Chapter 105
After reading it, Shen Rang was secretly shocked.
"I never imagined that the bandits in Lingnan would become so arrogant," the emperor said with great distress. "Not to mention the hundreds of lives lost this time, the number of people they have harmed over the years is probably over a thousand! This even includes many high-ranking officials of the court!"
Shen Rang pursed his lips: "In that case, we have no choice but to punish them severely."
The emperor smiled wryly: "Lingnan has a complex terrain, and those bandits know the terrain well. I intend to send troops directly there to wipe them out in one go, but I am also afraid that they will be trapped by the terrain and it will ruin things."
As soon as the emperor finished speaking, the study fell silent.
After a while, Shen Rang said, "Perhaps we can involve the local people as well."
"oh?"
“The bandits have lived there for so long that they are so familiar with the terrain. But if that’s the case, aren’t the common people the same? Besides, since those bandits have committed all sorts of evil deeds in the area, the common people would probably be happy to do their part for the court.”
"With the army mobilized, the local people, and the assistance of local officials, the banditry should be quelled in no time."
"Furthermore, after reviewing historical records, I discovered that the proliferation of bandits was mostly due to the backwardness and harsh conditions in the local areas. Therefore, how to proceed in Lingnan to prevent the resurgence of banditry is equally important; otherwise, it cannot be considered a complete eradication of the problem."
After he finished speaking, the emperor's eyes were full of praise: "You truly deserve to be the top scholar in the imperial examinations. Your talent surpasses that of those who have held official positions for many years!"
"I am only good at theoretical discussions; I dare not speak presumptuously about the specific arrangements."
The emperor laughed twice.
She is also a child who knows her limits.
At this moment, a palace attendant came to report that the Crown Prince and the First Prince had arrived.
The emperor was in a very good mood and waved for them to come in.
The two brothers entered the study and bowed to the emperor, saying, "Your subjects pay their respects to Your Majesty."
"Get up, sit down!"
The Crown Prince took his seat first, his gaze falling on Shen Rang.
He stood beside the emperor, dressed in a dark green official robe, holding a pen in his hand, his eyes lowered, not exchanging any words with him, as if he had never said anything about pledging allegiance to him.
The prince's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Has Shen Rang changed his mind?
At this point, the emperor brought up serious matters, and the crown prince had no choice but to shift his attention away from Shen Rang.
"You've already read the memorials sent to you, haven't you? What are your thoughts on the banditry in Lingnan?"
Just as the Crown Prince was regaining his senses, the First Prince spoke up, "Father, the bandits in Lingnan are rampant and commit all sorts of evil deeds. I believe we should eliminate them completely!"
The Crown Prince snorted, instinctively wanting to contradict the First Prince: "Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots? Aren't the bandits in Lingnan also subjects of our Great Yong? Brother, what you're saying—"
Before he could finish speaking, the Crown Prince caught a glimpse of Shen Rang looking up and shaking his head at him.
The prince's words came to an abrupt halt.
Shen Rang was already here before he arrived. Presumably, Shen Rang had already said something to the emperor. Looking at the emperor now, he already had a displeased expression on his face.
The Crown Prince took a deep breath and cursed himself for his momentary lapse of judgment, for having only thought of contradicting the First Prince.
“Brother is right. Those bandits, as citizens of Dayong, have committed heinous crimes by killing their own people. They should be eradicated.”
Although his words were awkward, at least he managed to salvage the situation.
The emperor nodded in satisfaction: "It's rare to see you two brothers working together like this today. You're right, the bandits in Lingnan are rampant and must be completely eradicated!"
The crown prince secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Father is wise."
Thinking of Shen Rang's actions just now, the Crown Prince felt even more relieved.
Thinking about it this way, not revealing that Shen Rang had already come under his control might actually bring him unexpected surprises.
Putting aside others, if the emperor knew that Shen Rang was one of his men, he probably wouldn't consult Shen Rang beforehand about anything in the future, and Shen Rang wouldn't remind him in time.
Thinking of this, the Crown Prince also pretended to be unfamiliar with Shen Rang.
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