"Need to add money?"
When these words were spoken, everyone around was a bit confused. What did that mean...
Not tasty? Or inedible?
Actually... in Cao Cao's eyes at this moment, he didn't care whether it was tasty or not, he only cared whether it was edible.
"General Cao, tell me first, is it tasty?" Lu Yu asked proactively...
He felt the rhythm was off. Fried grasshoppers, this dish... although it sounded ridiculous, after a bite, the aroma would fill the mouth. Cao Hong should have been amazed, right? Why... his expression was so bland?
Cao Hong smacked his lips, and as he continued to stuff them into his mouth, he replied, "Not tasty, no flavor... like pig feed!"
Finally, Cao Hong leaned close to Lu Yu's ear and whispered, "Of course, it can be very tasty too, but on the condition that, Officer Lu, you need to add money!"
Heh heh...
Lu Yu suspected that the Cao Hong in front of him was "Brother Add Money," right? So, he's trying to extort me. Eat it if you want, don't if you don't!
"No money, you don't have to eat it if it's not good!"
As Lu Yu spoke, Cao Hong had already swallowed a handful of fried grasshoppers, his hands and mouth covered in oil. He paid no attention to Lu Yu's words and reached into the iron pot again.
He was truly hungry...
A short while later, another handful of locusts was devoured.
"Crunch, crunch"... the crisp sound echoed in Cao Hong's mouth. Of course, Cao Cao, Xiahou Yuan, and others not far away could also hear it clearly. Looking at him, it was hardly something inedible; it was clearly...
At this moment, everyone's minds already had some answers.
Could it be? After being fried, could locusts really be eaten? And... not only edible, but also delicious?
A bold idea popped into Cao Cao's mind. At this moment, whether it was Cao Cao, Xiahou Yuan, Xun You, Xi Zhicai, or the soldiers watching, they all felt hungry!
After all... with the ration distribution, a meal could only fill three parts of the stomach. Seeing Cao Hong eating so heartily, who wouldn't be hungry? Even for a moment, they all had a similar thought—General Cao Hong, have some dignity, okay?
Of course...
Cao Cao didn't care about the taste of the fried locusts. He was more concerned about whether these locusts could be made into food and help the Cao army overcome the current grain shortage!
Most importantly...
Lu Yu had brought over a thousand bags of locusts this time. If these insects could serve as rations, even if they were not tasty, it would be enough to sweep away Cao Cao's gloomy mood and let him heave a long sigh of relief.
"Zi Lian, step aside."
Cao Cao could no longer hold back. If he didn't taste it himself, he wouldn't feel at ease. But at this moment... Cao Hong's body almost completely blocked the large iron pot. He was only allowing himself to eat, not others!
However...
When Elder Brother Cao Cao spoke...
Cao Hong could only scratch his head and move away from his original position. Before leaving, he didn't forget to grab another handful. He felt that this thing was so addictive...
Crispy, this kind of taste... was making him almost sink into it.
It was strange to say, but the first bite was taken with the spirit of "facing death as if it were home"... no, to be precise, it was with the spirit of "man dies for wealth, birds die for food." In reality, after the first bite, Cao Hong felt like eating a second, a third... He felt that no matter how much he ate, he couldn't satisfy his ravenous hunger at the moment.
When he moved aside, Cao Hong actually felt a bit wronged. Alas... he had eaten too little just now.
At the same time, Cao Cao had walked to the front of the large iron pot. Looking at the golden fried locusts, a rich aroma wafted towards him from up close.
Looking closely, each locust was fried to an exceptional crispness. Coupled with the luster of the oil reflecting in the sunlight, it was truly appetizing.
But... it was still an insect!
Cao Cao glanced back at the people behind him. In fact, at this moment... everyone could no longer hold back and wanted to try. However, they were all hesitant because Cao Cao was in front of the pot, and it was impolite to break the rules.
