Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 304: Scholars who carry on the legacy of past sages and establish a destiny for the people.
Near the river.

Several people on the grass.

The leader was over eight feet tall, the tallest person in the area. He was tall and well-proportioned, wearing a three-beamed scholar's hat and a wide robe. Although he looked worried, he was quite energetic. At this moment, he rolled up his robe, squatted down, dug up a handful of soil from the ground, and carefully broke it apart in his palm.

Beside him stood Guo Youzhi, Zuo Fengyi; Chen Zhi, Linjin Ling; and Jiang Wei, the Chancellor of the Prime Minister's Office and General of the Righteous Army, with solemn expressions.

His elder brother, Zhuge Jin, stood a little further away, not quite fitting in with the Han officials. He was much thinner than when he was first captured. His long face, which bore a seven-tenths resemblance to the Prime Minister but an eight-tenths resemblance to Qiao Zhou, looked somewhat haggard. His gaze was somewhat complicated as he looked at his younger brother, who was squatting down breaking soil.

"Youzhi, Fengzong, Boyue... come and see." The Prime Minister finally straightened up and called over the people beside him.

Jiang Wei was not knowledgeable about farming and did not notice anything unusual at first, until the Prime Minister pulled a slender, yellow object resembling an ear of grain from the soil.

"This is... a locust?" Jiang Wei squinted and reached out to take the locust.

"Yes, locusts." The Prime Minister nodded.

Standing beside Chen Zhi, the elderly farmer Liu pointed shakily to the saline-alkali wasteland not far ahead, looking up at the young magistrate Chen, whom he had become acquainted with, and said:
“Magistrate Chen, that’s where I found it before.”

Chen Zhi then led the group towards the river, following the old farmer's directions.

After walking less than half a mile, they saw that this wasteland, far from villages and farmland, was densely covered with newly hatched locust larvae, jumping and leaping among the weeds.

The prime minister bent down and caught a blade of grass. He saw several young locusts clinging to the grass. The young locusts were emerald green all over and only the length of a fingernail. They could not fly yet. As if they were startled by him, they fluttered away and jumped clumsily among the ground and weeds.

Release the blade of grass, straighten up again, and look around. He sees that where the locusts have passed, most of the weeds have been eaten and are now incomplete.

Jiang Wei said thoughtfully, "Prime Minister, these young locusts seem to be moving northwest."

The Prime Minister nodded, his gaze following the locust-eaten wasteland further northwest:

"Indeed, the locusts are gathering and moving in the same direction; this is a sign that a locust plague is about to begin."

Jiang Wei and Guo Youzhi were different.

They had never been exposed to this kind of knowledge.

Even Chen Zhi, who had only recently learned of this experience from the elders in the community, was somewhat surprised.

But then I felt relieved.

Among all officials in the world, and even those who have served as prime ministers throughout history, how many can be more knowledgeable about water conservancy and agriculture than this prime minister?

But the Prime Minister looked worried and said:
"Linjin County is bordered by the Loess Plateau to the north, the Shayuan Plain to the south, and the saline-alkali flatlands formed by the erosion of the Yellow River to the east. It has always been a place prone to drought."

"Last year, the severe drought in Northeast China also had some impact on Linjin, forcing locusts scattered in various places to gather in a few grasslands to lay their eggs."

"This spring, the Guanzhong Plain has received unusually abundant rainfall, with drought followed by rain, which makes it easy for locust plagues to occur."

The Prime Minister paused, glancing first at Guo Youzhi and then at Chen Zhi:
"Youzhi, Fengzong, do you know how much more rainfall Zuo Fengyi received this spring compared to previous years?"

Guo Youzhi quickly bowed and answered:

"Reporting to the Prime Minister, according to the elders, this spring's rainfall was more than 60% higher than in previous years, and the rainfall coincided with the wheat seedlings turning green."

"That's exactly right." The Prime Minister nodded.

"Last year's drought caused locusts to lay eggs in large numbers, and this year's spring rains have caused wild grass to grow in various places, providing ample food for the locusts."

