62 Plague of Locusts
Li Yu looked up at the locusts in midair and was stunned. She recalled that in her previous life, she had only seen the tragic state of the commoners after the locust plague on television. She had never seen so many locusts with her own eyes.
Li Yu watched as the dark mass got closer and closer. She suddenly thought of burning it with fire. Li Yu shouted at Madam Qian and Li Mei, “Aunt, quickly light up the locusts.”
As Li Yu spoke, she ran out and ignited the rapeseed shells and rapeseed poles piled on the ground. The rapeseed poles and rapeseed shells crackled and burned. Li Mei and Madam Qian also ran out to ignite the others.
Everyone raised their wooden sticks and branches to chase the locusts away, but it was useless. They watched helplessly as the locusts flew into the rice field. In an instant, the rice field was filled with locusts. They could only hear the sound of chewing in the rice field. In less than an hour, the acre of rice was only left with bare soil.
The locusts were everywhere from the vegetable garden to the rice field. Even the forest was filled with locusts. They only avoided the place where Li Yu was burning the fire. Li Yu looked at Li Mei and Madam Qian, who were looking at the locusts in a daze, and shouted, “Aunt, Aunt Qian, quickly pluck those vegetables and carry them home.” The two of them stumbled and ran after Li Yu to pluck the vegetables.
The other villagers hurriedly ran to Li Yu’s field and hugged the rapeseed poles and wheat stalks. They went back to pile them up on the field and light them up to chase away the locusts. However, it was already too late. The locusts were not even afraid of people anymore. They kept flying towards the crowd and did not escape no matter what.
The old people in the village knelt on the ground and lit incense and paper money. They kept kowtowing and begging for mercy from the locust gods.
Everyone could only sit on the ground in a daze, feeling like crying.
Everyone looked at the emerald West Mountain Village in extreme frustration. After half a day, it had turned into a bare land without a trace of green in its eyes.
Zhou Jia drove the mule cart to Li Yu’s house. He looked at Li Yu and said, “Xiaoyu, there’s a drought and a locust plague. It seems that we can only migrate.”
“That’s right! We can only move.” Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia. “My family just took so much food home. If we take all of it away, it will attract too much attention on the way. I want to take some out and sell some to those poor people at the market price before the new year. What do you think?”
Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and nodded in agreement. “Xiaoyu, you’re doing the right thing. I’ll go back and pack up the things I need for the migration. Zhao Cai went to the county to settle those workers and shopkeepers. We’ll set off the next day. The villagers of West Mountain can also leave. It’s safer with more people.”
Li Yu smiled bitterly and said, “Alright, I understand.”
Zhou Jia drove the mule into the courtyard and left with Ji Xiang. Li Yu tied the mule and placed the mule in the kitchen. He said to Madam Qian and Li Mei, who were choosing vegetables, “Aunt Qian, we encountered locusts before the drought passed. At this rate, we can only migrate.”
Li Mei looked at Li Yu’s confused expression. “Yu’er, it’s the same everywhere! Where can we escape to?”
Li Yu looked at Li Mei. “It’s not safe here either. After a while, everyone will have finished their water and food. Think about it. When there’s no more food and water, only our family will have food. The world is so big. There will always be places where we won’t suffer.”
Li Mei shuddered when she heard that. She nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll go back and pack.”
After Li Mei left, Madam Qian faced Li Yu and knelt down with a bang. Li Yu hurriedly helped her up. “Auntie Qian, what are you doing?”
Madam Qian begged Li Yu with tears in her eyes, “Xiaoyu, I won’t burden you and Mr. Zhou anymore. I only beg you to take Xiao An away and let him flee for his life. I’ll repay your kindness in my next life.”
Li Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Auntie Qian, you knelt down before I could finish speaking. I wanted to ask if you were willing to leave with us.”
“Xiaoyu.” Madam Qian was so grateful that she couldn’t say anything. She just kept nodding.
“Then hurry home and pack your things.” Li Yu looked at Madam Qian and smiled.
Madam Qian hurriedly went home to pack her things. Li Qing ran home and panted heavily. He said to Li Yu, “Sister, Sir said that we’re going to migrate. I came back to help pack.”
Li Yu thought to herself, I wonder what we’ll encounter along the way. I might as well let him kill those chickens to train his courage.
“Alright, then I’ll give you a mission. Kill those chickens and wait for me to come back to deal with them.” Li Yu looked at Li Qing. “Do you dare to kill them?”
Li Qing did not expect Li Yu to give him such a mission. After hesitating for a moment, he nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll kill them.”
Li Yu went out and walked towards the village. The villagers also gathered together to discuss how to face the problem in front of them.
When Li Yu walked to the entrance of the village chief’s house, an old man walked up to Li Yu trembling. He looked at Li Yu and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Xiaoyu, your family just bought food. Can you sell a few stones to my family?”
When Li Yu saw that the old man was wearing patched white clothes, she smiled and nodded. “Sure. Wait for me for a while. I’ll go to the village chief’s house to talk about something before calling you back.”
