Chapter 294: The Disaster Situation After the Drought

"What? A locust plague?" Bai Wei blinked her eyes.

Yannan is currently experiencing a drought, and large swathes of farmland are desolate.

Could it be that the next natural disaster is a locust plague?

"Yes," Zhou Yuchuan nodded. "Locust plagues are not rare. In our country's history, every dynasty has had locust plagues. Our country has also had large-scale locust plagues in modern times, but our country's prevention and control efforts were very strong, and the locust plagues were quickly wiped out."

Bai Wei took his words to heart and continued to play the part of a curious child.

"Then how were the locust plagues wiped out?"

"When a locust plague occurred domestically, the government dispatched over a dozen low-flying aircraft to spray insecticide over a large area, while simultaneously setting up high-voltage electric grids. Using the phototactic principle of the insects, they lit lamps at night to attract the swarms, and then used the high-voltage grids to kill them."

Bai Wei gave a calm "Oh," but felt a bit worried inside.

The current productivity of Beijiang has indeed improved greatly, but the technology there is still far behind modern times; it is simply impossible to reach the level of flying planes or setting up high-voltage electricity.

Even if she sent a plane over and filmed some learning videos on how to fly it, the craftsmen there wouldn't be able to fly it.

A plane is not a car. Cars can still be driven around the wilderness of Beijiang to practice for fun. Since Beijiang is empty and there are no people around, as long as the car doesn't crash or fall into a pit, it doesn't matter how you drive it.

But a plane is different; this thing cannot be used for practice. Once an accident occurs, the plane will be destroyed and people will die.

As for the high-voltage electric grid, that is even more impossible.

Beijiang has only just started using Solar Power, and current coal-fired power generation is just getting started; the craftsmen are still feeling their way and simply cannot produce high-voltage electricity.

Neither of these two plans is very feasible.

Bai Wei chewed on a small twisted dough stick, took another one out of her pocket, and asked while chewing.

"Are there any other methods then?"

Zhou Yuchuan held a small twisted dough stick but didn't eat it. "Ancient times also had locust plagues, and they all used fire attacks to repel the insects. The villagers would burn dry straw and firewood, using the fire and thick smoke to kill the insects. Although it was slow, it was also effective."

"Lighting fires to repel insects?" Bai Wei immediately stuffed the twisted dough stick into her mouth and nodded repeatedly.

This is feasible; she noted it down first.

Her cheeks were stuffed bulgingly with the dough stick, and she said indistinctly.

"Tonight... (chew chew) a welcome dinner for you? (chew chew) Should I call Ye Lao over to have a meal together?"

Zhou Yuchuan couldn't help but smile as he watched Bai Wei's cheeks bulge.

"No need. I've been away from the archaeological site for too long, and there's still a pile of things to do."

"The Archaeology Office is going to renovate the building now, and I still need to look at the construction drawings."

"When I'm free in a few days, I'll treat you and Ye Lao to a meal."

Bai Wei also knew he was usually very busy, so she nodded.

"Then it's a deal; call me when the time comes."

"The vegetable seeds have really sprouted!"

Several villagers crowded excitedly at the gate of the Northern Frontier Camp, vying to report to Xiao Moting.

"We followed the method, applied the seeds and fertilizer to the fields, and they sprouted in just a few days. They are growing especially fast."

An elderly farmer said, carefully cupping his palms.

In his rough, cracked palms, he was impressively holding a vibrant green baby bok choy seedling about an inch long.

The several villagers following behind him were all extremely excited and knelt to kowtow in gratitude.

"With these grain seeds and vegetable seeds, we won't have to go hungry this winter, and the children won't have to eat wild vegetables; everyone will be able to eat their fill."

"Everyone in the village is extremely happy; this year will definitely be a bumper harvest."

"Many thanks to the Prince of Zhenbei; you are the guardian deity of Beijiang."