As the prime minister spoke of this, he pointed again to the overgrown, locust-infested land in front of him:
"These locusts keep hatching, and since there is plenty of grass here, they instinctively gather together. If you don't notice them or ignore them, after they molt several times and grow wings, they will become an unstoppable force that blots out the sky."

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhi felt uneasy and anxious.

He governed Linjin for half a year, suppressing bandits and pacifying the people, and establishing farms. It was only with great difficulty that this barren land regained some vitality. He did not fail His Majesty's trust. Is it really going to be destroyed by locust plague?

"In your opinion, Prime Minister, what is the current state of the locust plague? Is it still possible to avert it?"

The Prime Minister remained silent for a moment, then bent down again to carefully observe the condition of the locusts. After standing up, he looked around the wasteland devoured by the locusts, and finally answered in a deep voice:

"The locusts have swarmed together and are molting. We have reached the final stage of locust control. We must kill as many locusts as possible by mid-April, before the wheat grains are filling out. Otherwise, half of Guanzhong may be affected by the locust plague."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei's expression suddenly hardened.

After accompanying the emperor on an eastern tour for a month and receiving personal instruction from the prime minister for half a year, he was no longer the ambitious and opportunistic Liangzhou scholar who only knew how to fight and make a name for himself on the battlefield.

The Han Dynasty was ultimately unlike the Cao Wei Dynasty, which had seven provinces that it could freely plunder.

The Guanzhong region, in particular, is counting on the wheat harvest in summer and the soybean harvest in autumn this year to become self-sufficient, without having to transport grain from Sichuan and Hanzhong.

Although the Prime Minister just estimated that half of Guanzhong might be affected by the locust plague, it should be noted that the tens of thousands of hectares of fertile land irrigated by the Zheng Guo Canal and the Chang'an Canal constitute this so-called half of Guanzhong.

This is the essence of Guanzhong Plain.

If there are problems with this year's summer harvest, neither the imperial court nor the people of Guanzhong will be able to recover in less than three years.

Three years.

How many three-year periods does a country have?
More importantly, Cao Wei controlled seven provinces. Once they recovered and used those three years to expand their production capacity in agriculture, military industry, and other fields, what would the Han Dynasty have to compete with them in terms of national strength?

We must ensure that there is no locust plague this year.

This is probably why the Prime Minister rushed from Chang'an to Linjin as soon as he received the news reported by Chen Zhi.

The matter of controlling locusts in Guanzhong was a matter of vital importance to the foundation of the Han Dynasty.

Just as Guo Youzhi and Jiang Wei both looked worried, and Zhuge Jin seemed to be deep in thought, Chen Zhi, the magistrate of Linjin, asked, "Prime Minister, does that mean we still have one month?"

Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister looked at the emperor's close advisor, who had repeatedly surprised him since taking office, with an approving expression, and finally nodded: "Indeed, there is still time."

Beside Chen Zhi, Old Man Liu from the farm was already surprised to hear that this refined and tall nobleman was so knowledgeable about farming and locusts.

At first, when he heard everyone addressing this refined and noble man as "Prime Minister," he thought he had misheard. But he never expected to hear the word "Prime Minister" again and again, and at this moment he was finally amazed.

He asked in a trembling voice, "This...this is the Prime Minister Zhuge of our Great Han Dynasty? The Prime Minister has actually come to this remote, rural place to see mere locusts?"

Upon hearing this and seeing this scene, everyone smiled slightly, but the Prime Minister turned to the village elder, his face showing a look of compassion and pity:
"Old man, a prime minister is one who assists the emperor above and cares for all the people below."

"It is my duty to ensure that those who till the land have their fields and those who eat have their grain."

"Agriculture and the people are the foundation of the Great Han Kingdom. Whether or not this locust plague can be stopped is a matter of life and death for the people. How could I not come?"

