usatvline Chapter 79 Locusts are edible, so why can't a locust plague be solved?
Chapter 79 Locusts are edible, so why can't a locust plague be solved?
Chapter 79 Locusts are edible, so why can't a locust plague be solved?
Click!
Another crisp sound rang out.
Little Sizi squinted, a few grains of salt and pepper hanging from the corner of his mouth, looking more blissful than if he had eaten dragon liver and phoenix marrow.
"Is it really that delicious?"
Li Shimin's Adam's apple bobbed twice as he stared intently at the plate of golden fried food.
The aroma of roasted meat wafted straight from his nostrils to his forehead, making his stomach rumble with hunger.
But those are locusts!
It has a ferocious and terrifying appearance, and is also burdened with the title of divine punishment.
Li Shimin reached out, his fingertips trembling slightly.
He, a dignified general of the Heavenly Strategy Army, who had never blinked before thousands of troops, now felt a bit timid in the face of a dead insect.
"Ayeqi!"
Little Sizi grabbed the fattest one and held it directly to Li Shimin's mouth, saying, "This was caught by my sister herself, it's huge!"
Deep-fried locusts are golden brown all over, and their legs and feet have been trimmed clean, so they don't look that scary at all.
Li Shimin made a firm decision.
I am the Son of Heaven. I dare to exterminate even the Turks. How could I be afraid of this little bug?
Back then, it was a case of swallowing something whole, a ruse.
Today it's deep-fried, it's delicious!
"Then I—will try it."
Li Shimin opened his mouth and bit down with a look of grim determination.
The moment your teeth touch the crispy outer shell, a slight cracking sensation spreads through your gums.
Click!
It wasn't as bitter as I expected, nor did it have that disgusting burst of juice.
The first thing that washes over your mouth is the salty, savory, and slightly numbing flavor of the outer layer of pepper and salt. Then, the crispy fried crust cracks between your teeth, turning into a mouthful of oily aroma.
Further inside, the clump of meat, about the size of a fingernail, was surprisingly tender, with a sweetness similar to that of river shrimp, mixed with the smoky aroma of roasted dried fruit!
As Li Shimin chewed, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed.
"Um?"
Li Shimin let out a surprised hum through his nose, his cheeks moving rapidly.
Swallow it.
That little wisp of warm air slid down the esophagus into the stomach, leaving one wanting more.
"this----"
Li Shimin stared wide-eyed at Su Mu, "Is this really that beast who wreaks havoc on the crops?"
"Genuine or genuine."
Su Mu tapped the strainer against the side of the pot, then scooped up another spoonful. "Want more?"
"want!"
Li Shimin stopped pretending and reached into the winnowing basket to grab something himself.
He grabbed two or three at a time and stuffed them all into his mouth.
Click, click!
This sound is so relaxing.
Wei Zheng, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed.
He was still clutching the ceremonial tablet in his hand, his dark face flushed red.
He was the one who was cursing the most just now, but now, watching His Majesty the Emperor eating with his mouth full of oil, the aroma rushing straight into his lungs, is practically torture.
"Xuancheng."
Li Shimin, chewing on a shrimp, waved his hand indistinctly, "Don't be so formal, this thing—this thing is wonderful!"
Would you like to try some?
Wei Zheng retorted, "I am a scholar who has studied the classics; how could I possibly eat such a thing—"
Glug—!
The stomach is more honest than the mouth; this time, the growl was even louder than before.
Li Shimin laughed heartily, grabbed a handful of food, and shoved it into Wei Zheng's hand: "What 'sacred texts'? I've already eaten them all, what else are you afraid of? Try some! This is an imperial edict!"
Wei Zheng looked at the locusts in his hand.
This stuff is fried thoroughly, piping hot, and smells quite good.
Since it's an imperial edict—
Wei Zheng sighed, looking like he was about to die a martyr, picked one up and put it in his mouth.
Chew it.
Wei Zheng's old eyes suddenly lit up.
Chew it again.
The old man's beard trembled twice.