The old man didn’t expect Li Yu to be so easy to talk to. He bowed happily. “Thank you, thank you! I’ll wait for you here.”
Madam Li walked to the door when she heard that. When she saw Li Yu, she asked with a frown, “Xiaoyu, what are your plans?”
Li Yu and Madam Li walked over and saw locusts crawling everywhere in the courtyard. They had goosebumps.
Li Yu asked Madam Li, “Auntie Li, what do you and Uncle think?”
Madam Li looked at Li Yu with a worried expression. “We don’t know what to do either! What do you and Mr. Zhou plan to do?”
“We plan to leave the next day. I want to sell some of my grain at the market price before the year to those families who are short of grain.”
The village chief stood at the door of the central room. When he heard Li Yu say that she wanted to sell some food at the market price, he thought that he had heard wrongly. He hurriedly asked, “Xiaoyu, are you really going to sell food at the market price before the new year?”
Li Yu looked at the village chief and smiled. “Yes, Grandpa Village Chief. Mr. Zhou and I plan to leave the next day. My family just got so much food. I plan to keep 20 stones of wheat to take away. The rest will be sold to the families who are short of food at the market price before the new year. I want to ask you to help me, in case I’m wrong.”
The village chief nodded and sighed. “Xiaoyu! Grandpa has lived for so long, but he’s not as magnanimous as you. I know which families in the village are having a hard time. I’ll ring the gong and call someone over.”
Chen Yaohui hurriedly stopped the village chief. “Father, you should make a trip quietly! Otherwise, it’ll be difficult for me.”
“Why would it be difficult? Xiaoyu is doing a good deed.” The village chief was stunned for a moment before understanding. “Yes, I was confused. I’ll make a trip. You guys go to Xiaoyu’s house to help.”
The village chief called someone over. Chen Yaohui and his brother asked Li Yu, “Xiaoyu, are you leaving with Mr. Zhou?”
Li Yu nodded. “Uncle, tell the families in the village that if they decide to leave, they can leave with us. Everyone will have company on the way.”
Madam Li looked at Li Yu and cried. “Where are we going? We’ve only been to Green Mountain City four or five times in our lives.”
Li Yu glanced at Madam Li, turned around, and pointed at the world outside. She said loudly, “Auntie Li, the world is huge. As long as everyone works together, are you afraid that we won’t have a place to stay?”
Everyone looked at Li Yu’s determined and calm expression. For some reason, they didn’t feel so terrified and uneasy anymore.
62 Plague of Locusts
Li Yu looked up at the locusts in midair and was stunned. She recalled that in her previous life, she had only seen the tragic state of the commoners after the locust plague on television. She had never seen so many locusts with her own eyes.
Li Yu watched as the dark mass got closer and closer. She suddenly thought of burning it with fire. Li Yu shouted at Madam Qian and Li Mei, “Aunt, quickly light up the locusts.”
As Li Yu spoke, she ran out and ignited the rapeseed shells and rapeseed poles piled on the ground. The rapeseed poles and rapeseed shells crackled and burned. Li Mei and Madam Qian also ran out to ignite the others.
Everyone raised their wooden sticks and branches to chase the locusts away, but it was useless. They watched helplessly as the locusts flew into the rice field. In an instant, the rice field was filled with locusts. They could only hear the sound of chewing in the rice field. In less than an hour, the acre of rice was only left with bare soil.
The locusts were everywhere from the vegetable garden to the rice field. Even the forest was filled with locusts. They only avoided the place where Li Yu was burning the fire. Li Yu looked at Li Mei and Madam Qian, who were looking at the locusts in a daze, and shouted, “Aunt, Aunt Qian, quickly pluck those vegetables and carry them home.” The two of them stumbled and ran after Li Yu to pluck the vegetables.
The other villagers hurriedly ran to Li Yu’s field and hugged the rapeseed poles and wheat stalks. They went back to pile them up on the field and light them up to chase away the locusts. However, it was already too late. The locusts were not even afraid of people anymore. They kept flying towards the crowd and did not escape no matter what.
The old people in the village knelt on the ground and lit incense and paper money. They kept kowtowing and begging for mercy from the locust gods.
Everyone could only sit on the ground in a daze, feeling like crying.
Everyone looked at the emerald West Mountain Village in extreme frustration. After half a day, it had turned into a bare land without a trace of green in its eyes.
Zhou Jia drove the mule cart to Li Yu’s house. He looked at Li Yu and said, “Xiaoyu, there’s a drought and a locust plague. It seems that we can only migrate.”
“That’s right! We can only move.” Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia. “My family just took so much food home. If we take all of it away, it will attract too much attention on the way. I want to take some out and sell some to those poor people at the market price before the new year. What do you think?”
Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and nodded in agreement. “Xiaoyu, you’re doing the right thing. I’ll go back and pack up the things I need for the migration. Zhao Cai went to the county to settle those workers and shopkeepers. We’ll set off the next day. The villagers of West Mountain can also leave. It’s safer with more people.”
