Two months after Shen Feng returned to Yuzhou, it was the autumn harvest season. Although the spring plowing in Yuzhou had been hit hard, with countless locusts eating the seedlings, they had managed to kill the locusts and replant the seedlings afterward. By autumn, despite some reduction in output in various regions, they had managed to harvest grain.
Now that Shen Feng controlled both Chuan Province and Yuzhou, his power was immense. The Chuan and Yu regions had never been truly separate; before 1997, they were one province. They were forcibly separated later to prevent secession, so their reunification now could be seen as a return to their original state.
Historically, Chuan Province included Hanzhong and Yuzhou, which is why Liu Bei could carve out a territory after entering Sichuan. However, this also led to successive rulers constantly ceding parts of Chuan Province, and later incorporating a portion of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which was a form of weakening.
The land in Chuan Province was more suitable for farming, as it had many plains. Compared to Yuzhou, it was truly a land of abundance.
However, Shen Feng also established a rule: all goods, including grain, were strictly prohibited from being exported without the approval of the City Lord's mansion.
This decision had many consequences. One positive outcome was that Yuzhou's granaries were filled with grain, and there was no immediate shortage. The negative consequence was that the disaster-stricken provinces in the north did not receive grain support, and a large number of refugees began to flee south.
Refugees from Guanzhong, Hanzhong, and even Qinghai were all heading south. Without food, people would starve. The refugees knew there was food to the south, so they flocked there.
Many forces in the north contacted Shen Feng, begging and pleading to purchase grain, no matter the cost, as long as they received grain support. However, the results were dire. Shen Feng followed his master's teachings: "Build high walls, store abundant grain." Therefore, he absolutely refused to sell grain. Instead, he paid great attention to the refugees fleeing south, arranging for them to be settled in various regions and assigning trusted confidants to manage them.
In fact, this suggestion was provided by Yu Zhijing for Shen Feng's reference, and Shen Feng immediately adopted it. As one of Shen Feng's three strategists, Yu Zhijing, despite his young age, was exceptionally sharp-minded and had inherited the true teachings of a half-immortal. His suggestions were often highly feasible.
Yu Zhijing's suggestion was very simple: "In the doomsday, the most important things are food and resources. With food and resources, one can have more population. Since Yuzhou is not lacking in food now, it should use its grain to attract more people. While selling it might seem to gain a better reputation in the short term, and people everywhere would praise it, it would actually weaken Yuzhou's strength. As the ancients said, 'Cultivate benevolence and virtue, and people will come from afar.' Benevolence and virtue are food!"
After hearing Yu Zhijing's words, Shen Feng immediately realized that instead of conquering territories everywhere, it was better to manage his own land. As long as he had enough grain, many refugees would come, and an increase in population represented an increase in strength.
Thus, Shen Feng resolutely refused to sell grain, for the simple reason of adhering to Professor Chu's nine-character mantra.
Compared to Shen Feng's stinginess, He Qiuan and Gong Changfa in the northeast were more generous. They occupied the fertile Songnen Plain in the northeast, with its black soil, yielding incredibly abundant grain production each year. Furthermore, they had already opened oil and gas pipelines, providing a continuous supply of energy, and had completed mechanized operations. They had no shortage of grain; what they lacked was reputation.
Therefore, He Qiuan and Gong Changfa began to sell grain. If other places genuinely had no money, they could even pay on credit.
For a time, the reputation of "Sage He" spread throughout the north. He Qiuan was called the Sage of Yanjing, and Gong Changfa also earned the title of Sage of Northeast Asia.
He Qiuan and Gong Changfa couldn't help but laugh when they heard these titles. They had actually planned to attract population from other regions, as population was a critical weakness in their jurisdiction. However, in the process of improving their reputation, they ended up acquiring the title of "Sage."
The title of "Sage" was not easily obtained. In reality, the title of "Sage" was a level higher than "God" or "Immortal." The reason was simple: throughout Chinese history, there were only 10 sages, with Confucius being the last. Even Mencius, with his vast collection of works, only received the title of "Venerable Sage."
Conversely, in folklore, various regions had titles like "God" and "Immortal." Even some monsters could be called "Immortals," such as Fox Immortals and Willow Immortals. These titles were actually of a lower tier.
Gong Changfa, upon learning of his "Sage" title, couldn't help but say to He Qiuan with a smile, "Now our titles have surpassed Shen Feng's. Who told him not to sell grain?"
