements in agricultural tools. Simple and practical tools have been promoted nationwide and have become common household items for farmers, such as the insect nets and sickles needed for capturing locusts, which are now put to good use.

Second, biological pest control using natural predators. Chickens and ducks are natural enemies of locusts. Releasing them into the fields allows them to consume the locusts that are eating crops. Other natural predators include birds like larks, geese, and falcons, which can prey on flying locusts.

However, it is important to note that this method is suitable for areas with low locust density and should be used based on the situation.

Before An Qing and her team arrived, Li Wei had already gathered chickens and ducks from nearby towns and villages. They are currently being kept at a farm outside the city, ready to be deployed at any time. Similar arrangements have been made in other affected areas.

As for bird predators, under the current conditions, human intervention is limited. The government can issue strict prohibitions against catching these birds.

Third, the use of soil pesticides for trapping and killing. This method is currently the most effective and rapid way to control large-scale infestations but requires strict control over the area. It is best suited for fields with high locust density to achieve maximum effectiveness.

This pesticide method can be combined with the second method of using natural predators, depending on the actual situation.

Of course, as previously mentioned, because the soil pesticides contain toxic substances, extra caution must be taken during application, especially when spraying large quantities, to ensure the safety of those involved.

To prevent future locust plagues in the next season and subsequent years, this remains a challenging and long-term task.

However, the immediate priority is to control the current plague and prevent its recurrence next year. These long-term measures will be addressed later.

When Li Wei saw An Qing's pesticide solution for killing locusts, he felt much more relieved. As long as there is a method, no matter how complicated or laborious the process, there is hope.

He thought for a moment and cautiously suggested, "Princess Consort, I once read in history books that Emperor Taizong of Tang ate locusts publicly. Some children in the countryside have also roasted and eaten locusts. Since they were fine, could we have government officials try eating them to encourage the people to capture and eat them?"

If it can be proven that locusts are edible, the people would be more motivated to capture them. Relying solely on government mobilization might not be enough to boost their enthusiasm.

But upon hearing this, An Qing shook her head and said, "Locusts during a plague are poisonous and cannot be eaten."

Locusts, also known as grasshoppers, have a peculiar characteristic. When they are alone, they are mostly harmless and non-toxic, even tasting good. However, when they gather in swarms, they turn aggressive, become highly toxic, and emit a foul odor, making them completely inedible.

Emperor Taizong of Tang ate a locust to prove that a locust plague was not a disaster. In that situation, it is unclear what type of locust he ate, and he only consumed one. If people were to eat large quantities, they would certainly be poisoned.

Moreover, since they decided to use pesticides, some locusts would inevitably be contaminated, making them unsuitable for consumption.

However, Li Wei's concern about motivating the people to capture locusts is valid and needs serious consideration.

Now that the strategy for controlling the locusts has been formulated, the next step is implementation.

According to Li Wei, An Qing and her team should stay at the government office while he personally leads the efforts outside the city.

After all, these are nobles who should not be doing such tasks themselves.

Without hesitation, An Qing rejected his suggestion. They came here to control the locusts, and staying behind in the office would be no different from remote control from the Imperial City.

Besides, this is not the time for formalities. An Qing has never been one to follow such conventions.

They headed back to the outskirts of the city. It was already afternoon, but most of the villagers still sat idly by, staring helplessly at the swarms of locusts in the fields and skies. Even the sight of the feared government officials did not move them.

With no hope left, they could not care less about anything else.

As the local official responsible for this matter, Li Wei had to take charge of mobilizing the people. However, after speaking for a while, the villagers showed no response.

This situation would not only discourage locust control but could also destabilize public morale.

Li Wei realized that this approach was not working and glanced at An Qing, suddenly having an idea.

He turned to An Qing and whispered something.

An Qing frowned, hesitating. "Would mentioning me be useful?"

Given that even a high-ranking official could not motivate the people, would mentioning her, a princess consort from the Imperial City, really make a difference?

She found it hard to believe.

Li Wei responded confidently, "I cannot speak for others, but according to my understanding, mentioning you, Princess Consort, would definitely work."

During his years as a local official, he had gained insight into An Qing's reputation among the people.

In Jiangnan, solutions to diseases and pests affecting rice crops have been widely disseminated. The agricultural officials who taught these techniques did not hide the fact that An Qing was the source of these methods.

