Yan Province, Puyang City!
Looking at the Cao army surrounding the entire city, Lu Bu and Chen Gong on the city wall appeared calm and composed, without the slightest hint of panic.
Lu Bu's beloved daughter, Lu Lingqi, also stood beside him.
This time, Lu Bu intended to let her experience the world.
"Lingqi, do you see? The Cao army, tens of thousands strong, has besieged our Puyang City, yet your father and Uncle Gong Tai are not afraid at all! Do you know why?" Lu Bu asked.
"With Father's Red Hare horse and Heaven-Slaying Halberd, a mere few tens of thousands are nothing to be afraid of! And besides, this daughter can also lend Father a helping hand!"
Lu Lingqi slightly lifted the spear in her hand, appearing eager to try.
Hearing this, Chen Gong chuckled, stroking his beard, "Truly, a tiger father begets no dog daughter! It seems our Puyang City will have a father and daughter pair of flying generals, hahahaha..."
"Ah..." Lu Bu smiled and waved his hand at Chen Gong's praise. "I've always wanted Lingqi to learn more about strategy from you, sir!"
"In the past, I only thought that if one's overall strategy and martial skills reached the pinnacle, no one in the world could match them. But reflecting on my experiences in recent years, being trapped by Jia Xu after defeat in Chang'an, and being controlled by Cao Cao after defeat in Chenliu Commandery... Lu Bu increasingly feels that strategy is more important than martial arts!"
Speaking of this, Lu Bu gently stroked his daughter Lu Lingqi's forehead. "Lingqi, you must remember, don't just learn spear techniques from Master Gao; you should also study military books from Uncle Chen from time to time!"
"Yes, daughter obeys Father and Sir Chen!" Lu Lingqi appeared very well-behaved in front of Lu Bu, and of course... Lu Bu doted on this daughter exceptionally.
"Hahaha..." Chen Gong stroked his beard and let out a sighing laugh.
Who would have thought that in the besieged Puyang City, which should have been in a state of alarm, the city wall would echo with hearty laughter, as if tens of thousands of Cao soldiers were as fragile as a snapping finger in the eyes of Lu Bu and Chen Gong.
As the laughter subsided, Chen Gong narrowed his eyes, looking at the surrounding Cao army, and spoke with profound meaning, "Marquis Wen, the time is almost here..."
"Hmm..." Lu Bu's expression turned serious. "How do you judge that, sir?"
"Marquis Wen, please look..." Chen Gong pointed to the outside of the city wall. Today, after the Cao army had finished their cooking, they were gathered in small groups of three or five, whispering among themselves.
Even more noticeable was that the number of cooking stoves for their meals today was significantly less than in the previous days, while the besieging force had not decreased at all.
It is known that when on campaign, soldiers are often organized into units called 'shi', with a few cooking utensils prepared for each 'shi'. Each 'shi' receives rations at the appointed time and cooks their meals accordingly!
Especially during a siege, cooking a meal is troublesome, so several 'shi' would cook together, eating from a common pot.
However, if the number of cooking stoves suddenly decreases, there is only one reason: either the troops are withdrawing, or the grain distribution has been reduced.
"The Cao army's cooking stoves are only thirty percent of the number from previous days, which indicates that Cao Cao has begun to withhold military rations from his soldiers."
Chen Gong carefully reminded Lu Bu. "This is precisely the time when Cao Cao is most anxious to break the city. Marquis Wen, our plan can now commence. Although Cao Cao is usually cautious, at such a time, he will surely take risks!"
Upon hearing this...
Lu Bu's eyes suddenly widened. "Hahaha..." he laughed heartily, "Finally, we've waited!"
He did not forget to glance at Lu Lingqi beside him.
"Lingqi, watch carefully this time how your Uncle Gong Tai strategizes. Hahaha, this time, Cao Cao will surely perish in Puyang City!"
It is no exaggeration to say...
Chen Gong understood Cao Cao, and even more so, he had a precise grasp of Cao Cao... Cao Cao was a man of caution and suspicion, who would rather wrong others than be wronged himself. He would only take risks in one situation: when desperate and ready to make a final gamble!
Just as Chen Gong predicted, historically Cao Cao rarely took risks, and his two greatest risks in his life were at Puyang and Guandu!
...
...
Outside Puyang City, the Cao Camp's Grand Fortress.
