The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 132 The students... I really can't rest easy. (Please vote with monthly tickets!!!)

Li Chengqian pondered for a long time. What Li Yichen had just said was like a series of thunderclaps, splitting open the barriers that had been built up in his mind.

Those theories about catching locusts, eating locusts, and even regulating grain prices may seem shocking at first glance, but upon closer examination, they reveal a cold yet efficient logic that is quite different from that found in classical texts.

He slowly raised his head, a hint of determination in his eyes, and looked at Li Yichen.

"The disaster relief measures you mentioned are all interconnected, and the whole situation can be affected by a single move. They cannot be implemented simply by issuing a few decrees. There are countless details involved, and local officials may either outwardly comply but inwardly resist or lack the ability to do so. As a student, I am really not at ease."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly firm, even carrying a hint of unprecedented impulsiveness.

"My mind is made up. I intend to go to the disaster area in Shandong Province in person to oversee the relief efforts. Only by being there in person can I understand the true situation, supervise all parties, and ensure that all measures are implemented."

"What do you think, sir?"

Li Yichen remained calm upon hearing this.

He nodded slightly.

"Your Highness's willingness to take this initiative is truly a blessing for the people in the disaster area. Your personal supervision will certainly deter the wicked, inspire the local authorities, ensure the smooth implementation of government orders, and reduce the losses incurred by layers of exploitation. I second that proposal."

Having received Li Yichen's affirmation, Li Chengqian felt reassured.

"In that case, sir, besides the methods we just discussed, what else do we need to prepare for our journey?"

"Money and supplies are of paramount importance. Bonds may be reused, but how exactly should they be managed?"

After a moment's thought, Li Yichen analyzed the situation clearly.

"Your Highness is wise. The bonds can indeed be reused. Currently, the Crown Prince's bonds are selling for more than 30% more than face value because the first batch was issued quickly and there is no risk in the Western Regions. This is not a sustainable situation."

“Excessively high prices can easily breed speculation, and once there is any disturbance, the backlash will be even more severe.”

"Taking advantage of this disaster relief opportunity, we can appropriately increase the issuance of bonds. This will not only raise urgently needed funds and supplies, but also stabilize market prices, bringing them back to normal and consolidating the foundation of credit."

“However,” he added, changing the subject.

"The amount of this issuance should not be too large. I estimate that 50,000 strings of cash will be sufficient. Too little will be a drop in the ocean, while too much may cause too much impact and panic among bondholders."

"This 50,000 strings of cash was not entirely raised in the form of money and silk. It can be made clear to the world that these bonds can be redeemed with grain at a discounted price, and grain will be given priority in collection."

"The court will convert the grain at a fair price that is slightly higher than the current market price. This will directly attract grain merchants from all over the country to transport grain to Chang'an or designated official granaries, saving the court the cost of subsequent procurement and transportation."

Li Chengqian frowned slightly and raised his concerns.

"Sir, your strategy is brilliant, using bonds to directly absorb grain. However... I have heard of the locust threat in Shandong. Although grain prices in Chang'an appear stable on the surface these past two days, I fear there may already be signs of locusts stirring in secret."

“Once the extent of the disaster is confirmed, grain prices will inevitably soar. At that time, the amount of grain that 50,000 strings of cash can buy will probably be less than expected.”

Li Yichen shook his head, his tone calm.

“Your Highness’s concerns are understandable. However, please consider this carefully. The world is currently at peace. Apart from some areas in Shandong that have suffered from disasters, Guanzhong, Hedong, Jianghuai, and even Shuzhong are all fertile lands with sufficient grain reserves in government granaries and households.”

"The key to grain price fluctuations lies not in the amount of grain in stock, but in whether it is circulating and in whether expectations are positive or negative."

He went on to analyze it further.

"If the imperial court forcibly suppresses prices, it will cut off the circulation and force the grain to be sold in the dark, which will only make the disaster worse."

"Conversely, if the imperial court clearly states that it will purchase grain fairly with bonds and promises that grain prices in disaster areas can be traded at market prices, although the prices will be high, it will give grain merchants across the country a clear incentive. Merchants, driven by profit, will spontaneously organize grain teams to transport surplus grain from various places to disaster areas, as long as there is profit to be made and the roads are unobstructed."

"The phrase 'uninterrupted supply' is the most fundamental force for stabilizing grain prices."