Upon hearing this, Old Liu was first taken aback, then his face showed a look of reminiscence, and after a short while, tears suddenly welled up in his cloudy old eyes, and his voice choked with sobs:
"Prime Minister!"
"I vaguely remember that the last time Linjin was plagued by locusts was more than 20 years ago. I was just a young man then, and the scene was... truly tragic!"

The prime minister, disregarding the old man's filth, quickly stepped forward to help him up and said gently, "Old man, please speak slowly."

Old Liu wiped his face with the rough back of his hand, still shaken, and said:
"I remember it clearly. That year, locusts swept through the land, covering the sky and making a sound like thunder. In just three to five days, the crops in the fields were completely devoured."

"That winter, it was nothing new in Linjin to sell one's own children to exchange for food... to exchange children for food... to steal other people's wives and children to eat..."

“Actually, I did report to the county government with the villagers back then, but…” He shook his head, his face full of resentment.

"At that time, the magistrate of Linjin County rebuked us, saying that locusts were divine insects, a punishment from heaven for the people's lack of virtue, and that we could not kill them, otherwise it would be against the harmony of heaven. In the end... he made us donate money to build a shrine and burn incense to worship the gods. We donated money and worshipped the gods, but in the end..."

Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister sighed deeply, his face showing a hint of indignation: "Killing too many insects is against the harmony of nature, but if we don't control the locusts, causing crops to fail and people to resort to cannibalism, wouldn't that also be against the harmony of nature?"

The Prime Minister quickly composed himself and recounted his thoughts and reflections on his journey eastward to everyone:

"The most urgent task is to formulate detailed strategies and make every effort to eradicate the locusts."

"If the locusts have not yet hatched, the best course of action is to call upon the people to dig them up."

"But now the locusts have hatched and the larvae have molted. We can only try our best to call on the people to work together to kill them before they turn into flying locusts."

"The first method was to summon the people to dig deep trenches and long moats in the direction in which the locusts were moving."

“At night, bonfires are lit beside the trenches. Locusts are attracted to the light and leap into the trenches. Then they are buried with soil or captured and killed with wooden boards or dense nets.”

"The second method was to summon the people to make a screen using cloth, cowhide, fishing nets and other materials, and to work together to push forward in the locust-infested areas, driving the locusts to the trenches to sweep and capture them."

"If there are locusts, the imperial court will purchase and exchange them by the measure."

"For every bushel of locusts caught, the imperial court would distribute one bushel of rice to the people."

“The third method.” The Prime Minister looked at Jiang Wei.

"Boyue, take my order immediately and quickly coordinate the post horses to order the magistrates, chiefs, lieutenants, and assistants of each county to purchase chickens, ducks, and poultry in each prefecture and county."

"Chickens and ducks are good at catching locusts. The cost is low and there are no future problems. They can also fatten the poultry. In the future, they can be sold to the people or given as rewards to officials and soldiers."

Jiang Wei clasped his hands and bowed: "I obey your command!"

The Prime Minister then looked at Guo Youzhi, the Left Fengyi Commander, and Chen Zhi, the Magistrate of Linjin, and said:
“Youzhi, Fengzong, and Zuofengyi are the four counties of Linjin, Chongquan, Xiagui, and Huayin, which are adjacent to the Yellow River and Shayuan. These are of utmost importance in preventing locusts.”

"You two shall immediately summon all the farm managers and order the farm people to act in accordance with these three laws."

"Furthermore, it is explicitly forbidden to build shrines, burn incense, or make prayers to the gods."

"Any investigation must be conducted immediately to prohibit such actions, and any official who fails to supervise effectively will be severely punished without exception!"

Chen Zhi nodded first, and then said, "Prime Minister, in addition to exchanging grain for locusts, could we establish a system of rewards and punishments?"
"For example, farms and individual people who have made contributions to locust control are given extra grain and silk rewards."

"Those who are passive and negligent in their work or even conceal the locust infestation will be punished."

"Excellent." The Prime Minister gave Chen Zhi an approving look. Over the past six months, many of the reward and punishment systems at Fengyi Farm were established by Chen Zhi and Guo Youzhi. Now, the wheat seedlings are green for hundreds of miles around, and the people are working happily. It can be said that the results have been remarkable.

