Early July, 193 CE.
As the autumn harvest arrived across the Central Plains, the various warlords in each province—except for those embroiled in the ongoing fighting in Yang Province—kept their heads down, focusing on development.
For the time being, peace prevailed.
At some point, no one knew exactly when, a rumor began spreading rapidly among the common people of the Central Plains:
That the following year, the Three Commanderies of Guanzhong would suffer a devastating drought, while a massive locust plague would sweep across the Nine Provinces.
The rumor threw countless ordinary people into panic.
It was also around this time that a new dish called “Soaring Locusts” (Feihuang Tengda, literally “Locusts Soaring to Success,” a pun on the idiom, “to rise rapidly to fame and fortune”) began appearing on the banquet tables of the great aristocratic families.
Before long, it became a fashionable delicacy.
Even commoners who couldn’t afford cooking oil could simply roast the locusts over an open fire.
The taste was surprisingly good.
Combined with the impact of the rumor, the locust population throughout the Central Plains suddenly found itself facing a catastrophe.
………….
Yan Province, Dongping Kingdom.
Wuyan City, Taiping Prefecture Hall.
After sending off the five hundred law enforcement officers a month earlier, Zhang Jing finally had more time to devote to government affairs.
“Zhongde.”
Setting down the official document in his hand, Zhang Jing smiled.
“Now that locusts have made their way onto the dinner table, it still isn’t enough.”
“Arrange for people to purchase locusts from every region.”
“Hmm… let’s pay one hundred wuzhu coins per jin.”
The “one hundred coins” he referred to were naturally wuzhu coins.
His true objective had never been to stockpile locusts.
Rather, he wanted to add fuel to the growing trend, encouraging common people everywhere to join in catching them.
As for the money— in Zhang Jing’s eyes, it hardly mattered anymore.
If spending a portion of his wealth could reduce the damage caused by a locust plague by even ten percent, it would be an extraordinarily worthwhile investment.
“I’ll make the arrangements immediately.”
Cheng Yu’s eyes lit up.
He immediately understood Zhang Jing’s intentions.
The offer of one hundred coins was merely bait, meant to encourage the common people to catch locusts.
The people who would truly spend money would be the powerful clans and wealthy families eager to satisfy their appetites.
When the time came, forget one hundred coins— there would be plenty of buyers even at two hundred coins per jin.
“Zhongde.”
Handing another document to Cheng Yu, Zhang Jing continued, “Once the autumn harvest is over, Yan Province will enter the farming off-season.”
“Take this opportunity to recruit commoners with useful skills into the workshops.”
“While enriching the variety of goods produced by the Taiping Merchant Guild, we’ll also provide the people with additional income.”
“Afterward, have Wang Du come see me.”
In Yan Province during this era, only one grain harvest could be gathered each year.
During the agricultural off-season, the people didn’t simply leave their fields abandoned.
Instead, they planted seasonal vegetables.
After the autumn harvest, the land in Yan Province was suitable for growing rapeseed and Chinese cabbage.
Rapeseed could be pressed into cooking oil, though it was more commonly eaten as a vegetable.
As for Chinese cabbage, there was no need to elaborate— it grew exceptionally well throughout Yan Province.
Cultivating these vegetables required nowhere near the manpower and resources demanded by the spring planting season.
That left a great deal of surplus labor, which naturally needed to be put to productive use.
“As you command.”
Receiving the document, Cheng Yu bowed respectfully before taking his leave.
Some time later, Wang Du entered the hall.
“Your subordinate greets my lord.”
His forehead drenched in sweat, Wang Du respectfully bowed before Zhang Jing.
“Rise, and have a seat.”
Looking up and seeing how overheated Wang Du was, Zhang Jing instructed an attendant nearby, “Bring Vice Minister Wang a bowl of water.”
“At once.”
The attendant bowed and left.
“Thank you, my lord.”
Only then did Wang Du take a seat nearby.
“It’s nothing urgent.”
After Wang Du had finished drinking the water, Zhang Jing continued, “The autumn harvest is already nearly halfway complete, and Yan Province has entered the farming off-season.”
“The Ministry of Works has always had an enormous workload, so I’d like to offer a suggestion.”
“The Ministry can recruit able-bodied commoners.”
“Accelerate construction throughout the four commanderies.”
