"Your Highness, the bandits of Langya Mountain have always been the most notorious bandits. According to the reports submitted by the officials below, they have been committing evil deeds in Langya Mountain for many years, and even the local government has to listen to them."
If it weren't for an imperial envoy passing through this area and secretly investigating and learning of this astonishing event, I would probably have remained completely unaware of it.
If these bandits are allowed to grow unchecked, they may one day threaten the capital. I intend to send you to suppress them. Are you willing?
Inside the imperial study, Emperor Wenjian spoke earnestly to Xiao Ye.
He originally intended to send someone else, but then another minister submitted a memorial saying that ordinary soldiers were no match for these bandits.
The government officials and soldiers had once gone up the mountain to suppress bandits, but unfortunately, they were all killed by the bandits.
The only people capable of dealing with these bandits would probably be someone of the caliber of the Imperial Guards in the capital.
However, over the years those bandits have grown in size, reaching tens of thousands. If the Imperial Guards were to be dispatched, he could only send out one or two teams at most.
This is far from enough.
Therefore, the best course of action is to have Xiao Ye lead the army to annihilate them.
"Your Majesty is naturally willing, but I wonder when Your Majesty wishes for me to depart?"
Xiao Ye clasped his hands in a fist salute and said.
Suppressing bandits was a service to the country, so he naturally had no complaints.
However, this campaign to suppress the bandits will likely take more than a day or two, at least half a month, so he needs to make arrangements for things in the city in advance.
"Yes! I hope you will depart within the next day or two!"
Emperor Wenjian looked at Xiao Ye with satisfaction and nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey."
Xiao Ye responded.
*
"Has Father Emperor really decided to have the Crown Prince depart in the next day or two?"
Inside the Chu Prince's residence, Xiao Churen listened to the message from his spies in the palace and asked a question.
"Yes, Your Highness, the Crown Prince went to the military camp after leaving the palace, presumably to arrange the departure."
A black-clad guard reported truthfully.
"Alright, tell the person I arranged to get ready. She must seize this opportunity to get close to the Crown Prince and gain his trust. Have you given her everything I asked you to give her?"
"They've all been given to the young lady. She said she wouldn't let the prince down."
"Yes, you may leave."
The lights went out, and Xiao Churen got up and left the study.
Outside, I looked up at the bright moon hanging in the sky.
Xiao Churen's lips curled slightly as he murmured, "This bright moon can only shine over his Chu King's mansion in the end."
*
After leaving Eunuch Huang's place, Xiao Ye first went to the military camp to inform the soldiers about the bandit suppression operation and to tell them to prepare.
Then, he returned to the Crown Prince's residence and told Su Liluo about Emperor Wenjian's dispatch of him to suppress the bandits.
"Why would they send you to suppress bandits?"
Su Liluo looked puzzled after hearing this.
She doesn't remember this happening in her past life.
"The bandits of Langya Mountain are too powerful. They have taken control of the local government offices and have grown to a frightening extent in recent years."
"Wait, where did you say? Langya Mountain?"
Su Liluo was stunned when she heard Xiao Ye mention Langya Mountain.
"Yes, it's Langya Mountain. It's not too far from the capital. If these bandits aren't eliminated, they might endanger the safety of the capital one day."
Xiao Ye nodded.
Su Liluo squinted her eyes and thought carefully for a while before she vaguely remembered.
In her previous life, she had heard about Langya Mountain from Xiao Churen. It wasn't bandits at all, but a group of private soldiers that Xiao Churen had secretly raised there!
That group of private soldiers occupied the mountain under the guise of bandits, but in reality, they were always well-trained in the mountains.
As for the local government offices, they were all under Xiao Churen's command.
Later, someone did submit a memorial to the emperor requesting him to suppress the bandits, but Xiao Ye's leg had not yet fully healed, so Su Lianwu, who had just returned from visiting relatives at the border, was sent instead.
Su Lianwu was originally a member of Xiao Churen's faction, so he teamed up with Xiao Churen to stage a play, captured dozens of bandits, and then set fire to the bandits' den, claiming that they had burned the bandits to death.
In reality, they were shifting their positions. A secret passage had already been built in Langshan, and those private soldiers had moved out through the passage.
But why did this happen earlier in this lifetime?
This should have happened a year from now!
Su Liluo couldn't understand, but still said with some concern, "These bandits are not simple. You need to be careful. Their bandit den probably has many secret passages."
"Yes, I will be careful. However, you will have to stay in the capital alone for the time being. If anything happens, you can ask the Empress Dowager for help. Also, I will leave the gold medal to you."
Xiao Ye nodded.
"I said, you need to be careful of the secret passages. I've heard people say before that bandits love to build secret passages. And how come those bandits are so powerful? Are they really just bandits?"
Su Liluo wanted to remind Xiao Ye, but it was inconvenient for her to reveal the truth about her rebirth.
She was afraid that Xiao Ye wouldn't believe her and would instead think that she had lost her mind.
Xiao Ye still sensed some doubt in her words, and asked, "Do you suspect that these bandits have someone behind them? And someone from the imperial court?"
"Yes, yes, that's right. Otherwise, think about it: when bandits appear, shouldn't the local government wipe them out? Why wait until they become too powerful?"
Su Lilu nodded hurriedly.
She was just wondering what to say when Xiao Ye came up with this idea himself, which was really great.
Xiao Ye narrowed his eyes and pondered, "What you said makes sense. Your medical skills cured Grand Tutor Song's son and interrupted the Prince of Chu's plans. So soon, Father is sending me to suppress the bandits. These two things can't be unrelated."
"Well, just be careful. If someone is working with you from the inside, this might be a trap set for you."
Su Lilu reminded her again.
"Yes, I'll remember what you said."
Xiao Ye nodded, and at the same time, he came up with a new plan for this bandit suppression.
Two days later, Xiao Ye arranged for some guards to remain in the capital to protect Su Liluo, while he himself led an army of five thousand men to Langya to suppress bandits.
Xiao Churen stood at the city gate, watching Xiao Ye's departing figure, a triumphant smile appearing on his lips.
The people of Langya Mountain should probably move to another place.
After a three-day journey, Xiao Ye finally arrived at the government office in Langya. Upon seeing Xiao Ye, the local magistrate not only warmly welcomed him but also knelt down on the ground in sorrow.
"Your Highness, you've finally arrived! I beg you, you must save my daughter this time!"
The county magistrate knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly.
What happened to your daughter?
Xiao Ye asked coldly.
"Your Highness, my daughter has been kidnapped by bandits. They demand 100,000 taels of gold as ransom, but I am just a lowly seventh-rank official. Where would I get so much money?"
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