But... each of them stretched their necks, wanting to see up close how the locusts had turned out after Officer Lu's clever maneuver!
Xi Zhicai was anxious. He wished he could directly ask Lu Yu...
Xun You appeared calmer, but... he, who was usually taciturn, inexplicably... his disobedient saliva dripped from his mouth!
Warriors might go hungry, but civil officials need to use their brains. Not eating... not only makes their stomachs ache but also harms their minds.
Xiahou Yuan was already unable to suppress his eagerness. He was impatient by nature and couldn't stand this!
"Let me try..."
Cao Cao murmured, then took a locust from the iron pot. It was so hard, so solid...
It was said that Cao Cao had served as a county magistrate in Dunqiu and a state minister in Jinan. He was no stranger to locusts... or even locust plagues. In his memory, locusts were soft and disgusting insects!
But after being fried, it felt completely different. Cao Cao wouldn't even associate it with the word "disgusting." Indeed... everything in the world is the same. Once it "hardens," it becomes welcomed by people.
As Cao Cao was about to put the golden locust into his mouth, a guard beside him quickly reminded him...
"My Lord, should we test it? After all, it's a migratory locust. It's better to confirm it's non-toxic first!"
Han Dynasty nobles had a habit of testing for poison with silver needles. Although it seemed unreliable in later generations, only being able to test for arsenic and a small amount of other poisons...
However, considering that too many emperors and lords had been poisoned to death in the Han Dynasty, all noble families and aristocratic descendants had the habit of testing for poison with silver needles.
Cao Cao looked back at the guard, then at Lu Yu, and finally at Cao Hong.
He remained silent for a moment and then said:
"Test what? Officer Lu traveled hundreds of miles to bring these locusts? Surely not to harm me? I trust Officer Lu."
Actually, what Cao Cao was thinking was... Zi Lian had already eaten so much. If it were poisonous, it would have acted up long ago! Since he is safe now, it must be non-toxic!
Of course, Cao Cao's peculiar glance did not escape Lu Yu's observation.
Lu Yu understood... Old Cao meant, "I, Cao Cao, trust you, Lu Yu. The little white mouse is already here and has been tested!"
Looking at it this way...
The trusted guard seemed to have made a fool of himself, but his duty compelled him to remain silent.
Lu Yu, however, nodded, muttering to himself that Old Cao was quite cunning.
Saying the most touching words, using the most ignorant little white mouse.
Cough cough...
While thinking, Cao Cao had already put the fried locust into his mouth.
As soon as it entered his mouth, a crispy, fragrant sensation instantly stimulated Cao Cao's taste buds...
One should know that even in later generations, dishes made from locusts could be eye-opening, let alone in ancient times when oil and salt were scarce, and steaming and boiling were the main methods of cooking.
Let alone fried locusts, even if you deep-fried a slipper in hot oil, it would be delicious.
Indeed, for Cao Cao, who was tasting locusts for the first time, this flavor made him slightly stunned... This taste was far beyond his expectations!
With a heavy aroma, a hint of sweetness, and the chewiness like eating venison or dog meat... it was surprisingly delicious!
The eyes of everyone in the entire camp were fixed on Cao Cao, hoping to find the answer on his face.
But Cao Cao remained impassive. Under everyone's gaze, he put another golden flying locust into his mouth, his teeth chewing continuously, and his tongue savoring it carefully...
He was tasting it with his heart. After such careful savoring, Cao Cao felt it tasted even better than the first time!
Of course, after all, Cao Cao was not from a poor family... He had a father who was the "Minister of Finance" of the Han Dynasty and a mother from a wealthy family. Having been pampered since childhood, what good things hadn't he eaten?
Although the taste of fried flying locusts was unexpected, it wasn't so exaggerated that he would react excessively.
But this was enough to make Cao Cao's heart tremble...
One should know that in the current situation, let alone such delicacies, even if Lu Yu could send a few hundred bags of tree bark, Cao Cao would have been grateful.