"The grain directly absorbed by the 50,000 guan bonds is just the beginning. More importantly, this move is to show the world the court's determination and channels to solve the grain supply problem, stabilize expectations, and guide larger-scale private grain transportation activities."

"Therefore, I believe that 50,000 strings of cash, supplemented by refined salt, should be sufficient to start the operation. The key lies in whether the subsequent diversion measures can keep up."

Li Chengqian seemed lost in thought, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the table.

"I understand your meaning, sir. The power of the court is sometimes limited, but the power of the people is boundless."

"The primary task of disaster relief is not for the imperial court to take on everything, but to use the imperial court's power to guide and leverage the power of the people to ensure the smooth flow of supplies. Only in this way can the overall situation be saved."

He paused for a moment, then said, "However, where should I focus my attention on this trip? While matters such as locust control, locust consumption, and grain prices are important, they all seem to be matters of emergency?"

"Your Highness is absolutely right," Li Yichen affirmed.

"Emergency situations require swift and decisive action, but as the Crown Prince, Your Highness must also have a long-term vision. Your primary task in personally visiting the disaster area is to stabilize public morale, organize production, and plan for post-disaster reconstruction. This is fundamental."

He elaborated: "For example, after a locust plague, the fields are damaged, the people are in a state of panic, and the autumn sowing this year and even the grain seeds for next spring are all in trouble."

"Your Highness must instruct local authorities to compile statistics on the affected farmland and the number of farmers lacking seeds, and to promptly allocate or borrow grain seeds from the granaries or unaffected prefectures and counties to ensure that the planting season is not missed."

"This is the top priority in post-disaster reconstruction, as it concerns whether famine will recur next year."

"For example, as mentioned earlier, allowing grain prices to rise is intended to guide the market, but there will inevitably be poor families who cannot afford to buy it."

“This necessitates ‘work relief’. Your Highness can recruit disaster victims on a large scale, reward them with money and rice, and have them participate in various projects organized by the government.”

"Such as digging pits to bury locust corpses, preparing large amounts of firewood for burning and cooking locusts, and even repairing houses, roads and ditches damaged by locust swarms."

"In this way, the disaster victims can get food and survive, the government can have labor to promote disaster relief, and the local area can repair and recover. This achieves multiple benefits at once, far better than simply distributing relief, which only breeds laziness and injustice."

"For example, once the grain price is set, powerful and corrupt officials will take the opportunity to hoard and extort, or fights and robberies will break out among the people due to the scramble for supplies."

"This requires Your Highness to oversee the situation, clarify the laws, enforce strict punishments and rewards, and dispatch reliable personnel to patrol the market, suppress illegal activities, and ensure order, so that the court's good laws and intentions do not become a breeding ground for wicked people to profit and for the people to suffer."

Li Chengqian nodded repeatedly as he listened, feeling his thoughts becoming increasingly clear.

However, Li Yichen's frequent use of the term "work relief" and his earlier mentions of "the visible hand" and "the invisible hand" aroused his curiosity and desire to investigate.

These words seem to have a specific meaning, yet they are not commonly found in classical texts such as history, philosophy, and literature.

He couldn't help but interrupt and ask, "Sir, you have mentioned 'work relief' several times, and also the 'visible hand' and the 'invisible hand.' I am too dull to understand the specific meaning of these three terms."

"How can it be used in disaster relief? I hope you can give me detailed guidance."

Li Yichen knew that the Crown Prince was gradually falling into his trap and began to actively explore these forward-thinking ideas, which was a good opportunity to guide him to deepen his thinking.

He organized his thoughts and tried to explain it in a way that fit the language of this world as closely as possible.

“Your Highness has inquired, so I will attempt to explain. These three matters all concern the principles of fiscal allocation and the well-being of the people.”

"Let's start with 'work relief'. The core of this policy is to change unpaid charity into paid labor. If the court opens the granaries and distributes the grain directly, the disaster victims will sit and wait for relief, which will easily lead to laziness and make it easy for clerks to embezzle the grain, making it difficult to benefit everyone fairly."

"Work-for-relief means that the government provides opportunities for public labor, such as chopping wood, repairing roads, and digging trenches, as I just mentioned, so that disaster victims can earn money and rice by using their own strength."