Li Yu smiled bitterly and said, “Alright, I understand.”
Zhou Jia drove the mule into the courtyard and left with Ji Xiang. Li Yu tied the mule and placed the mule in the kitchen. He said to Madam Qian and Li Mei, who were choosing vegetables, “Aunt Qian, we encountered locusts before the drought passed. At this rate, we can only migrate.”
Li Mei looked at Li Yu’s confused expression. “Yu’er, it’s the same everywhere! Where can we escape to?”
Li Yu looked at Li Mei. “It’s not safe here either. After a while, everyone will have finished their water and food. Think about it. When there’s no more food and water, only our family will have food. The world is so big. There will always be places where we won’t suffer.”
Li Mei shuddered when she heard that. She nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll go back and pack.”
After Li Mei left, Madam Qian faced Li Yu and knelt down with a bang. Li Yu hurriedly helped her up. “Auntie Qian, what are you doing?”
Madam Qian begged Li Yu with tears in her eyes, “Xiaoyu, I won’t burden you and Mr. Zhou anymore. I only beg you to take Xiao An away and let him flee for his life. I’ll repay your kindness in my next life.”
Li Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Auntie Qian, you knelt down before I could finish speaking. I wanted to ask if you were willing to leave with us.”
“Xiaoyu.” Madam Qian was so grateful that she couldn’t say anything. She just kept nodding.
“Then hurry home and pack your things.” Li Yu looked at Madam Qian and smiled.
Madam Qian hurriedly went home to pack her things. Li Qing ran home and panted heavily. He said to Li Yu, “Sister, Sir said that we’re going to migrate. I came back to help pack.”
Li Yu thought to herself, I wonder what we’ll encounter along the way. I might as well let him kill those chickens to train his courage.
“Alright, then I’ll give you a mission. Kill those chickens and wait for me to come back to deal with them.” Li Yu looked at Li Qing. “Do you dare to kill them?”
Li Qing did not expect Li Yu to give him such a mission. After hesitating for a moment, he nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll kill them.”
Li Yu went out and walked towards the village. The villagers also gathered together to discuss how to face the problem in front of them.
When Li Yu walked to the entrance of the village chief’s house, an old man walked up to Li Yu trembling. He looked at Li Yu and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Xiaoyu, your family just bought food. Can you sell a few stones to my family?”
When Li Yu saw that the old man was wearing patched white clothes, she smiled and nodded. “Sure. Wait for me for a while. I’ll go to the village chief’s house to talk about something before calling you back.”
The old man didn’t expect Li Yu to be so easy to talk to. He bowed happily. “Thank you, thank you! I’ll wait for you here.”
Madam Li walked to the door when she heard that. When she saw Li Yu, she asked with a frown, “Xiaoyu, what are your plans?”
Li Yu and Madam Li walked over and saw locusts crawling everywhere in the courtyard. They had goosebumps.
Li Yu asked Madam Li, “Auntie Li, what do you and Uncle think?”
Madam Li looked at Li Yu with a worried expression. “We don’t know what to do either! What do you and Mr. Zhou plan to do?”
“We plan to leave the next day. I want to sell some of my grain at the market price before the year to those families who are short of grain.”
The village chief stood at the door of the central room. When he heard Li Yu say that she wanted to sell some food at the market price, he thought that he had heard wrongly. He hurriedly asked, “Xiaoyu, are you really going to sell food at the market price before the new year?”
Li Yu looked at the village chief and smiled. “Yes, Grandpa Village Chief. Mr. Zhou and I plan to leave the next day. My family just got so much food. I plan to keep 20 stones of wheat to take away. The rest will be sold to the families who are short of food at the market price before the new year. I want to ask you to help me, in case I’m wrong.”
The village chief nodded and sighed. “Xiaoyu! Grandpa has lived for so long, but he’s not as magnanimous as you. I know which families in the village are having a hard time. I’ll ring the gong and call someone over.”
Chen Yaohui hurriedly stopped the village chief. “Father, you should make a trip quietly! Otherwise, it’ll be difficult for me.”
“Why would it be difficult? Xiaoyu is doing a good deed.” The village chief was stunned for a moment before understanding. “Yes, I was confused. I’ll make a trip. You guys go to Xiaoyu’s house to help.”
The village chief called someone over. Chen Yaohui and his brother asked Li Yu, “Xiaoyu, are you leaving with Mr. Zhou?”
Li Yu nodded. “Uncle, tell the families in the village that if they decide to leave, they can leave with us. Everyone will have company on the way.”
Madam Li looked at Li Yu and cried. “Where are we going? We’ve only been to Green Mountain City four or five times in our lives.”
Li Yu glanced at Madam Li, turned around, and pointed at the world outside. She said loudly, “Auntie Li, the world is huge. As long as everyone works together, are you afraid that we won’t have a place to stay?”
Everyone looked at Li Yu’s determined and calm expression. For some reason, they didn’t feel so terrified and uneasy anymore.
