Four months without rain, dry winds rise, wheat seedlings fail to show, many wither and die.
In just over three months, the rivers near countless villages across the Central Plains have become much shallower.
What were once rushing currents are now shallow shoals; when oxen walk across, the water doesn't even reach their backs.
The scorching sun extends its fiery tongue, licking every inch of the Great Han's land.
Trees weakly droop their long willow branches.
All grasses wither, lying prostrate on the scorching earth and stones, awaiting an early demise!
And this is just the tip of the iceberg in this scorched land, after three months of drought.
In mid-July, the bright sun still shines high, and the cracked earth resembles the wrinkles on an old man's face after enduring the wind and frost – so clear, so deep, so full of helpless sorrow!
Cracked openings have already appeared in field after field of wheat. Many people had anticipated that this year's harvest would likely yield nothing.
But… when this scene truly unfolded…
It still brought many farmers to tears, their eyes streaming with grief… The entire Jiuzhou was like this, desolate and bewildered!
No wind, no rain, a scorching sun, unbearable heat!
…
…
Yan Province, Puyang City.
“Father, I caught it… This locust is so big!” a small boy exclaimed excitedly, cupping something in his hands.
The adult behind him hurried over.
Indeed, the locust in the child’s hands was plump and large. One was as big as two normal ones…
“Good, good…”
The adult showed a satisfied smile. He carefully took out the locust and placed it into the jars and bottles they had prepared.
This father and son were originally local farmers. This year, due to the drought, they had reaped nothing…
It seemed their livelihood for the coming year was in question.
Logically, they shouldn’t have been smiling like this… But…
Fortunately… they had two barrels of oil at home, enough to fry locusts…
In the past, they would take captured locusts to the government to exchange for money, but now, who would be foolish enough to do that?
With the crop failure, grain prices had risen dozens of times, yet it was available in name only. The money exchanged was not enough to buy much grain, so it was better… to just fry locusts for sustenance.
Of course… catching locusts was not that easy!
The main problem was that there were too many people catching locusts in the fields. They might only catch a dozen a day… But these were undoubtedly the lifelines for the farmers.
“Father… there are more…”
The little boy smiled and chased after them. In his hand, he held a bug-catching net. This was originally used by the father and son to catch butterflies in the mountains when they had nothing to do. They never expected… it would be so useful now!
“Old Li? How many did you catch today?” a dark-skinned burly man on the side shouted to the middle-aged man.
“Bad luck, seven or eight, I guess!”
“Alas, have you noticed? The locusts in the fields have decreased significantly recently… Old Li, do you think one day we might catch them all!”
“This cursed weather… we can only live one day at a time. With this scorching sun and not a drop of rain… if it weren’t for frying locusts, we’d probably be gnawing on tree bark! How could we possibly care if the locusts are all caught or not?”
The two farmers chatted back and forth…
In fact, if it were like fishing, fishermen would often release small fry, an unwritten agreement in the fishing world.
But… locusts were different. These pests… had always ravaged crops, and the common people hated them to the bone. Who would care if they were small or large?
Small ones fried up crispy, large ones fried up with a chicken flavor!
Although the farmers’ hearts were filled with endless complaints about this cursed weather and a nameless fear of the future, they… at least had hope for now!
Catching locusts, at the very least, allowed them to eat something each day. This was hope!
As long as there was hope, there would be light even in the darkness!
…
…
Xuzhou, Xiapi City! This was Liu Bei’s territory.
Now, throughout the city, near the pharmacies and medical halls, there was a cacophony of groans…
“Ow… ow… my stomach hurts, my stomach hurts!”
“Who said these insects were edible? Lord Liu? He… he’s a liar!”
“I knew it… how can people eat locusts? Ow… ow…”
The entire thirteen provinces of the Great Han suffered crop failure in July, which was a heavy blow not only to Cao Cao but also to Liu Bei…
With no other choice, Liu Bei also followed Cao Cao’s example, ordering the people to catch locusts. However… catching locusts was one thing, but the outcome was entirely different from Cao Cao’s side.
The entire Xiapi City and Guangling City… were filled with cries of pain!