"You and Youzhi should refine the regulations for this matter and issue them as soon as possible."

"In addition, Youzhi immediately drafted three policies for controlling locusts into official documents and sent them to various counties and prefectures of the Han Dynasty."

"From this day forward, all county magistrates and chiefs who hear reports of locust infestations from the people must personally inspect the situation and must not shirk their responsibilities or delay. "Especially in counties that experienced drought last year but have had abundant rainfall this spring, if any locust plague breaks out this year, or if the court finds after investigation that county officials heard reports of locust infestations from the people but failed to investigate or take action, resulting in great harm, they will be held accountable!"

"Furthermore, if anyone dares to claim that the locust plague is a gift from Heaven and is attributable to the virtuous governance of humankind, he shall be immediately dismissed from his post and replaced by a capable official!"

Guo Youzhi, Jiang Wei, Chen Zhi, and other important officials of the Han Dynasty, upon hearing the Prime Minister's clear and concise presentation and seeing his solemn expression, all became awe-inspiring and respectful.

Zhuge Jin remained standing silently in the distance. Although his expression shifted slightly upon hearing his younger brother's words, he ultimately refrained from saying anything.

After a short while, the Prime Minister composed himself and looked at Guo Youzhi, Chen Zhi, Jiang Wei, and the others:
"Although there is no war in Guanzhong at present, this year's summer harvest in Guanzhong is crucial to the fate of the Han Dynasty. The locust plague is worse than the war, and eliminating the locusts is worse than fighting. The army's food and the people's livelihood all depend on this. You must not be careless and must not make any mistakes."

"I will obey the Prime Minister's orders!"

"We must do everything in our power to protect the crops!"

Jiang Wei, Chen Zhi, and the others clasped their hands in acceptance of the order.

……

……

into the night.

At the Linjin Post Station, a single lamp flickered dimly.

The Prime Minister and his elder brother sat facing each other at a table.

Besides two bowls of millet rice, there were two golden-brown flatbreads and a bowl of soup mixed with wild vegetables on the table, which looked very simple.

Upon closer inspection, however, the pancakes were found to contain a number of green locusts, and the soup, besides the vegetable leaves, also contained some locust remains and broken arms.

The prime minister picked up a locust cake with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, chewed it calmly, and remained composed.

Sitting opposite the Prime Minister, Zhuge Jin's gaze lingered between the locust cakes and locust soup for a long time. He picked up his chopsticks and put them down again, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to eat them.

Looking up at his younger brother across from him, who was enjoying his meal, he saw a calm and undisturbed face. His features were somewhat similar to his own, and he looked much more vigorous than when they had met a few years ago.

"Brother, did you previously deal with locust plagues in Jingzhou and Shu?" he asked.

The Prime Minister swallowed the food in his mouth, then scooped up a spoonful of soup and drank it. Only then did he look up at his elder brother and answer frankly:
“Never.

"When my younger brother was farming in Nanyang, he did not encounter a great locust plague."

"After entering Sichuan, this problem was less common in Sichuan."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Jin looked surprised: "Since you haven't experienced it firsthand, how come you are so familiar with the habits of locusts, as well as various methods of locust extermination such as digging trenches, setting up enclosures, and feeding chickens and ducks on the wasteland of the river during the day? Could it be that someone has already offered you a plan?"

The Prime Minister smiled and put down his soup spoon:

"No.

"The habits of locusts and various methods of locust control were all discussed by the villagers in Xinxiang, a place in the southern border of Xinye, when the late emperor stationed his troops in Xinye to resist Cao Cao in the north. In the thirteenth year of Jian'an, when the emperor was stationed in Xinye to resist Cao Cao in the north, I heard about it from the villagers."

“At that time, the people of Xinxiang told my brother that their ancestors had always dealt with locusts in this way.”

"Although the locust plague cannot be completely eradicated, the number of crops protected is still greater than in other places."