Lu Yu and the Dragon Soaring Camp have arrived!
This is not the main point. In the eyes of Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai... the main point is whether the food has arrived?
Yes, or no? This is a serious problem.
However, Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai soon saw the answer with their own eyes.
Upon receiving the message, in less than half an hour, in the grain depot camp, they indeed saw the Dragon Soaring cavalry escorting sacks upon sacks, thousands in number... hundreds of grain carts.
If they contained grain or wheat, it would be enough to last at least another twenty days.
But... when they walked in and opened them, the sacks contained not grain or wheat at all!
They were clearly dead locusts...
Some looked very small, still in their juvenile stage, while others were plump, appearing to have just grown.
Cao Cao finally understood where the locusts Lu Yu had purchased at great expense had gone. It turned out... they were all before Cao Cao's eyes, in this very camp.
But the crucial problem was, these were insects. In the impression of Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai...
Only domestic fowl like chickens and ducks would eat locusts!
The key point was... the entire camp's soldiers were not chickens, ducks, or frogs; they were humans. Lu Yu wouldn't possibly expect people to eat these insects, would he?
"Your subordinate Lu Yu pays his respects to Duke Cao."
Just as Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai were deep in thought, a voice came from behind them.
The two quickly turned their heads, and who else but Lu Yu was there, cupping his hands in greeting?
"Yu (son)..." Cao Cao almost blurted out the address "Yu'er" but quickly corrected himself. "What is the meaning of this Commander Lu bringing these thousands of sacks of locusts?"
"Oh..." Lu Yu smiled and replied truthfully, "Duke Cao, these locusts are the rations I have prepared for the soldiers!"
"Uh..." Cao Cao felt his head spin.
The most dreaded thing had happened. Did Lu Yu consider the soldiers to be domestic fowl like chickens and ducks?
How could people eat locusts?
If they were forced to eat them, the entire army might revolt.
"How can people eat insects?" Cao Cao's face turned cold, filled with worry.
He had waited and longed, but what he received was emptiness.
Xi Zhicai also tapped his forehead. He had heard that when people are hungry, they can eat bark, wild grass, or even animal hides, but eating locusts was something he had never heard of before!
However... this was not important, because Lu Yu knew that they would be surprised. In fact, Lu Yu was also surprised when he first saw fried grasshoppers at the dining table.
But after one bite... the world became quiet!
"Duke Cao, whether they can be eaten or not, let's see first..."
"Set up the stove!" Lu Yu commanded.
Cao Xiu and others hesitated a bit. After all, this was in the camp of fifty thousand soldiers, in front of his uncle Cao Cao. Should they really eat locusts? What if... the soldiers were poisoned and all collapsed?
This was something Cao Xiu and the Dragon Soaring Camp soldiers had never dared to imagine.
However... the Dragon Soaring Cavalry, from top to bottom, had always obeyed Lu Yu's orders. Although they felt a bit apprehensive in their hearts... they would not dare to disobey Lu Yu's command.
And so... stoves were built from piles of stones, firewood and charcoal were added, and the fire was lit!
Since it was outdoors, there was no need to worry about smoke evacuation, and even if it was a bit smoky, no one would care... The most talked-about topic at the moment was whether these locusts could really be eaten!
Looking at Lu Yu seriously preparing the stove and cooking, it seemed plausible!
A large amount of oil was poured into the pot...
Instantly, a fragrant aroma filled the air.
Immediately after, Lu Yu grabbed a handful of locusts and threw them directly in!
At this moment, it was not only Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai, but also Xiahou Yuan, Cao Hong, Xun You, along with the generals of each camp, and many armored soldiers, who had gathered around.
Of course, they and their companions were all stunned!
Eyes filled with doubt "shot" towards Lu Yu.
Even some who were sensitive to insects felt a slight discomfort in their throats, wanting to vomit...
Lu Yu surveyed them all. Since you don't believe these things can be eaten, then let me make you believe.
The flames leaped up, and smoke billowed out, engulfing the generals who were brave enough to approach for a closer look, causing them to cough desperately... especially Cao Hong, who felt he was suffocating.
"These... these... damn insects! If I eat even one in my life, I'll write my name backward from now on!"
Cao Hong exclaimed...