Some people had already died from eating locusts, and more people gathered in front of the yamen, beating drums to petition for justice!
Once locusts gather, they become poisonous. Even after being fried at high temperatures, some toxins remain. In this drought season, this was no different from taking a life!
“Dong dong dong…”
“Dong dong dong…”
The sound of drums shook the heavens. The people wanted to seek justice from Liu Bei, asking why… why did he say locusts were edible?
This… was this not harming people!
At this moment, Liu Bei was pacing back and forth in his yamen, his brow furrowed with worry!
He was also exasperated. He had clearly copied Cao Cao’s homework, and it was Cao Cao who had started the trend of eating locusts!
But… why was it that in Cao Cao’s entire Yan Province and the four commanderies of northern Xuzhou, there wasn’t a single problem, yet… when it came to him… it led to widespread poisoning?
“Elder brother… elder brother…” Zhang Fei shouted as he ran over, though he looked rather weak.
That’s right, in order to encourage the people to eat locusts, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had led by example, eating fried locusts themselves.
As a result… in less than half a day, both of them felt dizzy, lightheaded, and weak. In the end, they were on the verge of fainting.
If not for timely medical treatment and being force-fed strong medicine, these two brothers would probably still be lying in bed!
Guan Yu was even more serious; he couldn’t even bother to read the "Spring and Autumn Annals" and lay in bed all day!
Zhang Fei, on the other hand, had to visit the privy eight times a day, and his entire body was almost depleted.
According to the physicians, to expel this toxin, continuous purging was the only way!
While Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, with their strong physiques and timely treatment, survived the locust toxin…
This did not mean others had the same fortune. Large numbers of people were poisoned, and more were on the verge of death…
Of course… they ate locusts not just because of Liu Bei’s decree.
It was more because they heard… that the people in the northern part of Xuzhou and throughout Yan Province ate locusts without any issues!
Moreover… there were rumors in the marketplace that locusts were very nourishing, and eating them could even lead to having sons. The stories were nothing short of miraculous. Most importantly… locusts tasted absolutely delicious, often described as—crispy, with a chicken flavor!
However… while the taste was good, the locusts were poisonous!
Now, with large numbers of people poisoned, someone had to take the blame.
And, without a doubt, Liu Bei, the Prefect of Xiapi City, who had posted notices ordering everyone to catch locusts, was the most suitable candidate.
“Elder brother… elder brother… the people are about to storm the yamen, and we… we can’t stop them!”
Zhang Fei was almost in tears…
If it weren’t for the constant purging he’d been experiencing recently, with his strength… how could he possibly stop this crowd of commoners?
But…
“Prefect Liu, you… you say something!”
“Lord Liu, did Governor Tao give you Xuzhou just for you to poison us like this?”
“Big-eared scoundrel… get out here!”
Initially, the people’s words were polite, but as time went by, with the drought, the locust plague, and the complete crop failure… all their accumulated anger and frustration grew. As more people gathered, their rage swelled, on the verge of exploding!
Many had already directly called Liu Bei a “big-eared scoundrel.”
Even more people were banging on the gates of the yamen while cursing Liu Bei’s eighteen generations of ancestors.
The hearts of the people in Xuzhou were in turmoil, and it was becoming uncontrollable.
Even though Liu Bei appeared outwardly calm and composed…
In his heart, he was panicking. He felt as if he were about to wet himself, and the foundation of his reputation—benevolence and righteousness—was about to crumble!
The crucial point was…
Why? Was there still law and order? Was there any reason?
If eating locusts caused poisoning… why were the people in Yan Province not poisoned, why were the people in Cao Cao’s territory not poisoned, but specifically… why were Liu Bei’s people… groaning in pain, on the verge of death, and lying in bed, or even dying?
Liu Bei felt targeted…
He could not understand it no matter how hard he tried… There was simply no explanation for this!
In fact… there was an explanation!
However, this explanation belonged to a realm that Liu Bei could never reach; its name was "science"!
“Yide, Zilong…”
Finally, after a long period of silence, Liu Bei spoke. “Open the gates of the yamen, let the people in, let them… let them come at me!”
