Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Chenshi.

At the gate of the Shen Mansion, the carriage stopped and Ji Benchang lifted the curtain and got out. Before the doorman had time to salute, he asked directly, "Is your master still here?"

"Master Ji." The doorman bowed persistently before answering, "Master, she left for the dam at the hour of Mao."

"At the hour of Mao?" Ji Benchang turned around and said, "Why is it so early today..."

After getting on the car, he told the driver: "Go to Huiheba... No, go to Jiahepu to pick someone up first."

In terms of proficiency in farming, he is still not as good as the agricultural teachers.

......

Huihe Dam.

The head waiter was secretly called over by several laborers.

After the two sides talked for a while, the canteen had a small bamboo cage in his hand.

The cage swayed left and right in his hands, like a small boat on the river. With a curious look on his face, he walked towards Shen Zheng.

Shen Zheng was writing something under the shed. The inkstone and paperweight on the table were made of pebbles that could be found everywhere on the dam.

"Lord Shen..."

He called Shen Zheng in a low voice like a thief, but there was no one beside Shen Zheng.

"Head of the restaurant?" Shen Zheng raised her eyes slightly, her wrists moving, "But is there something? Sit down and talk."

The head cook didn't sit down, but just moved into the shed. "Sir, the laborers just gave me something and said it was delicious. They want to treat you to it."

"What?" Shen Zheng was multitasking and a little confused.

The canteen boss struggled mentally for a moment, and after a moment, he finally convinced himself and raised his right hand. "This is it... a giant toad, the only one I've ever seen in my life."

Shen Zheng paused when she heard this. On the paper were written the words "Not sure whether it is edible or not".

She turned to look at Cantou: "Bring it here and let me see."

The small bamboo cage was cracked open, and the steamed bun-sized bullfrog happened to look up and stare directly at her. Cantou closed the lid and slapped the bamboo cage: "How dare you, you beast, scare me!"

Shen Zheng rubbed his brows and asked, "Did the laborer give it to you? When did they catch it? Have you eaten it already?"

The head chef answered them one by one, "They just gave it to me. They said they caught it this morning. Several people ate it before going to work. There are no problems so far. I am sure it is not poisonous before offering it to you. They also said that the meat of this giant toad is very tender. I am afraid that even the emperor has never tasted it."

Looking at the shaking bamboo cage, Shen Zheng asked again: "How do they eat? Is it cooked?"

The canteen boss sensed something was amiss and turned to look at the people who had just given him the toad. They must have eaten meat today, as they were talking and laughing as they worked, full of energy.

Turning back, he hesitated and said, "It seems...it seems not fully cooked. We don't have the conditions for that on the dam. They blanch it in hot water before eating it, but according to them, the meat is completely white with only a tiny bit of blood."

After he finished speaking, he hid the bamboo basket behind him and said, "Sir...is this thing inedible?"

Shen Zheng suppressed her emotions and sighed, "I'm not sure if it's edible yet. But paddy fields in spring and summer are full of insects, and these toads are likely to be vulnerable. They might even be parasitic on the toads. How can a simple scalding with hot water kill them?"

Putting things of unknown origin into your mouth is an irresponsible act.

But she didn't know how to scold the laborers.

To them, it's meat.

The meat is naturally raised and you can have a delicious meal without any investment of energy or strength.

Isn’t it a temptation for them?

Under such temptation, they were willing to share a bullfrog with themselves...

"Never mind." She took the bamboo basket and placed it at her feet. "I'll bring this one to the Minister of Revenue. At lunch today, ask them who else ate the giant toad. Have them take the initiative to contact the Minister of Revenue to record their names. If they feel unwell in the future, the doctor can prescribe the right medicine. As for the rest, tell them not to eat it for now until the court has made a final decision."

After the waiter left, Shen Zheng looked at the words on the paper and fell into deep thought.

The bamboo cage rustled at her feet, and she couldn't help but wonder—who brought the bullfrogs into the Great Zhou? Besides Shangjing, were there any other prefectures... too?

The unknown made her uncomfortable. Just as she was pondering this, Ji Benchang came hurriedly with several agricultural teachers, calling her as they walked: "Xiao Shen!"

Before she could answer, Ji Benchang continued, "I went to your house to look for you, but the doorman said you had left early, so I went to Jiahepu to pick them up. We have all read your letter, and Old Qu said that thing might eat other frogs, which would be bad for the crops in the fields..."

He had just finished speaking when he walked in front of Shen Zheng.

Shen Zheng thought Ji Benchang would come to find her, but she didn't expect that he would act so quickly and even bring helpers with him.

"Please take a seat with everyone else." She put on her gloves, picked up the bamboo cage, and placed it on the table. She then took out a cloth strap and tied it to the bullfrog's hind legs. "The laborers just brought one over. Please take a look at it first. Don't worry. I caught a few last night and brought them home. I've been observing them all night and have figured out some tricks. I'll write it down for you guys later."

Listening to her orderly arrangements, Ji Benchang's tense mood finally relaxed a little.

"Okay, okay... Then Xiao Shen, you write first. We'll go to the shed next door and not disturb you." He carried the bamboo basket and took the agricultural engineers to the next door.

......

After two quarters of an hour, the agricultural teachers were arguing with each other until their faces turned red and their mouths were spitting, and they had forgotten all about etiquette.

"Toads are beneficial! How could they possibly harm crops? I think you're seeing things beyond belief!"

"You are so short-sighted! A toad this big is not a beneficial species, but an alien species!"

"Old stubborn!"

"That's enough!" Ji Benchang grabbed the cloth belt and left the bullfrog, which was tied by its hind legs, dangling in the air and struggling. He said, "Think about it for now and see what Xiao Shen has to say."

The agricultural teachers stopped talking until Shen Zheng came over with the written paper.

The rough paper was handed to Ji Benchang, which was three pages long, and each page was filled with small characters.

Under the agronomists' urging gazes, Ji Benchang quickly scanned the pond, highlighting the key points: "...preferring living creatures and beneficial insects, they ignore aphids on rice leaves. They stir up the pond mud, muddying the water and hindering the survival of other organisms. They have numerous egg masses and reproduce rapidly. If left unchecked, they could become...a disaster."

Disaster...

Ji Benchang's pupils suddenly shrank. He suppressed his shock and asked, "In just one night, Xiao Shen, you... have observed so many things?"

Shen Zheng said seriously, "The rice hasn't even reached ears yet, and I'm worried. I can't sleep at night, so I can't help but think about it. My lord, all things in the world complement each other, and the habits of creatures like this are often hidden in their daily actions. I think this creature may crowd out other organisms. If it's not dealt with in time, I'm afraid this year's rice harvest will be affected."