"More importantly, in other parts of Xinye, when locusts swarm, there are often tragedies of people exchanging children to eat. Only in the Xinxiang area, people rely on these locusts they catch, mix them with some grains, and make cakes, cakes, soups, and other necessities to survive. The number of survivors is the largest."

Liang heard it and kept it in mind.

"I thought this was the wisdom of the common people to survive, and it should not be forgotten. I never thought that I would actually use this method in Guanzhong today."

Zhuge Jin was both surprised and astonished.

So it turns out that my younger brother's skillful locust control strategy originated from a chance encounter with a commoner more than 20 years ago?
After a moment, his gaze fell again on the locust cakes and soup on the table, and he hesitated before asking:
"Are these locusts really edible?"

“Back when you were young in Langya, a swarm of locusts once passed through your territory.”

"Birds pecked at the locusts and died in the fields."

"The villagers all say that this is a celestial insect, because it carries divine poison."

“Brother, you are overthinking it.” The Prime Minister shook his head and smiled, his tone calm.

"The people of Xinxiang have been doing this for generations. They say that as long as the food is thoroughly cooked in boiling water, it will be harmless. I ate it today and did not feel anything different."

He picked up a locust from the soup and handed it to Zhuge Jin, saying, "Brother, why don't you give it a try?"

Zhuge Jin looked at the insect whose shape was still vaguely discernible on the tip of his younger brother's chopsticks, his Adam's apple bobbed, but in the end he couldn't bring himself to pick up the chopsticks.

"Kongming, you are the prime minister of a country. If you want to set an example and show the world frugality, simple clothes and coarse food are enough. Why... why do you have to taste such extraordinary things yourself?"

His words carried the fastidiousness inherent in the literati and their aversion to locusts, which were considered unusual creatures.

Upon hearing his brother's words, the Prime Minister's smile gradually faded, but he put down his chopsticks and looked directly at his brother: "Eating locusts is better than eating people."

"Eating locusts is filthy. Does that mean exchanging children to eat or splitting bones for cooking is not filthy?"

Zhuge Jin was stunned by this question and was speechless, staring blankly at his younger brother.

Exchanging children to eat, splitting bones to cook food—these are the most tragic aspects of human existence.

Silence spread among the brothers.

After a long while, Zhuge Jin finally came to her senses, avoided her brother's gaze, and looked out at the deep night.

“Kongming, even if this method is effective against locusts, even if this creature is edible… weren’t the orders you issued in the fields during the day a bit too… resolute?” He carefully chose his words.

“Strict orders such as ‘removing them from their posts’ and ‘holding them accountable’ leave no room for leniency. In particular, you have explicitly prohibited folk prayers and denouncing them as useless practices.”

"Do you know that in the Central Plains, in Jiangnan, and even in your Shu and Guanzhong regions, whether scholars or commoners, eight or nine out of ten people still deeply believe in 'disasters and divine retribution'?"

"If...if someone were to use this to attack you, saying that this locust plague is because the Han Dynasty has been waging war for years, violating the harmony of Heaven, and thus this calamity is sent as punishment...how would you respond?"

The prime minister listened quietly, showing neither anger nor panic. He simply chewed another bite of locust cake, swallowed it, and then spoke gently:
"How could I not know what my elder brother is worried about?"
"However, if we follow this theory of divine retribution, wouldn't Cao Pi's usurpation of the Han dynasty be even more of a defiance of Heaven's will, and a loss of the Mandate of Heaven?"
"Why is it that when the Luo River dried up and the Central Plains were barren for thousands of miles, no one used this as a basis to criticize Cao Wei?"
"Human effort is crucial. Natural phenomena and calamities can serve as a means to reflect on oneself and be vigilant in governance, but they should not bind one to them and wait for death."

He picked up the locust soup on the table, took another sip, and then continued:
"As for prayers and exorcisms... if one prays sincerely and builds temples, the locusts will be driven away. Why did the prayers of those people in Linjin who exchanged children to eat twenty years ago fail to reach the ears of the heavens?"
"Liang is not disrespectful to ghosts and gods, but he believes even more in human power, that things can be accomplished by human effort."