"In this way, the disaster victims will have food, retain their sense of shame, and maintain their diligence. The government will have work to do, promote practical matters, and ensure that money and grain are used effectively, far more efficiently than wasting resources. The country will be at peace, and the people will have something to do, making it less likely for trouble to arise, and the number of displaced people will naturally decrease."

"This is a good way to combine relief with production and turn consumption into construction."

A glint flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes, and he clapped his hands, saying, "Excellent! In this way, the money and grain provided by the court are not wasted, but are exchanged for real construction labor. The disaster victims are not merely receiving favors, but are earning their own living!"

"This is truly a win-win solution! This method must be vigorously promoted in the disaster area!"

Li Yichen nodded.

"As for the 'invisible hand' and the 'visible hand,' these are metaphors I have used to facilitate explanation, to describe two forces in the world that regulate supply and demand and allocate resources."

"The so-called 'invisible hand' refers to the self-regulating force. For example, grain prices: if the government does not intervene, the price will be high when there is a shortage of grain, and the high price will entice grain merchants from all directions to bring grain to sell. When there is a surplus of grain, the price will gradually stabilize."

"Conversely, if there is an abundance of grain but a low price, there will be fewer traders and production will also decrease."

"This is because countless merchants and farmers acted spontaneously based on their own interests, and in the end, they were able to adjust the surplus and shortage and stabilize prices invisibly, as if there was an 'invisible hand' controlling things behind the scenes."

"In this disaster relief effort, I suggest allowing a moderate increase in grain prices, precisely to leverage this 'invisible hand' to attract grain supplies and facilitate logistics."

Li Chengqian pondered: "This 'invisible hand' is to exploit the human instinct to seek profit and guide it for the greater good?"

“Exactly,” Li Yichen affirmed.

"However, this method is not omnipotent and has its limitations. If it is allowed to be manipulated, the rich will become richer and the poor will become poorer. In the event of natural disasters or man-made calamities, the poor and weak will be in immediate danger of destruction."

"Moreover, merchants, driven by profit, sometimes hoard goods and drive up prices, which harms people's livelihoods. Therefore, the 'visible hand' is needed to restrain and guide them."

“This ‘visible hand’ refers to the power of the imperial court and government,” Li Yichen explained.

"The imperial court actively intervened, regulated distribution, maintained fairness, and protected people's livelihoods by enacting laws, collecting taxes, undertaking projects, managing the Ever-Normal Granary, and providing direct relief."

"For example, setting up soup kitchens in disaster areas to provide free relief to the poor; using grain stored in the Ever-Normal Granary and releasing it into the grain market at opportune times to demonstrate the court's control and curb speculation; using severe laws and punishments to crack down on unscrupulous merchants hoarding grain; and organizing 'work-for-relief' programs to provide employment opportunities. All of these are examples of the 'visible hand' at work."

He concluded: "Therefore, those who govern well, especially in dealing with such great disasters, do not simply rely on the 'invisible hand' to let things go unchecked, nor do they rely solely on the 'visible hand' to forcibly suppress them."

"It should be understood that if the water is too clear, there will be no fish, and if it is too strictly controlled, people will suffer. However, if the water is too turbid, fish and turtles will not live, and if it is completely uncontrolled, the strong will prey on the weak."

"The two must be combined: the 'visible hand' should be used to define boundaries, maintain order, and safeguard the bottom line; at the same time, the vitality of the 'invisible hand' should be respected and utilized to guide its flow to where it is needed."

"This disaster relief effort allows for fluctuations in grain prices using the 'invisible hand,' while the imperial court's relief efforts, work-for-relief programs, and crackdowns on unscrupulous merchants use the 'visible hand.'"

"Only by using both hands, combining strength and gentleness, can one find a glimmer of hope amidst disaster and preserve as much vitality as possible."

Li Chengqian was deeply moved by what he heard. It was as if a new window had opened before him, and many previously vague and contradictory problems in governing the country were now clearly explained by this "two-pronged" approach.

He pondered the metaphors of "the invisible hand" and "the visible hand" repeatedly, finding them increasingly apt and profound.

"Sir, your words are truly thought-provoking!" Li Chengqian sighed, his face flushed with excitement.

"In the past, we only knew about benevolent governance and loving the people, and about suppressing commerce and emphasizing agriculture, but we have never analyzed the key points of this so thoroughly!"