Lu Yu was not idle either. He directly scooped handfuls of locusts into the large iron pot. With the cooperation of the Dragon Soaring Camp soldiers, they also opened the sacks... and also poured locusts into the pot at Lu Yu's command.
As the locusts met the hot oil, they immediately began to bubble.
After a short period of bustling activity, an even richer aroma wafted from the pot...
Due to his poor cooking skills, Lu Yu did not understand temperature control, so he simply used a strong flame to boil the oil and locusts in the iron pot until the locusts in the pot turned from green to golden yellow!
Oh my...
"This is the legendary Chinese migratory locust!"
Lu Yu muttered to himself...
The nutritional value of this thing is comparable to beef, high in protein, low in fat, vitamins A, B, C, D, E, F, G... Lu Yu didn't know how much it contained, but it was definitely better than eating crabs or crayfish.
Don't mention it...
With Lu Yu's tossing and turning, the aroma was captivating. It inexplicably gave everyone a sliver of confidence in these locusts.
Originally, they thought these things were definitely inedible, but now their thoughts had shifted to, these things are probably inedible?
The certainty had turned into a question? Their mindset had also somewhat changed.
Some people, having not eaten enough these past few days, were even drooling.
"It's almost ready, almost ready, please be patient." Lu Yu said with a smile...
The fire grew stronger and stronger, and almost all the locusts that had been put into the pot had been fried to a golden yellow.
Seeing such a large quantity in the pot, Lu Yu felt that today he could achieve "locust freedom."
After all, in his previous life...
Any dish related to locusts in restaurants cost at least double or even triple digits.
For example, "Ants Crossing the Snow Mountain" was 145 yuan per serving, "Fried Flying Shrimp" was 78 yuan, "Golden Sand Flying Goose" was 96 yuan, and "Spicy Grasshoppers" were a cheaper 70 yuan!
Not to mention dishes like "Sky Chicken Shrimp Platter" which cost several hundred, or the famous southern dish "Shanghai Drunken Grasshoppers"... Lu Yu's mouth watered just thinking about it.
As a very unfortunate scholar, he certainly couldn't afford to eat these, as he still had to save money to buy a house.
Of course, over the years, he had saved a lot by being frugal, but circumstances changed rapidly. In recent years, housing prices had risen by thousands of yuan per square meter... Lu Yu felt helpless and wanted to cry. Thinking about it carefully, it would have been better to just eat them back then.
"It's cooked!" Finally, Lu Yu spoke. "Should we use a large slotted spoon to scoop them out?"
Lu Yu had specially drawn a blueprint for a large slotted spoon and had the forging workshop craft it. Otherwise, the oil was very hot, and there were many locusts in each pot; how else could they be scooped out?
Upon hearing Lu Yu's command, the Dragon Soaring Camp soldiers became busy again...
To be honest, these Dragon Soaring Cavalry were good at fighting on the battlefield, but they were truly inexperienced in cooking, and their efficiency was very low.
Finally, under the "gazes of everyone," the first pot of fried grasshoppers was served as everyone watched, and placed into another large black pot. Lu Yu then loudly asked, "Who wants to try?"
"..."
"..."
Silence... As soon as Lu Yu spoke, the entire camp fell silent. Ancient people often held strong vigilance towards new things, perhaps because the examples of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down" left by their predecessors were too numerous, and no one was willing to be the first nail.
Lu Yu surveyed the surroundings...
To be honest, his actions were certainly fragrant enough, but... after all, they were insects, and insects that no one had ever tried before in history. If something went wrong, diarrhea would be the least of it; what if they were poisoned to death?
For a time, no one dared to be the first to eat locusts.
Lu Yu's eyes rolled...
All of this was still within his expectations.
"Cough cough..."
A light cough... "General Cao." Lu Yu gave Cao Xiu a look.
Cao Xiu immediately understood. He clapped his hands, and then several Dragon Soaring cavalry soldiers carried out a small chest. When the chest was opened... wow, it was gold!
A small chest full of gold...
Instantly, everyone's attention was drawn to the gold.
"Hmm..."
Cao Cao, Xi Zhicai, and Xun You narrowed their eyes in unison, and immediately figured something out...
This was the familiar recipe and familiar taste. What is called... "setting up a wooden post to establish trust"?
Indeed, Lu Yu spoke.
"I admire people with courage the most. Whoever dares to be the first to eat locusts will have this entire chest of gold!"