Thus, many people in Jiangnan knew of Princess Consort Hengqin Wang and even considered her a reincarnation of the goddess of agriculture.

A reincarnation of the goddess of agriculture?

An Qing was taken aback. She had never heard of this before.

But this was not the time to dwell on it. The priority was to solve the problem at hand. Given the usefulness of her name, she agreed without hesitation.

Li Wei, now more confident, straightened his posture. "Fellow villagers, today, His Majesty is concerned about our plight and has sent Prince Hengqin and Princess Consort Hengqin to help us deal with the locust plague. We must have faith in the government."

However, the villagers remained numb, showing no reaction.

An Qing thought, "See? Mentioning me won't work."

"Princess Consort Hengqin?" one old farmer murmured.

Li Wei seemed to realize something and immediately said, "Yes, the Consort of Prince Heng, she's the one from Imperial City who is extremely skilled at farming, the Fifth Consort."

The Fifth Consort!

Upon hearing this, the villagers suddenly looked up, "Really? The Fifth Consort is here?"

Does that mean their crops might be saved?!

"Of course it's true!" Li Wei affirmed, then turned to glance at An Qing, signaling her to step forward and say a few words.

An Qing dreaded such scenes, but at this moment, there was no other way; she had to muster the courage to step forward.

"Consort, could our crops still be saved?" an old farmer stood up shakily, clinging to the last shred of hope as he looked over.

The other villagers did the same, all looking at her with hopeful expressions. From their eyes, it was clear they were anxious and afraid, fearing to hear an answer they didn't want.

Seeing them like this, An Qing felt a pang in her heart, but the locust plague had already become so severe that this season's crops were doomed.

"Fellow villagers, the locust plague has already occurred. There's nothing we can do to reverse it."

The light in the villagers' eyes dimmed instantly. Indeed, there was no solution, even with the Fifth Consort here.

But An Qing shifted the topic, "However, although this season's crops are lost, we must quickly eliminate the locusts. This will not delay the next harvest this year."

Currently, within the Great Qing territory, except for extremely cold places like Heilongjiang, most regions have achieved two harvests per year, both in the south and the north.

Therefore, they needed to control the locusts urgently. If this season's crops were lost, they had to catch up with the next one, or the villagers would truly go hungry.

Everyone was stunned, "Can we plant another crop this year?"

"Yes."

"Is there a way to deal with these swarms of locusts?"

An Qing nodded, raising her voice slightly as she continued, "There is a way. As long as everyone follows the instructions of the government, the locust plague can be controlled. The next season's crops will be safe, and we won't face recurring locust plagues."

The villagers were momentarily stunned, then collectively reacted.

There was still hope for the next crop!

Historically, what made locust plagues most despairing was that once they broke out, the following years, even decades, would be plagued by repeated disasters.

But now, the Fifth Consort told them there was a way to combat the locusts and save the next crop!

This was a ray of hope.

Just as everyone was elated, a sorrowful voice emerged from the crowd.

"But our family is almost out of food."

This statement brought a sudden silence. It wasn't just one family; many families present faced the same situation.

In recent years, due to the government promoting An Qing's scientific farming methods, large-scale crop failures due to pests and diseases were rare, and yields had even increased slightly.

However, with the rapid population growth, the number of newborns in each household had also increased annually, leading to ongoing food shortages.

Many families were relying on this season's harvest. Now, not only was this season's crop lost, but previously they could gather wild vegetables for sustenance. With the locusts having destroyed everything, there was no other way out.

Seeing this, Li Wei hurriedly stepped forward to reassure everyone, "Don't worry, the government won't abandon you. The Emperor has ordered the distribution of relief grain. We must work together to..."

It couldn't be denied that Li Wei was a competent local official. At least in terms of comforting and encouraging the people, he was quite adept.

Previously, they had given up due to despair, but now that they saw a way out, they wouldn't sit idly by.

The Emperor had sent the Fifth Consort, showing his seriousness about the matter. The Fifth Consort had brought hope to farmers many times before, and this time would be no different. They just needed to follow her lead.

In the days that followed, An Qing led everyone in the fight against the locusts, personally supervising pesticide spraying and guiding the villagers in pest control measures.

