Chapter 89: Pest Control

Chapter 89: Locust Control

The villagers of Lanlong Village had prepared their food supplies. Seeing that none of them had left, Chief Meng led them out with insect nets to combat the locusts, also bringing along fire sticks to burn the locusts after killing them.

Except for the women and children who stayed home to look after the children, the entire village was empty. If they didn't act soon, the locusts would only multiply further. Not only did these locusts devour crops, but they also attacked livestock like chickens, ducks, and sheep, causing chaos and instilling fear.

The villagers first used nets to trap the locusts, then smashed them with wooden boards, killing many at once. Some simply stomped on them, though this left their shoes smelly and sticky, which was unpleasant. Eventually, they all resorted to using wooden boards from home to kill the pests.

Seeing their wheat fields ravaged, the villagers felt heartbroken and furious, which only fueled their determination to fight the locusts.

Led by the town head and Chief Meng, the villagers worked together to combat the locusts. Their combined efforts helped alleviate the disaster somewhat. Meanwhile, Zheng Shanci went to assess the situation in Luxiang Village, whose residents had just settled in Xinfeng County when the locust plague struck.

They had bought food, but it was only enough for two months. Some went to town to purchase more, but the price had risen by three coins per pound. Though they were reluctant to spend, they knew prices would only soar further if they delayed, so they used all their savings to buy food.

Apart from harvesting the unripe wheat, they also gathered peppers, soybeans, and sesame, which could be sold to the county office for some income. With autumn approaching, the situation was disheartening. If this happened once, it was bad enough, but if it recurred every few years, they wouldn't be able to endure. Their spirits were low, much like when they first arrived.

Seeing their despondency, Chief Meng grew angry. "What's with the long faces? The county has ordered us to fight the locusts. Who are you putting on this show for? Think about it—if we hadn't come here, we'd still be oppressed by local tyrants. Now we have land and homes. It's natural to feel down, but we can't let this drag on."

The villagers of Luxiang Village rallied and joined Chief Meng in fighting the locusts. When they reached the fields, they spotted Zheng Shanci in Lanlong Village. The two villages were close, and their fields were adjacent.

"With Lord Zheng caring so much for the people, surely better days are ahead?"

"At any rate, he's much better than the magistrate we had in Jiang County," the villagers whispered among themselves.

The people of Xinfeng County felt reassured seeing Zheng Shanci in the fields. It seemed Lord Zheng wouldn't abandon them.

The situation in Lan County was far worse. They were caught completely unprepared when the locust plague struck. County Magistrate Fang was in the yamen playing with his parrot when Deputy County Magistrate came to report. Only when locusts flew into his face did he realize the severity of the disaster. Magistrate Fang ordered the yamen runners to clear the locusts from the yamen first, as they couldn't work otherwise. By the time the yamen was cleared, half the day was gone. Only then did he hurriedly call for a meeting to discuss solutions.

With the disaster already upon them, there was little to be done except damage control. The yamen was in chaos, with everyone suggesting outdated methods. Magistrate Fang stroked his beard and delegated the task to Deputy County Magistrate.

Deputy County Magistrate inwardly sighed but accepted the responsibility. The chaotic discussions yielded no good solutions, so he decided to stick to the old methods to avoid mistakes. He first emphasized the importance of the matter, then sent a few yamen runners to tour the villages. As for the losses suffered by the people, that was none of his concern.

The people's crops were their own business; it had nothing to do with him. With the higher-ups shirking responsibility, Deputy County Magistrate felt it was enough to go through the motions. Since the magistrate was incompetent, it was best for everyone to play along.

Deputy County Magistrate recalled how Zheng Shanci had written to Magistrate Fang warning of the locust plague, but the magistrate had ignored it. Now, with the disaster unfolding, he simply handed the problem to his subordinates without a hint of remorse. This realization disheartened Deputy County Magistrate. He had once been eager to serve the yamen, but after repeatedly seeing his efforts credited to Magistrate Fang, he no longer wanted to work for others' benefit. His conscience had hardened.

When Magistrate Fang stepped out, he saw locusts still flying around and cursed, "Can't even handle such a small matter. What good are you?"