“Elder brother…”
“My Lord…”
Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei spoke simultaneously, as if they both had something to say.
But Liu Bei waved his hand heavily.
“The responsibility for the poisoning of the people falls on me, Liu Bei, alone. If I made a mistake, I made a mistake, and I must face it! If… if I don’t have the courage to face the wrath of the people, then in the future… how… how can I, Liu Bei, establish myself in this chaotic world!”
With these words, Liu Bei raised his hand again. “Open the gates of the yamen, let the people in, let them come at me… If Xiapi City and Guangling City are guilty, then the guilt lies with me, Liu Bei, alone!”
At this moment… Liu Bei appeared extremely resolute on the surface…
But in reality, he was gambling, gambling that the people would give him a chance.
Similarly, he was also gambling, gambling… that the people would not resort to any extreme actions.
Of course, Liu Bei could choose to evade, to not gamble, but if he did, then his decades of accumulated benevolence and virtue, the foundation of his reputation in this chaotic world, would be completely shattered in an instant!
“Elder brother…” Zhang Fei still wanted to persuade him…
Liu Bei extended his hands, tilted his head to look at the sky, and besides lamenting Heaven’s injustice, all he had left was a cry, a hoarse, desperate cry: “Come… let the people’s wrath be even fiercer!”
…
…
Yan Province, Chenliu Commandery, Yamen.
“Sima Xun, you’re finally back!” Cao Cao eagerly went to greet Xun Yu upon his arrival…
Xun Yu had just returned from the Tai Shou River. During this period, he had been quite busy. Besides working with Xiahou Dun on the cultivation of dry and wet rice…
He had also been visiting Yan Province to observe the changes in public sentiment.
Under the great drought, people’s hearts were most prone to change and most likely to erupt in rebellion.
“Lord Cao…” Xun Yu bowed upon seeing Cao Cao.
“How is it?” Cao Cao quickly inquired…
Although Cao Cao’s question was only “How is it?” in just three words, it actually encompassed many inquiries, covering not only people’s livelihoods but also hostile forces, and even his aspirations for strategic planning were hidden within.
With Xun Yu’s intelligence, Cao Cao’s unspoken intentions could all be understood!
“Let me speak about the people’s hearts first…” Xun Yu slowly began, listing many points one by one.
“How are the people’s hearts? Under the great drought… have there been any uprisings?” Cao Cao asked.
“The people’s hearts are still stable.” Xun Yu stroked his beard. “This is thanks to the oil mills established by Officer Lu and Elder Wei. The widespread availability of oil has provided the people with an additional food source: ‘fried locusts.’ Although locusts are not a staple food and cannot fill one’s stomach, they can at least provide temporary relief! However… the locusts in the fields have significantly decreased recently. With such large-scale locust catching, the locusts may not last for several more months!”
Ah… ah…
Cao Cao was slightly startled. If Xun Yu had said this half a year ago, Cao Cao would have found it utterly ridiculous.
Back then, locust plagues were almost the greatest bane of crops…
Every summer, Cao Cao’s mind was filled with how to reduce locusts, how to protect crops, and how to curb locust plagues! If possible, Cao Cao would have been willing to exterminate all the locusts in the fields to solve the problem once and for all!
Now, it was good that the locusts had indeed decreased…
But Cao Cao felt an inexplicable sadness in his heart…
This was all grain, how could it decrease?
Locusts, locusts, weren’t you supposed to reproduce quickly? Could you not do something serious every day, mate more often, and lay more eggs… If you don’t become more vigorous, you won’t be able to withstand the consumption of millions of people!
What terrifying humans!
It was so easy to exterminate a species with one’s mouth.
“Ahem…” With a light cough, Cao Cao came back to his senses. He directly changed the subject. “What about other things? For example, Damascus steel?”
The reason for specifically inquiring about Damascus steel was that Cao Cao had witnessed the power of the Dragon Soaring Camp’s steel weapons and armor during the Battle of Puyang. Therefore… according to Cao Cao’s plan, the urgent task was to forge an invincible steel army!
Moreover… Mu’er was at the forging workshop.