Whoa... as soon as these words were spoken.
Let alone anything else, the surrounding armored soldiers clearly took half a step forward...
So much gold was enough to buy a new house for his mother, and besides, how much grain could this buy? And the price was just eating locusts!
Under a great reward, there must be brave men. Many people took the first step, but... before their steps were firm, they thought again, and a series of questions arose in their minds.
Would eating locusts kill me?
I'm so young and haven't touched a woman yet... what if I die, what a pity?
If I die from eating locusts? Would this Commander Lu give the money... to my family?
Thoughts raced through their minds, and for a moment, the feet that had stepped forward were withdrawn. To choose between money and life, at this time, it seemed... it was better to choose life.
For a moment, more people chose to wait and see!
And at this very moment.
The sound of firm and heavy footsteps echoed, and a person strode out. "Money or not, it doesn't matter. Commander Lu has worked hard for a long time. If no one dares to taste it, wouldn't that be a waste of his good intentions? I'll try it!"
As soon as these words were spoken...
Everyone turned their heads, only to see General Cao Hong walking out of the crowd? Who else could it be?
Of course, Lu Yu could tell that his eyes were shining with greed. He clearly said he was eating locusts, but his eyes were constantly fixed on that small chest of gold!
This time... Cao Cao and Xiahou Yuan were amused, even finding it somewhat laughable, but it was not surprising. Although Zi Lian came from a wealthy family, he had always been greedy for money and extremely stingy.
With a chest of gold placed here, let alone locusts, even climbing a mountain of knives or jumping into a cauldron of oil... he would probably do it. This was... not surprising at all.
"Commander Lu, you must keep your word..." Cao Hong reminded Lu Yu.
"I will definitely keep my word!" Lu Yu smiled faintly. "However, I remember General Cao said just now... if he ate even one locust in his life, he would write his name backward. Ah... this..."
"That's not difficult!" Cao Hong said matter-of-factly. "If I eat one, I'll write it backward. If I eat two, I'll write it backward again, and it will be reversed, won't it?"
"Uh..." Cao Hong's words left Lu Yu speechless... What a unique train of thought!
As they spoke, Cao Hong had already walked to the front of the large iron pot. As he got closer, he realized there were so many locusts in it. They were all golden and hard, and didn't seem as disgusting as he imagined.
Moreover, the aroma filled the air, and Cao Hong actually had a slight craving. Food had been scarce these past few days. Although he knew his elder brother had his difficulties, the crucial problem was that he was hungry!
"Eat as much as you want?" Cao Hong asked Lu Yu doubtfully...
Lu Yu nodded. "Please, General Cao, if you can finish them, then finish them... I have plenty of these."
Locusts are meat, similar to beef, and very filling. How could they be eaten as easily as one wishes?
"Oh my..." Cao Hong reached out and picked up a locust, which was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, fried to a golden yellow all over.
He held it up in the sunlight and examined it carefully. He frowned. "Commander Lu, you must remember me. I'm not doing this for your gold, but for your face. For your face, I'm even willing to risk my life."
Hehe...
Lu Yu just "hehe'd." It's best to see through it but not say it, to be good friends!
Of course, in this era, there were still such brave men willing to risk their lives for money. Without him, perhaps the fried locusts would have been ignored today.
And at this very moment...
Cao Hong put the entire locust into his mouth, "Crunch"... everyone could hear a very clear "crunch" sound, and at the same time, everyone's hearts were in their throats...
All eyes were focused on Cao Hong's face, and the entire camp was so quiet that it was impossible to breathe!
Unexpectedly, Cao Hong chewed a few times. This bite... he did not spit it out, nor did he gag. His tongue stirred the food in his mouth. After a long while, with a "gulp," to everyone's astonishment, he swallowed it.
This was already astonishing enough, but even more astonishing things happened. Cao Hong, without showing any reaction, reached his hand into the pot again.
However...
Last time, he grabbed one, but this time, he grabbed a handful, a full handful!
As he stuffed them into his mouth, he mumbled, "Commander Lu, if I eat one locust, it's one chest of gold. If I eat more, will you add money!"
At that moment, Cao Hong eagerly awaited Lu Yu's answer. If eating more meant earning more, he felt that today... he could eat Lu Yu poor! He could eat a mountain of gold for his family.
...
...