He Qiuan simply smiled and replied, "He got the practical benefits he wanted, and we gained face. There isn't much difference between the two. As for the entire north, I only hope no disasters occur, otherwise, all our grain will be depleted."
Unfortunately, what they feared most came to pass. He Qiuan had hoped for a few years of stability in the north, but by autumn, locust nests began appearing everywhere. These were locust nests, and surprisingly, the locusts, which usually migrated, had learned to build nests.
A saying circulated throughout China, especially in the north: "Grasshoppers after autumn don't have many days left to hop."
However, in late autumn, the locusts not only did not die but learned to build nests, digging into the ground everywhere and accumulating food, intending to survive the cold winter underground.
The origin of locusts is actually very complex. On the land of China, they are generally East Asian migratory locusts, with the most common being grasshoppers. In autumn, these insects would die off day after day, unable to survive the entire autumn. But now times had changed, and the insects had learned to overwinter.
Countless locusts collected fallen leaves in autumn, bringing them into their nests for storage as winter food, much like ants.
"If these insects aren't frozen to death in winter, doesn't that mean the locust outbreaks will continue in the spring and summer of next year?" Upon discovering this situation, everyone fell into despair. They felt true despair had arrived.
After Xu Xing returned from the north, she specifically sought out Shen Feng to explain the situation: "City Lord, the north has completely turned into hell. It's impossible to grow grain in the north. Not to mention the frequent droughts and floods, even if these locusts pass through farmland, the crops will be completely devoured. City Lord, please save them!"
"You make it sound so simple! It's not as if I can save them just by wanting to. The north is already arid, suitable for locust reproduction, unlike the humid Jiangnan water towns. Earlier this year, locusts even migrated south to our territory. Other than causing rain, I have no other methods. How can I save so many people?" Shen Feng retorted.
"Then find a way to bring some rain to the north and drown these locusts, what do you say?" Xu Xing continued to suggest.
"You're overthinking it. If I want to bring rain, I have to wait for the typhoon season. It's already late autumn now, and typhoon activity at sea has decreased, so typhoons are unlikely to form. Even if I force a typhoon to form, it will dissipate before reaching the north. Do you think the continental high pressure is that easy to deal with? Although I am the God of Wind, I still have to follow climate changes. Do you understand this?" Shen Feng explained earnestly.
Xu Xing sat in Shen Feng's office, distressed, and said softly to Shen Feng, "This year, I heard there were too many bandits in the north, so I went north to save these people. But when I arrived, I realized how miserable the people in the north were. They wanted to farm, but as soon as they planted, they faced floods and droughts. After barely surviving the floods and droughts, then came the swarms of locusts. I saw an old man crying as he caught locusts to eat. They are truly miserable!"
Shen Feng could only shake his head and say, "It is the times that kill people!"
Xu Xing thought carefully and suddenly said to Shen Feng, "City Lord, I don't want to kill bandits anymore. Many bandits are pitiable people. It is the chaotic times that lead to the emergence of bandits. I want to change this world, can I?"
"You have finally awakened, and I am very happy. Of course, you can change this world. I heard you also like to read Buddhist scriptures. Go to Leshan sometime. Someone there is embezzling grain; go and deal with those people, and take a look at the Leshan Giant Buddha to relax. Then I will see where you are suitable to manage. Don't refuse." Seeing Xu Xing's despondency, Shen Feng knew that seeing the plight of the north had unsettled her, so he asked Xu Xing to visit the Giant Buddha to help her feel better.
Upon hearing Shen Feng's words, Xu Xing became serious and said, "The Thus Come One said, 'There is no self, no person, no sentient being, no life-span.' Therefore, the Buddha is formless. The Great Buddha is merely what people perceive as the Buddha; in reality, it is just stone. Looking at it will not increase virtue; it is better to cultivate diligently."
"Is that so? Let me think, is there anything that can change the world that I can assign you to do!" After hearing Xu Xing's explanation, Shen Feng understood that Xu Xing had indeed read many Buddhist scriptures and had her own insights, making it not easy to fool her now.
Therefore, after careful consideration, Shen Feng found something that needed to be done urgently and said to Xu Xing, "Since you want to change the world, I have an important task for you now. Go to North America and find a piece of information. Carry out this task discreetly, without being discovered by others, understand? I will tell you this task privately; no one else knows."
Upon hearing this, Xu Xing's interest was immediately piqued, and she said seriously, "Is it a world-changing mission? Then I will definitely do it, City Lord, what exactly is the mission?"
"Go to Salt Lake City in North America, find information about aliens, and bring it back!" Shen Feng said sternly.