"This approach of using both 'hands' is not only applicable to disaster relief, but it should also be applicable to governing a country in peacetime!"

He suddenly stood up, paced around the hall several times, then abruptly stopped, his gaze fixed intently on Li Yichen.

"I will go to see my father immediately to inform him of my intention to personally go to the disaster area and to petition for the issuance of an additional 50,000 strings of cash bonds, primarily in exchange for grain and salt! I will do my utmost to implement the extraordinary measures you have taught me in Shandong!"

Inside the Liangyi Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it could be squeezed out of you.

The urgent dispatch from six hundred li (approximately 300 kilometers) regarding the locust plague in several prefectures of Shandong, including Cao, Pu, and Qi, weighed heavily on the hearts of every high-ranking official present, as well as on the desk of the emperor.

Li Shimin's face was gloomy, his fingers gripping the thin yet incredibly heavy silk, his knuckles turning slightly white.

His gaze swept over Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, Gao Shilian, Tang Jian and others standing solemnly below, his voice slightly hoarse with suppressed emotion.

"Gentlemen, have you all read it? What good strategies do you have? Please share them."

Tang Jian stepped forward first, his brows furrowed, his face showing his usual seriousness and deep worry at this moment.

"Your Majesty, the urgent report states that the locust nymphs are breeding and spreading rapidly, causing severe damage to crops. The most urgent task is to immediately issue an edict, ordering all prefectures and counties in Shandong Province to organize officials and civilians to carry out a full-scale extermination effort."

"It is necessary to delineate areas, clarify responsibilities, and order the prefects and county magistrates to personally go to the fields to supervise the battle, without any mistakes. This is the most important task."

Li Shimin nodded slightly. This was the proper course of action and the most direct means of dealing with locust plagues throughout history.

“Very well. Xuanling, the Secretariat shall immediately draft an edict and send it by express courier to Shandong Province and neighboring prefectures.” “Your subject obeys the edict.” Fang Xuanling bowed and accepted the order, then added, “Your Majesty, the suppression requires manpower, but also procedures.”

“We could refer to the precedents set by the previous dynasty and the Wude era, dividing the land into sections based on bao and li, setting quotas, and having the people work in groups to kill locusts and pay for them as proof of effectiveness. The government could provide a small amount of money or grain or reduce some of the corvée labor as an incentive.”

"Approved," Li Shimin replied succinctly.

"The Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Ministry of Personnel should quickly determine the detailed rules and issue them for implementation."

Gao Shilian raised his eyes at this moment, his gaze calm yet powerful.

"Your Majesty, while the suppression of the disaster is of utmost importance, the people are already suffering from the disaster. The court must immediately begin relief efforts to prevent displacement and stabilize public sentiment."

He paused, his voice low but each word clear.

"I have heard that there are signs of fluctuating grain prices in the disaster area. Your Majesty, please inform me how the court will deal with grain prices and how it will allocate funds and grain for relief?"

This is the crux of the problem, and a dilemma that everyone in the hall is well aware of.

All eyes turned to the Minister of the Treasury, who was in charge of the national treasury.

Tang Jian's face grew even uglier. He took a deep breath and stepped forward to speak.

“Your Majesty, what Attendant Wei said is exactly what I am deeply worried about. Last year, there was a slight harvest in Guanzhong, and this spring, expenses in various places are also heavy. The grain stored in the Taicang and Hanjia granaries needs to be guaranteed for the capital, the border troops and the Changping granaries in various places. If a large amount of grain is transferred to Shandong, I am afraid that... I am afraid that we will not be able to handle it.”

"Moreover, the transportation costs are enormous and the journey is long, so it may be too slow to be of immediate use."

He paused, then continued, "As for grain prices... according to usual practice, in the event of such a famine, the government should set up granaries to sell grain, stabilize prices, and strictly prohibit unscrupulous merchants from hoarding and speculating to raise prices for profit. However..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone in the hall understood that the meager grain reserves in the Ever-Normal Granary were like a drop in the ocean in the face of disasters in several provinces.

Forcibly suppressing prices often leads to a situation where there are prices but no market, grain is hidden, and the black market runs rampant, with potentially worse consequences.

Li Shimin tapped his fingers lightly on the imperial desk, a habitual gesture when he was deep in thought.

He was well aware of Tang Jian's predicament; the empty treasury was a persistent shadow hanging over his mind as emperor.