With proximity, as long as there was enough Damascus steel, Mu’er could forge over a thousand sets of steel weapons and armor within a few months. This was particularly important for Cao Cao.
“Regarding Damascus steel…” Xun Yu slightly shook his head. “It’s a bit difficult… The Damascus steel that can be mined in Yan Province has already been largely exploited. Even if there is some left, it is ordinary pig iron with impurities and poor quality!”
He paused at this point. “I previously inquired with Officer Lu, and this impurity-containing iron cannot be used to forge steel. However… even on the black market, good quality Damascus steel cannot be found. The forging workshop is currently in a situation where even the most skilled craftsman cannot work without raw materials!”
The forging workshop had not been busy recently, and Cao Cao knew this. The fact that Mu’er returned home so early every day indicated some of this.
Now, the difficulty in forging steel lay with the Damascus steel!
To buy Damascus steel, firstly, there was none on the market; secondly, Cao Cao himself did not have enough grain to exchange for it. If he wanted to continue forging steel, he would have to find new territories and new iron sources!
Mentioning new territories, Cao Cao’s eyes narrowed, and he continued, “Sima Xun, you seem to have discussed strategic plans with Officer Lu many times. Where are we planning to conquer next? Has it been decided?”
To put it bluntly, Cao Cao was too eager to expand his territory…
And now, due to the issue with Damascus steel, expanding territory seemed even more crucial.
“This…”
Xun Yu’s eyes darted, and after a moment of thought, he finally spoke.
In fact, he did not want to tell Cao Cao the entire strategic plan at this moment. After all, he and Lu Yu had discussed going to Luoyang to welcome the Emperor, but now, the Emperor returning east was not even on the horizon. It was far too early to propose this strategic concept.
But since Cao Cao had asked today…
And it also concerned the collection of the next batch of Damascus steel resources, then…
“Lord Cao, in my opinion, the first place we should plan to conquer is the Sili region!”
Hmm… the Sili region?
Cao Cao was slightly surprised. Sili was the area around Luoyang, but… Luoyang was now in ruins! What use would it be? Moreover, Cao Cao was already struggling with finances and grain in Yan Province, let alone rebuilding Luoyang!
Could this… be the next strategic target that Sima Xun and Yu’er had discussed for so long?
As if noticing the hesitation on Cao Cao’s face, Xun Yu continued.
“Lord Cao, think about it. In the entire realm, at this juncture, where else can we contend for?” Yuan Shao of Jizhou? Liu Biao of Jingzhou? Yuan Shu of the Huai River region? Liu Bei of Xuzhou? Or Li Jue and Guo Si of Chang’an?”
Xun Yu first posed the question, then answered it himself:
“Lord Cao has no opportunity in these territories! Either due to distance, or due to lack of provisions, or due to overwhelming disparity in troop strength! It is precisely for this reason that the only territory Lord Cao can currently seize is the Sili region, which is adjacent to Yan Province, meaning this unclaimed land!”
Xun Yu paused and continued to elaborate.
“In the past, Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang to the ground, and the Sili region has long been devastated. The powerful warlords do not look down upon it, and the forces stationed here are merely a group of scattered soldiers and vagrant troops, making it the easiest to conquer. This is the first point!”
“And although Luoyang City is in ruins, as everyone knows… its resources are extremely rich. Damascus steel, minerals… these strategic materials are precisely what Lord Cao urgently needs. This is the second point!”
“As for the third point…”
Speaking up to this point, Xun Yu created suspense. “This third point is also the most important one, and it is the core strategy that Lu Gongcao and I have repeatedly deliberated upon!”
Upon mentioning the strategic core… and a strategic core formulated by Yu’er and Wenruo together.
Cao Cao’s eyes suddenly widened, and his entire being became exceptionally alert.
“What is this third point?”
Xun Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly. At this moment, he thought of… the strategy core for achieving hegemony that he and Lu Yu had decided upon after burning the midnight oil for several consecutive nights…
And that strategy was—to open up the passage from Yan Province to Luoyang, build up strength, and wait for the opportune moment…
Then—welcome the Emperor and command the feudal lords!
…
…