Chapter 299: Locust gue Heading North – Using Natural Disasters to Counter a Natural Disaster!


    The nations attention was focused on Southern Jiang. The Prince of Southern Jiang watched as swarms of locusts covered the sky, voraciously devouring his rice crops, causing his head to explode in anger. Every passing second resulted in hundreds of rice nts being damaged.


    Dragging his officials, Prince of Southern Jiang spoke with extreme urgency, Do any of you have a solution? Hurry ande up with something for me! If we cant deal with these pests, my grain will be eaten away!


    Southern Jiangs officials wore bitter expressions as they shook their heads, Your Highness, we truly have no means. This locust gue is one of the most terrifying disasters in the world, and its insurmountable. This is a natural disaster; can human effort counter it?


    Prince of Southern Jiangs anxiety deepened, How did the locust gues disappear in the past?


    Your Highness, your subordinate knows!


    Prince of Southern Jiang perked up, Tell me!


    Wang Fugui cupped his hands, his face filled with despair, After theyve devoured all the grain in the fields and have nothing left to eat, they will naturally starve to death.


    Prince of Southern Jiangs face darkened, he staggered, nearly falling.


    Be careful, Your Highness!


    Your Highness!


    Step back, I dont need assistance! Prince of Southern Jiang swatted away the hands that supported him. ring at the swarming locusts, he roared, You say this is a natural disaster, and human effort is futile? I absolutely refuse to ept that! Summon all martial artists and soldiers, eradicate these pests and protect the fields for me!


    Yes, Your Highness! the crowd responded.


    Thus, the soldiers cultivated by Prince of Prince of Southern Jiang entered the fields in a massive wave to eliminate the pests. Those without martial skills used fine fishings to catch the insects or utilized brooms made from dead branches to clear the pests. The most efficient were the martial artists, whose bursts of energy could kill many insects in an instant. Particrly the innate martial artists, after this campaign, nearly cleared a vast expanse.


    Seeing the results, Prince of Southern Jiangughed with joy, Exactly! Kill all of them for me! Leave none alive!


    Yes, Your Highness! The 430 individuals echoed and continued their extermination efforts.


    However, people grow tired, whereas locusts are endless, never tiring, and continue to multiply. After wiping out one wave, another emerges, and they seem impossible to eradicate. After three consecutive days of killing, Prince of Southern Jiangs soldiers copsed from exhaustion. Yet, the locusts didnt appear to diminish in the slightest.


    However, the rice crops had been substantially devoured.


    Gazing at the almost ruined rice nts, Prince of Southern Jiang sank to his knees, his eyes filled with despair, All of my grain is gone, everything is gone!


    This grain was not just his armys sustenance; it was also the hope for his imperial ambitions. Now that the grain was gone, his aspirations were crumbling as well.


    At this moment, a wild idea sprouted in his mind. Since everything was about to end, why not rise up now and march directly towards the capital? Either he would ascend the throne or perish trying!


    Your Highness, the locusts are migrating north! Someone called out.


    What? The locusts are migrating north? Prince of Southern Jiangs spirits lifted. The northern border of Prince of Southern Jiang was the direction of the capital.


    Haha, excellent! Keep going north! Prince of Southern Jiang stood up with heartyughter, I have no grain, and none of you will either! Im going to see how these locusts have devoured your grain! Haha!


    Witnessing this scene, Prince of Southern Jiangs officials were filled with deep concern.


    Has Your Highness gone mad? Hes crying andughing alternately


    Perhaps the shock was too much. Poor Your Highness! Sigh.


    So what do we do now?


    Buzz, buzz


    Billions of locusts, in an immense swarm, migrated northward, devouring all nts along their path, especially the rice crops. The scale of this devastation was beyondprehension, leaving virtually no trace of greenery.


    Witnessing this, the Prince of Southern Jiang felt a sense of euphoria. Keep eating like this, devour everything! I wont have it easy, and neither will you!


    News of the locust gue migrating north spread rapidly throughout the realm.


    In thend of Wuxi, the royal residence:


    The locust gue is actually moving northward, directly towards the capital? The Duke of Wuxi heard the news and couldnt contain his excitement. Haha, this is wonderful! If they can consume all of the imperial grain, the autumn harvest will fail, and it will be the perfect time for us to rise in rebellion!


    Your Highness speaks the truth! Mr. Fengchuns face was flushed with enthusiasm.


    In thend of Northern Hebei, the royal residence:


    The Prince of Northern Hebei was equally delighted, This locust gue is a blessing in disguise! With no grain during the autumn harvest, the imperial court will suffer! This is fate, a sign that the heavens want the downfall of the court! Heavens will is on our side!


    Your Highness speaks the truth! Advisor Zhuges expression was lively, After the autumn harvest, our forces will be nearly ready. The time for our uprising is near, and our grand n will be realized!


    Advisor speaks the truth. Keep a close eye on the capital and the locust gues movement! The Prince of Northern Hebei was extremely satisfied.


    Yes, Your Highness! the military advisor responded loudly.


    Other countries and ambitious individuals witnessed this scene with great pleasure.