During this period, Yinqi sent messages to Imperial City, discussing with Yongzheng whether the locust control efforts could be linked to the distribution of relief grain.

Given the current situation, these locust-stricken areas were destined to lose this season's crops, and the government's distribution of relief grain was inevitable. If the locust control efforts could be linked to the relief grain, the villagers' enthusiasm would naturally increase.

Yongzheng quickly responded, agreeing to their proposal and stating that after this season's rice harvest, he would divert canal grain directly to the affected areas.

This would ensure the villagers could survive until the next harvest.

With renewed hope, the villagers worked harder to catch locusts. Entire families joined in, even young children helped in the fields.

After more than a month, An Qing and her team traveled back and forth across Suzhou, Zhejiang, and Anhui, finally controlling the locust plague and resolving the crisis.

Yongzheng, far away in Imperial City, finally relaxed upon receiving reports from various regions.

"Thirteenth Brother, look, Li Wei's report says the villagers' confidence soared when they heard the Fifth Sister-in-law was personally overseeing things. The locust plague is under control, and only some cleanup remains. Fifth Brother should be returning soon."

Thirteenth Prince took the report and quickly read through it, his furrowed brows finally relaxing.

It's good that it's under control.

With the court unstable, ministers had been arguing fiercely about the locust plague, claiming it was due to offending the locust deity, clearly trying to pin the blame on the Emperor.

Thankfully, Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law resolved the issue. Now let's see what those ministers have to say!

Yongzheng then casually read Li Wei's private letter. Li Wei was his trusted aide, and the letter came with the report but contained much more detailed praise for Yinqi and An Qing, as well as for Hongang, Hong Zhi, and especially Honghui, who had been on the front lines tirelessly.

For this eldest son, Yongzheng had always been very satisfied.

"Lǐ Wèi said that many common people refer to Fifth Sister-in-law as the Goddess of Agriculture, and this title is quite interesting," Yongzheng said.

However, he felt that the title was also quite fitting.

The Thirteenth Prince smiled; he knew about this title, and it had indeed become widespread among the common people over the years.

When he used to serve in the Agricultural Administration Department, he was often sent by his Fifth Elder Brother to Fengtian Prefecture and various places in Heilongjiang, interacting with the local people frequently. Thus, he naturally knew something about his Fifth Sister-in-law's influence among the common folk.

However, he understood his Fifth Elder Brother’s intentions. One reason was that he knew he was not favored by the Emperor Ama, and staying in the Imperial City was uncomfortable, so he often sent him out on errands for a change of scenery.

As for the second point, he also knew he was financially strained. The missions outside the capital came with subsidies, but he wasn't foolish. These so-called subsidies were actually private support from his Fifth Elder Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law. After all, he had never heard of any government office providing subsidies before.

"During my previous missions to other regions, I also heard that the common people are very grateful to Fifth Sister-in-law. She has given many people hope," the Thirteenth Prince remarked with emotion.

Yongzheng nodded in agreement. He had always recognized An Qing’s talent in agriculture and admired her noble spirit. Even now, he could vividly recall her words at the farm in Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner back then.

At that time, his Emperor Ama asked her why she would go to such lengths to study farming.

She calmly replied that it only took some effort on her part, and if it could give many families hope for survival, it would be a great merit.

At that moment, Yongzheng believed that even though An Qing was a woman, her talents and noble spirit warranted her being highly valued. This belief remained unchanged.

"Thirteenth Brother, what do you think if I grant an official position to Fifth Sister-in-law?" Yongzheng suddenly asked.

The Thirteenth Prince was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Your Majesty wants to grant Fifth Sister-in-law an official position?"

Yongzheng nodded and replied, "Yes, someone with Fifth Sister-in-law’s exceptional talent would have long held a high-ranking position in the court if she were a man. Given her significant contributions, it would be inappropriate if I did not acknowledge them."

The Thirteenth Prince thought it was reasonable to grant his Fifth Sister-in-law an official position, but there was one concern: "Will the ministers agree?"

There had never been a precedent of women holding official positions in Great Qing. If this were to happen, the ministers would likely argue that it violated ancestral rules.

Yongzheng snorted coldly and said, "When I ascended the throne, I stated that I would use talents without regard for their background. As long as they have ability, regardless of their origin, I will value them. Now, adding gender should make no difference!"