"Those who govern should prioritize the people's livelihood and be pragmatic."

"If one sits idly by while locusts devour crops and people suffer famine because of fear of fame or concern for criticism, then one has committed a grave breach of morality!"
"If I hesitate today because of what others say, and there is no harvest in Guanzhong in the future, and the dead starve everywhere, what good will it do to make a thousand reasons and ten thousand excuses to turn to ditch and dry bones?"

"What benefit would this bring to the people who exchange children for food and split their bones for cooking?"

"What benefit would this bring to the fundamental fate of the Han Dynasty?"

His gaze sharpened as he stared directly at his brother:

"My brother has been in Jiangdong for many years, and he must have personally witnessed the suffering caused by famine."

"Is it to place one's hopes on ethereal divine grace, or to rely on human effort and scheming? Which can truly save countless lives? The answer is self-evident."

“I will bear all the criticism and slander myself.”

Looking at his younger brother's unwavering expression, as firm as a mountain, Zhuge Jin recalled the famine that had once struck Jiangdong, and thought of the displaced people. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, and finally, all his unspoken thoughts condensed into a single whisper:
"I only hope that my younger brother's actions this time will be successful, so that the people of Guanzhong will not suffer from famine."

Seeing that his elder brother's attitude had softened, the Prime Minister's expression also relaxed. His gaze swept over the food on the table, then he looked up at the dim lamplight on the table and slowly said:
"A great man stands between heaven and earth, establishing himself and his virtue, establishing a heart for heaven and earth, establishing a destiny for the people, continuing the lost learning of the past sages, and creating peace for all generations."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Jin suddenly looked up at his younger brother, silently repeating the four sentences in his heart. He felt that each word carried immense weight, was powerful and inspiring.

"To establish a moral compass for Heaven and Earth, to secure a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations..."

"Establish oneself and cultivate virtue..."

"Establish oneself and cultivate virtue..."

With these four words, my brother can be remembered for eternity!

The Prime Minister shook his head and smiled:

“Brother, you flatter me. These are not my words, but what His Majesty said to me personally in the Chang’an Palace after returning to the capital.”

"Your Majesty?!" Zhuge Jin exclaimed in disbelief, hardly able to believe his ears. The young master of Ji Han, whom he thought was merely inheriting the legacy of his father, could actually utter such profound truths that encompass the universe and penetrate the past and present.

The Prime Minister nodded firmly and smiled:

"To establish a moral compass for Heaven and Earth is the realm of a sage, and I dare not harbor the slightest vain thought."

"To continue the lost learning of the sages is the duty of virtuous men. I do not seek to understand deeply when I read books, but only grasp the general outline, which is beyond my ability."

"To bring peace to all generations... is the achievement of a true king. Since the chaos of war, I have longed for it. Thus, I have spent half my life assisting the late emperor and Your Majesty in this endeavor, but I do not know if I will live to see it accomplished."

At this point, his gaze returned to the locust cakes and locust soup on the table.

"At present, the only thing Liang can do, and must do, is to 'establish a life for the people'."

Therefore, we should be cautious and prudent, as if walking on thin ice, and dare not slacken for even a day.

At this point, he raised his head again, his gaze fixed intently on his elder brother sitting before him, his words carrying a deeper meaning for the first time:
“Brother, you possess extraordinary talent and wisdom, and have inherited the wisdom of the ancient sages. Are you willing to spend your whole life confined to a corner of Jiangnan, exhausting all your learning for Sun Quan, who dictates the world and oppresses the people?”
"Is it possible that all this talent and learning can only be used to settle the private affairs of the king and his family, but not to settle the public affairs of the people under heaven, and not to seek a better life for the common people in this world?"
"If that's the case, then how will you, elder brother, stand between heaven and earth after inheriting the lost learning of the sages? How will you face the ancient worthies?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Jin remained silent. In the end, he took the locust cake from the table and ate it along with the locust soup.

Mixed feelings.

(End of this chapter)