"Dai Qing, in your opinion, how much grain can be squeezed out of Taicang to provide relief to Shandong?"

Tang Jian quickly calculated in his mind and finally gave a cautious number.

"Your Majesty, if we need to deplete the granaries and suspend some non-essential expenditures, we may first allocate 50,000 shi of millet and transport it to Shandong as soon as possible."

"However, this amount may only be enough to sustain soup kitchens for ten days or so for the disaster victims in several states, and will hardly solve their fundamental problems."

Fifty thousand stones.

This number made the atmosphere inside the hall even more oppressive.

For a disaster that could affect hundreds of thousands or even more people, this is indeed far too little.

Changsun Wuji spoke at this moment, his voice steady and carrying a pragmatic calmness.

"Your Majesty, what Lord Dai said is all true. The national treasury is in dire straits, as everyone knows."

“However, relief is still necessary. I believe that, in addition to the allocation by the court, we should ask the neighboring provinces of Shandong, such as Henan and Hebei, to find ways to raise some grain and provide assistance from nearby areas.”

"At the same time, he strictly ordered the prefectures and counties in the disaster area to open granaries for relief and loans. This was the original intention of Emperor Taizu in establishing the system, precisely to deal with such unforeseen needs."

The Yicang (charitable granary) was originally established in the Sui Dynasty and continued in the present dynasty. It was a system in which local people stored grain to prepare for famine.

However, in actual operation, they often fail to play a real role due to poor management or control by local powerful figures.

Gao Shilian took over the conversation, his tone heavy.

"The proposal of public granaries is indeed a good idea. However, as far as I know, the public granaries in the Shandong prefectures suffered considerable losses after the chaos of the Sui Dynasty and were not fully replenished in the early years of this dynasty."

"Furthermore, if the administration is corrupt, the relief grain may not all reach the disaster victims. We need to send a capable censor to investigate this matter."

As Li Shimin listened, a sense of irritation rose in his heart.

There were difficulties with money and grain, and with corrupt officials; layer upon layer of difficulties, like an invisible net binding their hands and feet.

He suppressed his emotions and said in a deep voice, "The granaries must be put into use! Issue an edict to Shandong Province, ordering all prefectures and counties to immediately check the grain stored in the granaries and use it all for this relief effort."

"Anyone found guilty of embezzlement, misappropriation, or delay in relief efforts will be severely punished, from the prefectural governor down to the county magistrate! Furthermore, the Censorate is hereby ordered to select capable censors to carry out my imperial edict and go to the disaster area to inspect relief efforts and impeach any illegal activities."

"Your Majesty is wise," the ministers said in unison.

But behind this "wise" decision lies the well-known difficulty of its implementation.

“Furthermore,” Li Shimin looked sharply at Tang Jian, “aside from official granaries and charitable granaries, are there no other options?”

"Those powerful and influential families, with their granaries full, could we persuade them to contribute grain to the relief efforts? Could the court perhaps bestow honors upon them, or perhaps offer some preferential treatment?"

This is what is meant by soliciting donations.

Tang Jian smiled bitterly to himself, but replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I have already considered this. However... forcing such a matter might cause resentment, so I can only offer advice."

"His attitude... is unknown. It may be worth trying, but I dare not guarantee the results."

Li Shimin snorted coldly and said nothing more.

He knew all too well the ways of those powerful families; getting them to part with real money during times of national hardship was by no means easy.

Silence fell once again in the hall, broken only by the faint crackling of the burning candlelight.

Everyone felt the pressure on their shoulders.

The locust plague is like a sword hanging over our heads, but our countermeasures are hampered at every turn.

The Minister of War, who had remained silent until now, could not help but speak up: "Your Majesty, the locust plague is severe. If not handled properly, it could lead to widespread refugees and internal strife. Should we dispatch troops from nearby military garrisons to assist the local authorities in maintaining order and suppressing any potential unrest?"

Li Shimin glanced at him and shook his head.

"It hasn't come to that yet. Using the army would easily cause panic among the people, which would be counterproductive. The priority right now is still to fight the locusts and provide relief. As long as the people have enough to eat and don't starve to death, there won't be any chaos."

Despite his words, he remained equally wary.

At the end of the Sui Dynasty, many wars broke out due to famine.

He would never allow the Tang Dynasty to repeat the same mistakes.