    However, within the imperial court, they faced a dire situation. This was a once-in-a-century locust gue! The locusts left devastation in their wake, and with the autumn harvest imminent, failure to deal with the locusts would lead to a poor harvest, resulting in a series of repercussions.


    To counter the impending locust gue, the capital assembled arge number of chickens, ducks, and geese to eat the insects. They also mobilized a substantial force of soldiers and martial artists to eradicate the locusts. In short, every avable resource was being marshaled to confront the disaster.


    Still, the Empress remained highly concerned, holding frequent meetings with her ministers to discuss the locust gue. Her worries were enough to turn her hair white.


    However, Lin Beifan remained calm, eating and drinking as usual, not treating it as a major concern. He simply followed the imperial orders and cooperated ordingly.


    Observing this, the Empress couldnt help but ask, Advisor, do you have any solutions?


    Lin Beifan cupped his hands, Your Majesty, theres no need to worry. They wont be able to make it here.


    Minister of Revenue Qian Yuanshen anxiously eximed, Why wont they be able to make it? Theyre already here!


    Lin Beifan responded calmly, Whats the use of worrying now? Weve done everything we can. All we can do is give our best effort and leave the rest to fate.


    Sigh! Everyone sighed in unison.


    Seven to eight dayster, the locust gue finally arrived within the capitals borders. At this moment, all eyes in the realm were fixed on the capital, waiting to see whether the court could weather this cmity.


    However, more often than not, oveing this ordeal seemed impossible!


    If they could ovee it, then it wouldnt be the most fearsome locust gue that had everyone trembling!


    The courts military and horses were prepared, deploying numerous soldiers and martial artists to intercept the locusts. Especially the martial artists, aside from the guards, almost all had been brought in, amounting to over 5,000 individuals!


    Many peasants andmon folk spontaneously joined to helpbat the disaster.


    Even so, the imperial court dared not rx their efforts.


    This locust gue was too terrifying! A once-in-a-century catastrophe!


    Even Prince of Southern Jiang Prince, who was giving his all, found himself powerless.


    Despite assembling so many soldiers and horses, the court stillcked confidence. They could only do their best.


    Within the capital, all the citizens worriedly observed the battle between man and insect. If they lost, their future would be bleak.


    Prince of Southern Jiang followed, his face revealing a wild and ecstatic smile as he observed the imperial soldiers in the distance, ready for battle, and the locusts blotting out the sky above him.


    Go, my little insects! You must devour all their grain!


    Unleash your power!


    Im not having an easy time, and I wont let them have one either!


    Hahaha


    As Prince of Southern Jiangs words fell, the locusts in the sky emitted a droning sound and surged towards the imperial city.


    The generals and soldiers within the capital were on high alert, shouting, The locusts areing! Prepare yourselves!


    Yes, General! the soldiers responded in unison.


    Swish, swish, swish.


    They all drew their weapons, but instead of spears or des, they wielded brooms to sweep away the locusts. The more luxurious among them hadrges. Numerous martial artists gathered their true qi and strength to shake the locusts to death.


    Prince of Southern Jiang observed this scene with disdain, If such actions were effective, I would have won long ago! But this is good as well. Without struggling, you wont understand what true despair feels like! Hahaha!


    The locusts buzzed as they approached, nearly blotting out the sky! A single nce was enough to induce despair.


    At the city gates, Lin Beifan muttered to himself, Truly horrifying.


    Though he had heard that locust gues were terrifying, this was the first time he had seen it, and it was even more frightening than he had imagined. Just one look could potentially make someone with a fear of crowds pass out!


    In ancient times, there was simply no strategy to deal with such a situation.


    Even in a world with martial artists, facing an overwhelming number of locusts left them helpless.


    Fortunately, Lin Beifan was not without a countermeasure.


    There was only one thing that could counteract a natural disaster like this


    Another natural disaster!


    The great wind rises, clouds fly!


    As Lin Beifans words fell, a strong wind suddenly blew from the north to the south.


    The wind howled and managed to hold back the approaching locusts, as if a hand had pushed them back. Billions of locusts buzzed, but couldnt take a step forward.


    Its the wind! The wind is stopping the locusts! someone eximed in astonishment.


    What a favorable wind! Everyone cheered.


    If this wind could keep blowing forever!


    Although it was a hopeful wish, everyone knew that just as the wind came, it could also go.


    When the wind departed, that would be the time for confrontation.


    A sudden thunderp from level ground, wind and rain adding to the body!


    As Lin Beifans words fell again, a bolt of lightning shed in the sky. Soon, dense clouds gathered, obscuring the sunlight, and a light rain began to fall.


    The rain wasnt heavy, resembling spring rain as it moistened faces and nourished the rice seedlings. The capital was bathed in this gentle rain, shrouded in misty rain and appearing especially beautiful.


    But for the locusts, this rain and wind was an imprable barrier, a natural disaster that was impossible to ovee. They were left hovering outside, unable to cross.


    They lingered, unable to make the leap.


    The officials andmoners of the capital grew excited.


    Its raining in the capital!


    This rain came just in time, keeping the locusts outside!


    Locusts are most afraid of rain. This is timely indeed!


    What wonderful rain!


    Prince of Southern Jiang, who had silently observed this scene, was left dumbfounded, How can this be?