Returning home, he was greeted by the smell of medicine and locusts on the ground, further souring his mood. "Is this locust plague really that bad? Just kill them all and be done with it."

If the people's crops were eaten by locusts, they could just buy food with their own money. If they couldn't pay taxes, they'd have to figure it out themselves. After all, he still needed to collect taxes and answer to the court. As for how the people survived, they'd managed for years; they'd just have to make do.

"In a few days, set up a porridge kitchen. Make the porridge thin, and use my name to distribute it," Magistrate Fang said, still scheming. Whenever something went wrong, he either set up a porridge kitchen or donated goods, keeping the people of Lan County in the dark.

His wife was from a prominent local family, and with this marriage, he wielded even more power in Lan County. His concubines and side husbands were also from local gentry and wealthy families, making his household anything but peaceful.

Magistrate Fang hadn't enjoyed two days of peace when Deputy County Magistrate came to him, pale-faced. "Magistrate Fang, this locust plague is too severe. The entire Qingzhou region is affected. The people can't buy food even with money, and when they can, the prices are exorbitant. I fear this won't end well—it might even lead to deaths." And not just one or two.

Magistrate Fang's expression changed as he considered the future. "What's going on? I thought only Xinfeng and Lan counties were affected. How did this spread to Qingzhou? Which merchants run the rice shops in the county? I'll have a word with them."

Deputy County Magistrate hid a hint of mockery as he replied respectfully, "They belong to your wife's family. The price of rice has risen by eighty coins per pound. The other rice shops are run by your concubines and their families."

Magistrate Fang was speechless.

...

Xinfeng County

Zheng Shanci visited several villages. The people's spirits remained steady, though he didn't know how long the locust plague would last. For now, fighting the locusts helped distract them. Zheng Shanci also kept an eye on food prices. While price increases were inevitable under such circumstances, they couldn't rise too high. If they exceeded what he deemed reasonable, he would have no choice but to summon the merchants to the yamen.

As soon as he returned to the county office, Scribe Jiang came in with a register, "Lord Zheng, I have checked the grain stored in the granary from last year. Some loss is unavoidable, but the majority of the grain remains intact. As for the granaries built in each village, I have sent trusted clerks to handle it. Thanks to the concrete road, the trip is faster, and we should have news by this afternoon."

Scribe Jiang also had some news, "Lord Zheng, I heard that several counties have been affected, and it seems the situation in the prefecture is not good either."

Zheng Shanci saw that the scale of this locust plague was significant. After pondering for a moment, he said, "It will take one or two months for the prefecture's memorial to reach the capital, and the round trip will take four months. By the time the court dispatches relief funds and grain, it'll be too late. Each county is barely managing and can't aid others. We must rely on ourselves."

"Lord Zheng is right," Scribe Jiang had initially held some hope in the court's disaster relief, but now his heart was cold. The four months Lord Zheng estimated were already optimistic. Once the prefecture's memorial is submitted, officials will debate the relief allocation. This process will take even more time.

"Who runs the biggest grain shops in the county?"

Scribe Jiang raised his eyebrows slightly, "Lord Zheng, they're all familiar faces: the Xia family, the Xu family, the Gao family, and one Zhang family that is slightly less familiar."

They were indeed all familiar faces.

Scribe Jiang smiled, "Didn't you work with the Gao family on herbs before? With your firm hand, they wouldn't dare cause trouble now."

After finally improving relations with Lord Zheng, it wouldn't be worth it to cause a fuss over this grain issue now. Moreover, if the Gao family raised prices, the Xu and Xia families likely wouldn't follow suit. Smart folks know the value of long-term gains over quick profits.

"Tell me, how much have they raised the prices?"

"All four major families raised their prices uniformly. The Xu family upped old rice by ten coins and new rice by twenty. The other three families followed suit."

Zheng Shanci let out a relieved sigh. The Xu family had handled this well.

These big families in town, who own grain shops, must have stockpiled a large amount of grain. Along with the granaries the county built and the grain stored by the people themselves, the food shortage caused by the locust plague would be largely resolved. This should tide them over until the court's relief grain comes.

