Chapter 136: The Emergence of the Wooden Kite (Bonus Chapter)

The scene was chaotic, yet strangely orderly. The chaos stemmed from the fields and the sky alike, which were teeming with locusts, all while the common folk scurried about in the midst of them. Fortunately, thanks to the methods implemented by Liu Yao, a significant number of the newly hatched locusts had been eradicated, preventing the dense, suffocating swarms of the past. Even so, the sheer volume of the insects was enough to make one’s skin crawl.

The order, however, came from the vast number of people working under the guidance of Zao Zhi and various officials of Youzhou. They followed Liu Yao’s instructions methodically, each performing their assigned duties—some casting nets, others drenching the ground—capturing the locusts that flew in the air or jumped across the fields. On a large patch of open ground outside the farmland, a massive mound of locust carcasses had already begun to pile up.

Even Liu Yao felt a shudder of revulsion at the sight of the writhing swarms; it was only natural for anyone to feel disgusted in such conditions. Nevertheless, he made his way toward where Zao Zhi was stationed.

"My Lord, why have you come to such a place? You should return to the manor and rest," Zao Zhi said, hurrying over, his face drenched in sweat. In his view, a man of Liu Yao’s status had no business in such a chaotic environment. As he spoke, a dozen or so locusts flew past his head, only to be swatted out of the air by Shi A, Zhang Fei, and the others.

"My Lord, these damned locusts are truly a nuisance. I can’t kill them fast enough," Zhang Fei grumbled, his serpent-headed spear dancing like a whirlwind. Every locust that dared to venture within six feet of him was struck down, yet they kept coming in scattered bursts. Nearby, Zhao Yun and Shi A moved with precision, their spears and swords working in tandem to ensure not a single insect neared Liu Yao.

"It is of no consequence. Why should I not be here?" Liu Yao replied dismissively. He took a step forward and bellowed, "People of Youzhou! I am Liu Yao, the Governor of Youzhou. These damned locusts wish to devour the crops we rely on for survival—do you allow it?"

"We do not!" the people shouted back in unison. Despite their roaring response, their hands never slowed for a second.

"Good! Then let us wipe these pests out together!" Liu Yao shouted. He grabbed a net from the ground and joined the ranks of the exterminators, followed immediately by his hundred personal guards.

Seeing their noble leader stoop to their level and fight alongside them, the people were deeply moved. Their morale soared, and their movements quickened, leading to the destruction of countless more locusts. Zao Zhi, observing the effect of Liu Yao’s presence, marveled at his high standing among the people. He turned his focus back to directing the efforts, leaving the rest to his Lord.

As time passed and the sun began to dip toward the horizon, Liu Yao and his men finally ceased their work. The sky and the fields were clear; not a single locust remained.

"Governor! Governor!" The people erupted into cheers, chanting Liu Yao’s name. It was his strategy, after all, that had saved them from this natural disaster.

"Whew!" Liu Yao exhaled, wiping the sweat from his brow. Had he not been hardened by years on the battlefield, he might not have survived such grueling labor. Hearing the cheers of the people, he smiled with satisfaction—the hearts of the people were secured.

"My Lord, the loss to the crops is minimal. We have lost less than ten percent; the rest remains intact," Zao Zhi reported with a smile after the final tally. In the past, saving even twenty percent of a harvest during a locust plague would have been considered a triumph; to lose only ten percent was beyond their wildest dreams.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for preserving eighty-three percent of the crops. You are rewarded with 24 lottery chances. You now have a total of 52 chances."

"Eighty-three percent?" Liu Yao was momentarily stunned by the system's voice, then he understood. The high success rate in Ji County was due to his personal presence, which had boosted morale, allowing them to save ninety percent of the grain. The other regions of Youzhou likely hadn't fared as well. Still, eighty-three percent was excellent; it would not hinder his future plans.

The 52 lottery chances made his mouth water, but he decided to hold onto them for now. He wasn't sure what blueprints he needed, so he would wait until he hit a real obstacle before deciding how to spend them.

"My Lord, we have collected five thousand shi of locusts in this area alone," Zao Zhi said, a look of revulsion crossing his face.

Liu Yao froze and glanced at the small mountain of insects nearby, a chill running down his spine. Five thousand shi of grain would have been enough to feed ten thousand people for over a month.

"Zao Zhi, have your men trade these to the people for grain, and send all the collected locusts to the poultry farms. Remember, ensure the grain provided to the people is generous—it must not be less than what they are owed," Liu Yao commanded sternly.

"Understood!" Zao Zhi replied and set off to oversee the distribution.

Liu Yao returned to the Governor’s Mansion, eager for rest. His body felt rusty from his time away from the front lines; even this minor exertion had left him fatigued. He knew, however, that his days of peace were numbered. In two or three years, the true era of chaos would arrive.

The next day, Liu Yao had intended to sleep in, but he was jolted awake by a familiar voice.

"Imperial Brother! Imperial Brother! Get up! Hurry up and get up!" Liu Xin’s insistent knocking and shouting filled his mind. It was impossible to sleep through, and Liu Yao, having no way to deal with his younger sister, could only shake his head helplessly, throw on a robe, and rise.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Liu Xin standing there, pouting with a look of extreme dissatisfaction.

"Imperial Sister, who has angered you? Tell your brother, and I shall teach them a lesson," Liu Yao teased, reaching out to pinch her cheek.

Liu Xin swatted his hand away and snapped, "It’s you!"

"Alright, alright, no more jokes. What is so urgent that you have come to find me at this hour?" Liu Yao asked with a smile.

"Oh, it’s all your fault, brother! Hurry, come with me!" She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the mansion, with Shi A, his guard, trailing behind them.

"Hey, hey, Xin’er, what is this all about? Why the rush?" Liu Yao asked, his head filled with questions as she pulled him along.

"Brother, that old man Mo has finally finished that thing called a Wooden Kite! He wants you to come see it," she said breathlessly. Liu Xin had been spending all her time at the Research Institute, and Mo Tian hadn't dared to keep any secrets from her, so she had learned of the project early on.