“And also…”
Throughout Taiping Prefecture’s territory, everything from repairing city walls, widening official roads, and constructing reservoirs, to digging wells for the common people and building storefronts for the Taiping Merchant Guild, fell under the Ministry of Works’ responsibility.
Because the four commanderies had only recently come under stable administration and required extensive rebuilding, the ministry had become one of the busiest departments.
For reservoir construction alone, Zhang Jing’s minimum requirement was five reservoirs.
Projects on that scale naturally demanded a tremendous amount of labor.
“My lord is truly wise. I know what must be done.”
After hearing Zhang Jing’s proposal, Wang Du nodded vigorously.
His eyes were filled with delight.
With the common people joining the workforce, he believed the Ministry of Works’ burden would be greatly reduced.
“Mm, there’s one more matter.”
Zhang Jing nodded slightly before continuing, “You participated in the city’s defense before, so you know how useful golden soup (feces) can be.”
“But golden soup isn’t only useful for defending cities.”
“It also serves as an excellent fertilizer.”
“Therefore, in every town, village, and hamlet across the four commanderies, It would be best to build more public latrines.”
“As for inside the cities…”
This was truly an era with a distinctive smell.
If you happened to come across a pile of human waste in the middle of a busy street or beside an official road, there was no need to panic.
Just pretend you hadn’t seen it.
Public toilets did exist.
In those days, they were known as road latrines.
However, because no one was responsible for maintaining them, most of them reeked to high heaven.
The stench alone was enough to make anyone’s head spin.
As a result, hardly anyone used them.
Now that the four commanderies were flourishing, Zhang Jing naturally placed this matter on his agenda.
“…Understood, my lord.”
The smile on Wang Du’s face gradually faded.
Rather dejectedly, he accepted the assignment.
“You may go.”
Zhang Jing smiled and waved his hand.
“Later, submit the detailed plan for hiring the common people, and I’ll review and approve it.”
“This subordinate takes his leave.”
Wang Du nodded respectfully, bowed, and departed the hall.
“Dian Wei, come with me. Let’s head out.”
After finishing his official business, Zhang Jing stood up, called for Dian Wei, and headed out of the residence.
“I heard you went on a matchmaking meeting last night?”
“Yep.”
“So? Did you find one you liked?”
“No.”
Dian Wei answered seriously, “I’m looking for a girl with big breasts and wide hips. They say women like that are better at bearing children.”
“The one I met last night was all fair-skinned and delicate—frail as a bamboo pole. Her waist wasn’t even as thick as my thigh. They said she came from a scholarly family, but that’s not my type.”
“You’ve got taste.”
Looking at Dian Wei and seeing that he was completely serious, Zhang Jing nodded solemnly.
“What’s Zhongde thinking, arranging something like that? I’ll have a word with him later and ask him to set up a few more introductions for you.”
“Thank you, my lord!”
Dian Wei’s weathered face flushed red, his eyes filled with anticipation.
As though remembering something, he added, “My lord, if you ask me, you ought to find yourself one with big—”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Zhang Jing shook his head firmly.
“I’m nowhere near as sturdy as you are. I couldn’t possibly handle someone like that.”
“Fair enough.”
Dian Wei looked at his lord, who was noticeably smaller than himself, and decided not to press the matter further.
………….
Mid-July, Yang Province.
The blazing summer sun beat down mercilessly.
Outside Fuchun County in Wu Commandery, everything lay quiet and peaceful.
The region was blessed with beautiful mountains and clear waters, its scenery exceptionally picturesque.
On the banks of the Zhejiang River lay the ancestral homeland of the Sun clan.
There, a tall young man, standing well over eight chi in height, with sword-like eyebrows and bright, starry eyes, his upper body bare, was practicing his spear techniques by the riverside with complete concentration.
“What magnificent spearsmanship!”
At that moment, Zhou Yu, dressed in a black embroidered robe and wearing a jade crown, approached carrying a jar of fine wine.
“Gongjin, what brings you here?”
The young man’s tense expression instantly melted away upon seeing Zhou Yu, replaced by the unrestrained joy of reuniting with an old friend.
“What, Brother Bofu?”
Zhou Yu said with a smile.
“Am I not welcome?”
— The end of the Chapter–
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