And these fried flying locusts truly made Cao Cao's eyes light up.
After eating a few, Cao Cao seemed to have become addicted. At first, he carefully picked them up one by one.
In the end, he resorted to grabbing them with his hands, a handful at a time... even stuffing two or three into his mouth at once, to experience the rich aroma, as well as the sense of fullness and satisfaction that came with it!
Usually, Cao Cao would read military books while eating slowly. But today, he changed his usual behavior and devoured nearly twenty of them in one go...
Only then did he feel a strong sense of fullness.
Cao Cao even let out a burp. He ate too quickly, and it was too dry. If it could be paired with some yellow wine, the effect would be even better.
"How is it, Duke Cao..." Lu Yu asked with a smile. "Actually... this is just one way to prepare flying locusts. It's just that the front lines are inconvenient. Otherwise, I would make a 'Puyang Drunken Grasshoppers'... I guarantee Duke Cao would like it even more."
Lu Yu renamed the famous southern dish "Shanghai Drunken Grasshoppers" to "Puyang Drunken Grasshoppers," which was quite appropriate for the occasion...
The process was actually very simple, mainly involving marination. What is called "drunken brine"...
Of course... Lu Yu was just saying it casually.
Unexpectedly, Cao Cao immediately patted his shoulder. "It's agreed. After we return victorious, you must make a special dish for me. I am already eager and looking forward to it, hahahaha..."
Rarely, Cao Cao, who was gloomy an hour ago, now burst into laughter. It seemed that his gloomy mood had also been swept away.
"Hahahaha..." Cao Cao tried his best to suppress his excitement. He waved to Xiahou Yuan, Xun You, and Xi Zhicai, "Come and try, the taste is really good!"
As soon as these words were spoken...
The entire scene exploded. Xiahou Yuan, Xun You, and Xi Zhicai hurried towards the iron pot, and all the surrounding guards also crowded around. They didn't dare to be the first to eat the "crab," but that didn't mean they wouldn't dare to be the second or third...
After all, General Cao Hong had already eaten, and Duke Cao had also eaten. They were all fine and not poisoned. Moreover, they praised the locusts. So, what were they waiting for? They should just eat! If they didn't hurry, it would be gone!
As Cao Cao had predicted...
They rushed forward. Xiahou Yuan was quick-handed and grabbed a large handful. Xun You and Xi Zhicai were more mindful of their appearance and felt embarrassed to fight with the soldiers.
Xiahou Yuan then shared some of what he had in his hand with them...
"Crunch."
When put into the mouth, the most direct feeling was—crispy. Chicken... no, this taste was incomparable to chicken.
"General Cao Xiu, quickly order the brothers to set up the stoves and fry more... Today, the Dragon Soaring Camp has enough locusts!"
Lu Yu instructed Cao Xiu without fail...
Meanwhile, Cao Cao meaningfully walked to Lu Yu's side, gently patted his shoulder, and gave him a look...
Meaning that it was too chaotic here and they should find a quiet place to chat.
Lu Yu nodded and walked towards the main tent with Cao Cao.
Lu Yu could roughly guess what Cao Cao wanted to ask.
It was nothing more than the quantity of locusts? How long could the supply of these locusts last?
Lu Yu couldn't calculate this. However, judging from the current situation, with the entire population catching locusts, and Lu Yu acquiring them at an extremely low price... this was much more cost-effective than directly buying grain.
As for whether the locusts would become endangered protected animals due to over-catching by farmers in Yan and Xu provinces, leading to a sharp decline in output, Lu Yu was not sure.
However, based on his judgment, the reproduction and growth rate of locusts were extremely fast...
Moreover, the drought would further increase their yield. For a short period, supplying the army's food needs here should not be a problem!
Thinking this through, Lu Yu took the initiative to speak:
"Duke Cao need not worry about the supply of these locusts. For at least one or two months, they can still be continuously supplied to the front lines. However..."