Zheng Shanci thought for a moment, "Tonight, reserve a table at the Thousand Flavors Pavilion. I will invite the heads of these four families to dinner."

Scribe Jiang nodded and left.

He noticed fewer locusts around the county office. Today, he was surprised to learn about the grain shop prices. These merchants are usually cutthroat, but this price is fair for now. If it were another magistrate, these families might not have kept their prices so reasonable.

In the evening, Zheng Shanci invited the four family heads to dinner. Everyone was on their best behavior during dinner. Zheng Shanci said, "You all know about the locust problem. I heard that your grain shops have raised prices, which is unavoidable. As long as the price increase is reasonable, the county office won't interfere. Another reason I invited you here is to discuss grain rationing. With the locust plague, grain has become a major issue. Many people are hoarding grain, buying it all up. What will we buy in the future? The grain in Xinfeng County must last until the court's disaster relief arrives, and that will take a long time."

The Xu Family Head caught on, "Lord Zheng, are you suggesting that we limit the amount of grain each person can buy?"

"The Xu Family Head is indeed clever, quick to grasp the point. I won't let the county office shortchange you. In the future, the Xinfeng County perfume factory will allocate one-fifth of its business to you. As for how you four families will divide this one-fifth, I cannot overstep my authority."

Having caused them some loss, Zheng Shanci still offered them a sweet reward.

The four family heads eagerly agreed. They knew the perfume factory was profitable and had long coveted a share. Now that they had a piece of the pie, they were satisfied.

Everyone was satisfied, and after the banquet, they each returned home.

The Xu Family Head was particularly pleased. He had led the price increase, and the other families followed. Now, with Lord Zheng's approval, the Xu family's position would be even more secure. He truly hoped Lord Zheng would not leave Xinfeng County after his term.

...

Yu Lanyi lay in bed reading a novel. Zheng Shanci lifted the blanket and got into bed, peeking over to see what Yu Lanyi was reading. Seeing it was some story about a young master and a gentleman, he lost interest and picked up a copy of the *Analects* to read instead.

"How was today?" Yu Lanyi asked.

"I went to the villages. The people are holding up for now. Then in the evening, I had dinner with the family heads to discuss grain prices," Zheng Shanci had sent someone home earlier to inform his family that he wouldn't be back for dinner.

Yu Lanyi made a sound of acknowledgment and continued reading his novel.

"Is there enough grain in the county?"

"For now, yes. But we don't know about the future," Zheng Shanci was somewhat surprised and asked with a smile, "Why are you asking about this today?"

Yu Lanyi's face was tense, "I'm just looking out for you."

Zheng Shanci nodded without further inquiry, "Don't stay up too late reading; it's bad for your eyes."

Yu Lanyi's mind wasn't really on the novel. As soon as Zheng Shanci spoke, he put the book away, blew out the candle, and curled up in Zheng Shanci's arms.

It was almost autumn, and the weather was getting a bit chilly. Zheng Shanci's chest was still warm. Yu Lanyi blew a soft breath onto Zheng Shanci's chest and nestled close to him affectionately.

Zheng Shanci tucked the blanket around him to keep him from catching a cold.

"Sleep now."

Yu Lanyi: "Zheng Shanci, what kind of official do you want to be when you get to the capital?"

In the darkness, Yu Lanyi felt the vibration of Zheng Shanci's laughter from his chest, "I haven't even gone to the capital yet, I don't know. It depends on what assignment the Ministry of Personnel gives me."

"Goodnight." Zheng Shanci was getting drowsy, he whispered, and kissed Yu Lanyi's forehead, "Goodnight."

Yu Lanyi blushed.

The people of Xin Feng County, after a day of dealing with the insects, returned home to eat and then went to sleep. Dealing with the insects was hard work, and they would have to continue for several more days. This was crucial for their livelihood; planting some seeds in the fall could bring in some extra income. As long as the locust infestation continued, they couldn't plant their crops, and the locusts would even eat the seeds.

They planned to sell some peppers to the county office first, then buy and stockpile grain, worried that prices would keep going up. They didn't know when the locust infestation would end.