Xiao Moting took a look, and a smile appeared in his eyes as well.

Over the past few days, people from all directions have been hearing the news and coming to the Northern Frontier Camp to ask for grain seeds.

As long as these grain seeds bestowed by the gods are distributed to all the farmers in Beijiang, the tragic scene of half the population starving to death every winter will no longer exist.

He looked up at the sky and spoke in a low voice.

"Bai, do you see this?"

"The peaceful and prosperous age you wanted has already begun to emerge."

"Xiao Moting will use all his strength to build Daliang into the peaceful world you hope for."

By that time, perhaps when Bai Wei comes to Daliang, she will be able to stay a little longer.

And he will be able to see her more often.

Wu Da ran over panting, his head covered in sweat, but his face bloomed with a smile.

"Prince, we are harvesting vegetables in the fields today and preparing to cook them for lunch. The fields are very lively; would you like to go and take a look?"

Xiao Moting nodded. "Then let's go take a look."

He and Wu Da went together to the edge of the farmland in Beijiang.

In the more than one thousand mu of fields, the crops were growing extremely well; looking out, it was a sea of green.

The corn had already grown to half a person's height, with lush branches and leaves.

The rice seedlings in the paddy fields were also emerald green.

Dozens of farmers were bending over in the fields, picking baby bok choy and Shanghai bok choy.

These vegetables had already matured and it was time to harvest them.

The farmers picked the baby bok choy, tied them into bundles with straw, and placed them into bamboo baskets at the edge of the field.

Once a basket was full, they would carry it to the Cook Battalion.

The nearby Cook Battalion was also steaming hot.

The army cooks stoked the stoves, the water in the large pots was boiling, and they were scalding the hair off a pig.

The forty live pigs tied to the side were all bought by Xiao Moting with silver from meat merchants.

Recently, business at Bai Ji Zahuodian in Xuancheng has been good, and Jia Shun sent over more than two hundred thousand taels of silver, so he took out a sum of money to order a batch of live pigs from the city's meat merchants to improve the meals for the Northern Frontier Army and let everyone eat meat.

The live pigs sold by meat vendors in Daliang Kingdom are all raised by farmers in pigsties; they are not as big as the pigs Bai Wei sends, but they have the advantage of fragrant meat, with more lean meat and less fat, red is red and white is white, and they taste especially delicious.

Today, the army is slaughtering pigs to eat meat, and all the soldiers are especially happy, coming one after another to help.

The mess soldiers sharpened their slaughtering knives and tied the big fat pigs up tightly.

The tied-up big fat pigs let out bursts of shrill, desperate squeals.

The butcher stabbed through the throat with one knife, fresh blood flowed out, and the tied-up pig struggled a few times before going limp.

"Quick, catch the pig blood." Seeing the pig blood flowing out, Xiao Dabao felt a terrible heartache; he was quick-eyed and nimble-handed, kicking an iron basin over, "Pig blood boiled with baby bok choy soup, plus some pork belly—this is top-notch slaughtering-day cuisine."

Streams of bright red pig blood flowed into the basin, quickly filling it to the brim.

Wu Da said happily, "Prince, after we harvest this batch of baby bok choy, we will plant beans next; our vegetable plots have a bumper harvest this year, and everyone can't finish eating it, simply can't finish it all."

Xiao Dabao also crowded over, "We have grain and vegetables, and we can even eat meat; this is all thanks to Goddess."

"There is plenty of food, but it is not allowed to be wasted," Xiao Moting said, "When the rice is harvested, first send some new rice to Bai to taste, and store the rest in the Warehouse."

Several people nodded in agreement.

Everyone knows that the situation outside is not good right now.

Don't look at the soldiers of the Northern Frontier Camp as having rice and meat and living comfortably; outside the camp, there are still many people who cannot get enough to eat, and they have even dug up all the wild grass.

That they can eat their fill and dress warmly is entirely the grace of the Goddess.