Fang Xuanling pondered for a long time before speaking again.

"Your Majesty, I recall that during the reign of Emperor Yuan of Han, there was a great flood in Guandong, and the court ordered that starving people could seek food in the area between the Yangtze and Huai rivers."

"Given the current locust plague in Shandong, could we follow ancient practices and allow some of the affected people to migrate to bountiful areas like Huainan and Jingxiang to find food, thereby alleviating the pressure on the disaster-stricken areas and dispersing the burden of relief efforts?"

"Relocate people to find food..." Li Shimin repeated these four words, his brows furrowed.

This is also an ancient method, but it is equally difficult to implement.

"How should we manage the migrants during their journey? How should we provide them with food and supplies? How should we settle them after they arrive? Will this cause conflict between the two places? Xuanling, this issue involves a wide range of issues and requires careful consideration."

He recalled the Crown Prince's recent insistence on the matter of relocating people from Xizhou, and his heart stirred slightly, but he immediately suppressed it.

Xizhou was a frontier region, so the situation was different.

Large-scale migrations from the mainland can easily trigger social unrest and should not be used lightly unless absolutely necessary.

Gao Shilian spoke again, his tone firm.

"Your Majesty, whatever policy is adopted, the court must make a firm decision and act swiftly. Edicts must be clear, and rewards and punishments must be credible."

"Those who fail to effectively combat locusts or provide unfair relief should be severely punished without exception. Only when the imperial court demonstrates its swift and resolute measures will local officials dare not slacken their efforts, and cunning individuals will not dare to act recklessly."

Li Shimin took a deep breath; Gao Shilian's words resonated with him.

As an emperor, in this time of crisis, one must demonstrate absolute authority and determination.

"What Gao Qing says is absolutely right. I hereby decree: The locust plague in Shandong Province is the most important national matter at present. I hereby order the Shandong Circuit Governor and the prefects of all prefectures to devote all their efforts to locust control and disaster relief. Anyone who neglects their duties or fails to provide effective relief, resulting in the expansion of the disaster and the boiling of public resentment, will be severely punished by me, regardless of their rank! Any capable official who effectively combats the locusts, pacifies the people, and protects their lives will be rewarded with titles and honors!"

His voice echoed in the hall, carrying an unquestionable will.

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the ministers solemnly replied.

Specific strategies were initially determined one by one during this tense but pragmatic discussion.

We will launch a full-scale crackdown, refining our approach based on past practices.

All possible food resources were mobilized for relief, including government granaries and charitable granaries, and efforts were made to solicit donations.

Local authorities were strictly ordered to strengthen oversight and control grain prices.

Large-scale relocation and the use of the military are not being considered at this time...

However, everyone knows in their hearts that these measures are mostly just following the old system, and whether they can effectively curb this sudden disaster remains to be seen.

The empty national treasury, the potential flaws in officialdom, the wait-and-see attitude of local powerful clans, and the locusts themselves that blot out the sky are all enormous challenges.

Li Shimin watched as his ministers, burdened with heavy steps, departed to receive their orders, while he remained alone in the empty hall.

He walked up to the huge map and his gaze fell on the vast area of ​​Shandong Road.

“Locust plague…the people’s hearts…” he murmured to himself.

He knew that this disaster was not only a test of the Tang Dynasty's material reserves, but also a test of his ruling ability as the Zhenguan Emperor.

If not handled properly, the previously accumulated reputation and the hard-won stability may be impacted.

He recalled the early days of his reign, when natural disasters were also frequent. How did he manage to get through those times?

He relied on the concerted efforts of his ministers, on tireless hard work, and on his spirit of believing in human affairs rather than fate.

Does that spirit still remain?

Have he, and all the officials in the court, lost their will to live in peace for so long?
A deep sense of exhaustion washed over him, but he quickly dispelled it.

He was Li Shimin, the man who fought his way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood to create the prosperous reign of Zhenguan.

He absolutely cannot, and will never, be defeated by a locust plague.

"By imperial decree, starting tomorrow, my daily food intake will be halved until the disaster situation in Shandong is alleviated."

He addressed the empty hall in a deep voice.

Wang De, who was guarding outside the hall, felt a tremor in his heart and quickly bowed in response.

This is not just a gesture, but also a warning to himself and to the world.

(End of this chapter)