This smells amazing!
Without saying a word, Wei Zheng threw the remaining few into his mouth, and almost bit his tongue because he ate so fast.
"How about it?" Li Shimin asked smugly.
"wonderful!"
Wei Zheng gave a thumbs up, abandoning all decorum, and squeezed his way to the stove. "This taste—absolutely amazing! It's even chewier than venison and more delicious than mutton! Give me some more!"
In no time, the backyard of the imperial kitchen became a scene of scrambling for food.
The Tang emperor, the prime minister, the eldest princess, and Princess Jinyang were all vying for a broken winnowing basket.
"That one that's tied to my nest! I've got my eye on it!"
Little Sizi was so anxious he was jumping up and down.
"Leave some for Father; he's still growing!"
Li Shimin shamelessly snatched the last big one.
"Your Majesty, you've eaten too much and are feeling hot-tempered. Let me help you with some of the heat."
Wei Zheng was extremely fast and managed to steal several of them amidst the chaos.
Li Lizhi was initially quite reserved, but seeing that the winnowing basket was almost empty, she couldn't care less about maintaining a ladylike image and reached out her slender hand to join the fray.
Before long, a whole basket of deep-fried shrimp was gone, not a single crumb left.
Li Shimin licked the salt and pepper on his fingers with lingering satisfaction, feeling refreshed all over. The pent-up frustration from the drought these past few days seemed to be chewed up and swallowed with the crunching sound.
"happy!"
Li Shimin slapped his thigh, his face glowing with pride.
He glanced at the pile of wings, legs, and feet that had been removed on the ground, then looked at the empty winnowing basket, and suddenly a brilliant idea flashed into his mind.
"Su Mu!"
Li Shimin stepped forward, grabbed Su Mu's shoulder, his eyes gleaming with an alarming light, "You have great talent!"
Su Mu shrugged in disgust, took a half step back, and avoided the oil-stained dragon claw.
"Pay after you finish eating, don't try to get too friendly."
"What is money!" Li Shimin waved his hand, brimming with heroic spirit. "Do you know what this dish signifies?"
He paced back and forth, becoming more and more excited as he thought about it.
"Henan is currently suffering from a severe drought, and locusts are swarming everywhere. The people regard them as deities and dare not kill them, so they can only watch helplessly as their crops are devoured and they eventually starve to death!"
Li Shimin turned around abruptly, pointed at the empty winnowing basket, and exclaimed passionately, "But if this stuff is edible, and so delicious at that! Then this isn't a disaster, it's a gift from heaven!"
Wei Zheng was also very excited, with chili powder still hanging from his beard: "Your Majesty is wise! If this method is promoted and the disaster victims know that this thing is edible and so delicious, then the locust plague will no longer be a disaster, but—it will be—"
"Meat is delivered to your door!"
Li Shimin, his face flushed with excitement, chimed in, "Send the order! Proclaim to the world the recipe for these deep-fried shrimp! I want the locusts in Henan Province to be eaten to extinction by the people!"
Li Lizhi and Xiao Sizi nodded vigorously beside her.
"That's right! Let everyone fly away blindly! That way, no more bugs will bully the crops!" Little Sizi raised his little fist, his face full of righteous indignation.
The atmosphere in the courtyard was lively, as if the locust plague that had plagued the Tang Dynasty for many years had been solved over this barbecue.
Su Mu leaned against the stove, toying with the empty colander in his hand.
He looked at the group of royal relatives in front of him who were so excited they were practically flying to the sky, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Eat extinct species?"
Su Mu spoke lazily, his voice not loud, but it was like a bucket of cold water with ice shards being poured over his head.
"That's a pretty nice idea."
Li Shimin's smile froze: "What do you mean? This is delicious and non-toxic. Xuancheng and I have both tasted it. How could it be fake?"
"Non-toxic?"
Su Mu chuckled and tapped the side of the pot with his chopsticks. "What you just ate was some stragglers that have been left to fend for themselves in this yard, or rather, lone worms that haven't yet amounted to anything."
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