Li Ying knew that it was futile to try to explain modern concepts like "protecting biodiversity" to these people, so she decided not to waste her breath.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Empress Pei looking faintly worried. An idea immediately came to her mind.
She said softly, "Your Majesty, at lunch yesterday, I presented a dish called 'Eight-Treasure Perch Sashimi'. Did you enjoy it?"
That fish soup was cooked with the famous four-gilled perch from Songjiang, paired with pigeon eggs, abalone, fish maw and a total of eight precious ingredients. The soup was boiled until it was as white as milk and tasted rich and fragrant.
Empress Pei, who was taking care of the young prince, was exhausted. This fish soup suited her taste very well, so she had two more bowls. Li Ying, being a sensitive person, took note of it immediately.
Empress Pei nodded. "Yes, I do like the taste of the Songjiang perch."
However, she wondered what this had to do with the oyster reef.
Li Ying calmly explained, "Your Majesty and Your Highness may not know that the Songjiang perch is originally from the sea. Every spawning season, it migrates from the river into the sea. The tiny fish eggs, almost invisible to the eye, hide in the empty shells of the oyster reef to hatch into small fish. They grow up in the oyster reef before returning to the estuary of Songjiang City."
"If these oyster reefs on the tidal flat are damaged, the fish and shellfish that will lose their habitats will not be limited to just the Songjiang perch."
Hearing this, the Emperor frowned. Before the magistrate of Dongshan County could say anything, Li Ying bowed respectfully to the Emperor.
"As the saying goes, 'Do not do evil because it is small; do not neglect good because it is small.' The oyster reef is closely related to other creatures in the sea. Excessive damage will bring only harm and no benefit. Moreover, Your Majesty is kind-hearted. Even the old, the weak, the sick and the disabled thousands of miles away from the capital are always in Your Majesty's thoughts."
"These small fish and shrimps living in the oyster shells are no different from the helpless old and young people. Your Majesty is so kind that you would surely not bear to watch them die."
Hearing this, the Emperor's eyes flashed.
He could tell that Li Ying was clearly using his reputation to support her argument.
But somehow, every word she said hit the mark. Different from the annoying flattery, her words were very pleasing to hear, and he couldn't find any fault with them.
At this point, he cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "What Lady Li said makes sense. Dongshan County has already done a meritorious deed by presenting the red coral. I am very pleased. As for clearing the oyster reefs, there is no need."
Not only should these oyster reefs not be removed, but more oysters should be cultivated.
Naturally, this task fell on Li Ying's shoulders again.
This was not difficult.
As an old saying goes, "Oysters that grow in water are called natural oysters, while those that are cultivated by fishermen are called artificial oysters."
Natural oysters are, of course, the wild oysters in the sea. As for the artificial oysters, they are cultivated by fishermen.
All one needs to do is to throw red-hot stones and tiles into the sea.
The high temperature of the fire will burn away all the other marine organisms attached to the stones and tiles. Otherwise, once they are thrown into the sea, these "unwanted" organisms will multiply rapidly, leaving no room for the oysters to grow.
Secondly, the hot stones will easily break into several pieces when they fall into the water, increasing the surface area for the oysters to attach to. Thirdly, due to the sudden change in temperature, these heated stones will develop many small cracks, and their rough surface will make it easier for the oysters to attach firmly.
Over the years, oysters will grow on the stones. As time goes by and the tides rise and fall, the oyster shells will pile up higher and higher, forming a high hill. That "oyster hill" is the oyster reef.
Princess Yongning was a smart girl. Having learned a lot from Li Ying during this journey, she immediately understood and asked, "If we follow this method, can we also cultivate oysters in Dongshan County? In this way, the common people will have an additional source of income, and their lives will be a little easier."
Hearing this, the Emperor looked at her with a pleased expression.
Yongning was so considerate of the common people. She really took after him.
He also looked at Li Ying, waiting for her answer.
Li Ying shook her head and said with a smile, "Your Highness is wrong."
"The oysters cultivated in this way are uncontrollable and grow randomly on the reefs. Moreover, once the reefs are thrown into the sea, they sink to the bottom. How can we check the growth of the oysters on them at any time?"
In the final analysis, this method can only be used to repair the oyster reefs, but it is not the best way to cultivate oysters for profit.
She didn't beat around the bush and continued, "The simplest way to cultivate oysters is to use bamboo poles to build enclosures."
Just cut the bamboo poles into sections more than three feet long and insert them into the tidal flat.
These bamboo poles swaying in the sea water can not only scare away the fish, shrimps and crabs, but also provide an attachment environment for the growth of oysters.
The oysters cultivated in this way are called "bamboo oysters". Although they are not very big, their shells are thin and brittle, and their meat is very sweet.
It only takes one year for the bamboo oysters to grow, and the yield is extremely high. When it comes time to harvest, the sharp shells of the oysters cover the bamboo poles completely, leaving no place to start.
The fishermen have to use iron hooks to hook the oysters, pull the bamboo poles out of the tidal flat with great force, expose the part that was inserted into the tidal flat, then hold the bamboo poles, use thick firewood knives to knock off the oysters one by one, and then use broken wood to grind off the sharp edges of the oyster shells before they can open the shells to get the meat.
She explained it in great detail. Princess Yongning was eager to try. She looked at the Emperor with determination.
"Father, I would like to personally lead a group of people to try this method of cultivating bamboo oysters!"
Since she had the heart to share the Emperor's worries, the Emperor naturally would not stop her. Moreover, the method of cultivating bamboo oysters didn't seem to be very dangerous. After a moment's thought, the Emperor nodded in agreement.
Princess Yongning received the order. Lu Xunguang also transferred some people to follow the Princess's orders. The group was full of enthusiasm and determined to present the fruitful bamboo oysters to the Emperor in the capital the following year.
The magistrate of Dongshan County naturally had no objections. However, his original plan to gain the Emperor's favor was shattered by Li Ying's words. He felt a bit embarrassed when he looked at her again.
Li Ying didn't care.
The Emperor had always been suspicious of Lu Xunguang's growing power. Now, by "speaking her mind" and offending the local officials in a thankless way, Li Ying had made the magistrate of Dongshan County have a grudge against Lu Xunguang. In this way, the Emperor's suspicion that Lu Xunguang was "forming a clique for personal gain" was dispelled.
She was calm and didn't argue. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard Princess Yongning let out a soft "Huh".
"What's that?"
On the sea not far away, there seemed to be something gray and furry floating, which was quite suspicious.