Cao Cao's thoughts were clarified by Lu Yu. Cao Cao waved his hand: "However, what?"
"Oh..." Lu Yu replied directly, "However, if the soldiers have to eat locusts every meal, I'm afraid they will get tired of it..."
Actually, Lu Yu was worried about excessive nutrition, as this stuff was very nutritious. Moreover... there would definitely be a small portion of people who were allergic to locusts. These were all issues that needed to be considered.
"It's fine..." Cao Cao waved his hand... "The front lines are not a place for enjoyment. It's good enough to be able to eat one's fill, how can one be picky?
"Besides, grain is currently scarce, so for now, we will supply these flying locusts to the front lines. If grain becomes abundant in the future, we can promote this method of frying flying locusts throughout Yan and Xu provinces. This way... first, it can prevent locust plagues, and second, it can be considered a new food supply!"
As expected of someone who had served as the magistrate of Dunqiu and the minister of Jinan, Cao Cao's first thought was to supply the front lines, and his second thought was to prevent locust plagues.
During his years as a county magistrate and state minister... Cao Cao had been completely helpless against locust plagues!
...
Phew...
Letting out a long sigh, Cao Cao looked towards Puyang City through the window of the main tent.
The problem of grain supply was temporarily resolved...
However, there was still another problem. Lü Bu and Chen Gong in Puyang City had not given him any opportunities. If the siege continued, who knew... how long it would drag on.
Moreover... there was one point that worried Cao Cao the most. The sun in April was becoming more and more scorching every day, and it hadn't rained for more than ten days.
What if the great drought and crop failure occurred as Lu Yu predicted!
Then...
"Officer Lu? This time... I underestimated Lü Bu. I didn't expect Puyang City to be such a tough bone to crack!"
Cao Cao lamented...
Lu Yu also raised his eyes and looked towards the city wall of Puyang City. Indeed, it was very high and difficult to attack and defend. If not for this, Old Cao wouldn't have stockpiled all the grain here in the first place.
Coupled with Lü Bu's reputation as an unparalleled flying general, a frontal assault was naturally out of the question!
Phew...
Letting out a gentle sigh, Lu Yu comforted him, "Duke Cao, maintain your patience... Once you lose patience, you will reveal flaws. Chen Gong is best at grasping people's psychology. When facing such an opponent, even the slightest flaw can reverse the situation!"
Patience...
Cao Cao's eyes narrowed. When had he not known the importance of patience? It's just...
"Alas, I don't know if Puyang City can be conquered before July!"
"It shouldn't... be as late as July."
Lu Yu's eyes flickered. "Sima Xun always mentions a saying – 'The wind rises at the tip of the green reed, the waves form from subtle ripples.' If my predictions are correct, Chen Gong should have calculated that our army is short of grain, and this... is an opportunity for him! A kill-in-one opportunity!"
Speaking of this, Lu Yu thought of the real Puyang battlefield between Cao Cao and Lü Bu in history...
At that time, Cao Cao's situation was even worse than now. The entire Yan Province had only three remaining cities, let alone any grain.
And in that situation, Chen Gong took advantage of Cao Cao's impatience to set up a perfect trap to lure the enemy into the city...
Hiss...
Lu Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.
He felt that if he were Chen Gong, given the current situation, and ignoring the information gap about locusts, he would definitely assume that the current Cao Cao was burning with anxiety and would choose to take a desperate risk!
Perhaps, Chen Gong would still set up that "lure the enemy into the city" trap?
And this...
It was an opportunity for Lü Bu and Chen Gong, but was it not also an opportunity for Old Cao?
With this thought, the wind outside the tent suddenly intensified. Lu Yu's eyes opened, and he deeply looked at Puyang City, muttering to himself, "It's about time for this damn wind to pick up, isn't it?"
—"Chen Gong, oh Chen Gong... just perform normally, please don't disappoint me!" Da Feng Novel Network
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