Chapter 276

"In fact, apart from the seeds, I came here today to find Da Si Nong." Li Shimin looked at Su Lingnong.

"The old minister panicked. I don't know what your majesty needs?" Su Lingnong hurriedly said.

"Since ancient times, there must be a plague of locusts after the severe drought. Today, it is a severe drought in early spring. Although the army and people in Guanzhong have worked together to get through the drought, I am afraid of another terrible plague of locusts in the second year of Zhenguan. I want to find a big farmer to explore the situation, prepare in advance and prevent it."

Li Shimin thought of the plague of locusts covering the land in the second year of Zhenguan, and couldn't help fighting a cold war.

"Tell your majesty that since the second year of Zhenguan, your majesty has swallowed locusts and made clear his ambition to ghosts and gods. From then on, there will be no worries about locusts in the Tang Dynasty." Su Lingnong flattered.

When Li Shimin heard Su Lingnong's compliment, he felt a burst of pride. It was the most dazzling thing in his life that he swallowed locusts to kill locusts.

Li Shimin looked modest and modest, but boasted: "although I had killed the locusts at that time, after a few years, I was afraid that the locust God would break his word and start to do harm again and again."

During the spring drought, Li Shimin angrily beheaded the Dragon King and got rid of ignorance and superstition. Naturally, he didn't believe that swallowing a locust could subdue the locust plague forever.

"Wei Chen has already given orders. If there are signs of locust disaster, come immediately. Wei Chen is not in the government these days, but everyone in the Si Nong Temple knows that the old minister is in the Mo mansion and has not come to report the locust disaster." Su Lingnong wondered.

Li Shimin was also depressed and said, "not only that, there was no sign of locust disaster reported by the counties in the pass. I was also worried. I came to find the big Si Nong and went outside Chang'an city to explore together."

There will be locusts in a severe drought. This is the law for thousands of years. Li Shimin is really worried if he is not sure. At the same time, he is also worried that some county officials hide locusts and do not report them for fear of causing great disaster.

Merton said, "Your Majesty, the boy knows a little about it."

Li Shimin looked at Merton and immediately said, "I forgot if you didn't say it. There was no sign of locust disaster in the ink magazine!"

Merton nodded and said, "at this time, there was no locust disaster in all roads in Guanzhong. On the one hand, in spring, the army and the people fought a large-scale drought together, reducing the drought."

Su Lingnong nodded. Alleviating the drought can indeed alleviate the plague of locusts.

"The second is Guanzhong area. Since the Mohist School created the artificial incubation technology, it took the lead in selling chicken, duck and goose cubs to all parts of Guanzhong. Now the chickens and ducks are farmed by all families in Guanzhong area. These locusts are the natural food of chickens and ducks," Merton continued.

Li Shimin immediately opened his eyes, stared at Merton strangely and said, "you mean these chickens and ducks have eliminated the plague of locusts?"

Morton nodded solemnly and said, "it's natural for chickens to eat insects. The people in Guanzhong are short of surplus food. Where are they willing to feed chickens and ducks with food, and the locusts all over the mountains are the most natural food for chickens, ducks and geese. Among the people in Guanzhong, they catch a large number of locusts to feed chickens and ducks, and even drive chickens and ducks to the fields, just like grazing, and let them catch locusts and look for food by themselves."

"Herd chickens and ducks." Li Shimin immediately brightened his eyes.

Merton praised: "Your Majesty's description is very appropriate. The people saved food and destroyed locusts. This method can kill two birds with one stone."

"Chickens and ducks can eliminate the plague of locusts?" Su Lingnong said incredulously. From his long life, every plague of locusts was a desperate struggle.

"One or two chickens and ducks is certainly impossible, but what if there were thousands or tens of thousands of chickens and ducks?" Merton said. Before that, due to the scarcity of poultry, it was naturally impossible to have such a large-scale chickens and ducks. However, since the Mohist School created the artificial incubation Technology, the number of chickens, ducks and geese has no longer become a limit, and it is possible to herd chickens and ducks to kill locusts. Otherwise, even if you know the method, Can only sigh, helpless.

"Of course, a large-scale plague of locusts is impossible, but it's not a problem to eliminate the emerging plague of locusts and a small-scale plague of locusts. The Mohist experimental field outside Nancheng is grazing ducks to kill locusts. I wonder if your majesty is interested in seeing it." Merton said.

"What are you waiting for?" Su Lingnong said impatiently. If this locust killing method can be achieved, I'm afraid it will be the blessing of the people all over the world.

Outside the south gate, the Mohist experimental field.

"Quack quack!"

As soon as Li Shimin got off the carriage, they heard a deafening sound wave coming to their faces.

"What's the sound?" Li Shimin said with his mouth open.

Su Lingnong immediately looked very wonderful and said loudly, "Your Majesty, this is the voice of the duck."

Li Shimin secretly complained that although he had been in the deep palace for a long time, he had not seen the domestic duck. Although the domestic duck was a little noisy, it was not so noisy.

Merton said with a bitter smile, "Your Majesty, this is the cry of tens of thousands of ducks."

At this moment, it is already the sunset, and Li Shimin has seen a spectacular scene.

A duck carrying a fat round belly was driven out of the field by the children of the Mohists. Locusts flew everywhere, but they were caught and swallowed by ducks like lightning.

Ten, a hundred, a thousand, and even tens of thousands, one by one, like victorious returning soldiers, proudly boasting their military achievements.

"Young master!" seeing his young master coming, Mo Da hurried forward.

"How did the locusts go?" Su Lingnong asked hurriedly.

"If you return to Lord Su, you have invested nearly 10000 ducks this time. In just one day, you can ensure that the locusts in the hundreds of Mu experimental field will be wiped out." with a dark face, you know that Lord Su is a senior official in the court, so you quickly replied.

"Can a little duck eat so many locusts?" Li Shimin said in surprise.

"Adults don't know. Domestic ducks eat a lot, and they are slow and easy to manage, which is much easier than herding chickens." Mo Da wiped a sweat and smiled. Although he didn't know Li Shimin, he also knew that the young master must be accompanied by Dagui officials.

Li Shimin didn't believe it. He went to the field to investigate it himself. He found that where the ducks passed, not only locusts but also some insects were eliminated.

You know, in this era, there are no pesticides and no chemicals. Locusts are banned repeatedly. I didn't expect that duck herding could have such an effect.

"Tell your majesty, locusts are hard to forbid. In addition to being able to reproduce in large numbers, they are also hard to catch and can fly and migrate. As long as they are discovered in advance and released, their locust disaster can be eliminated in the bud. Moreover, the shepherd ducks raised by the people taste fat and beautiful, which is a rare delicacy," Merton said.

Su Lingnong was very excited: "good! With this good prescription, Datang will no longer be afraid of locust disaster."

He couldn't help but be a little more grateful to Merton. Merton had previously promoted the artificial incubation technology in the whole Datang. Datang certainly didn't lack chickens and ducks. As long as the duck herding method was promoted throughout the country, the occurrence of locusts in Datang was almost reduced to the lowest.

"The ancients did not deceive me when misfortune came and fortune came and misfortune came." Li Shimin sighed.

Cotton looks like the blessing of the Tang Dynasty, but there is a hidden disaster that makes the currency of the Tang Dynasty collapse. The plague of locusts is a great disaster. Unexpectedly, there is a way to remove the duck herding method to achieve the delicious food of duck herding.

"Happiness and misfortune depend on each other. What we do is to seek happiness and avoid misfortune, and man will conquer heaven." Merton's voice is sonorous and powerful, and even the croaking of thousands of ducks can't be drowned.