A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 119 A Great Dream
Upon hearing the report from Commandant Wang Wenshu at the Nanyang Prefectural Office, Prefect Mi Pu smiled.

This prosperous era has also been experienced by His Majesty.

"Prefect, how can you still laugh?"

Wang Wenshu was extremely anxious. "In just one morning, His Majesty's southern tour entourage has been ambushed three or four times, and more than a hundred of the guards have been lost. If this continues, in His Majesty's mind, our Nanyang County will be considered a county that does not submit to the king's rule."

Mi Pu sat behind his desk, his smile undiminished, and said, "Isn't that so?"

There are usually two ways to keep the people of a country in line with their own ways.

One approach is to find ways to ensure that people can live and work in peace and contentment, and have enough to eat and wear. As the saying goes, when the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when people are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame. When people live a hopeful and dignified life and have a family business to cherish, those with stable property will have a stable mind and will naturally be inclined to do good and value virtue.

Another approach is to use detailed and stringent legal provisions to constrain every action of the people, leaving as little room for free choice as possible. Once they cross the legal boundaries, they are punished with particularly severe penalties, making them live in constant fear and trepidation.

Since Your Majesty assumed personal rule, you have implemented a policy of harsh officials, which is of course the second type. As a legal official, I am very clear that in the short term, severe punishments are more effective than anything else.

Over the past decade or so, the negative effects of the cruel bureaucratic system have gradually become apparent, with "officials and common people becoming increasingly less likely to break the law."

Years of natural and man-made disasters, endless military and labor service, and ever-increasing taxes and levies have forced countless ordinary people to face the threat of death and take desperate measures.

The cruel government, regardless of the circumstances, inflicts severe punishments on everyone. So, if someone is starving and freezing and only needs to steal a steamed bun, after weighing the benefits, it's not as worthwhile as simply killing and robbing.

Committing a crime alone is far less safe than banding together as outlaws for mutual support. In any case, these acts all carry the death penalty. The severity of the law exceeds the limits of human tolerance, so people no longer feel that obeying the law is a necessary thing.

As a result, bandits rose up in Guandong. In Chu, there were Yin Zhong and Du Shao; in Qi, there was Xu Bo; between Yan and Zhao, there were Jian Lu and Fan Sheng; and in Nanyang, there were Mei Mian and Bai Zheng.

It is worth mentioning that, according to the southern tour route planned by Dong Zhongshu, His Majesty would pass through the territories of these notorious bandits.

Maybe it's a coincidence.

"Thief" is a general term used by the imperial court. In reality, depending on the size of the group, the behavior patterns of different groups of thieves are completely different.

Small-scale thieves may number only a few dozen or a hundred, making a living by robbing and plundering within their own county, and hiding when they are apprehended.

Large-scale bandit groups can number in the thousands, each with their own banners. Their targets are not limited to villages; they may even attack cities, government offices, steal weapons and equipment from treasuries, release imprisoned prisoners, and kill officials such as prefects and military commanders.

These bandits were only one step away from rebellion. When their strength and goals no longer revolve around basic needs, but instead involve occupying important cities and fortresses, establishing their own kingdoms, and sending troops to conquer territories, they will be no different from Chen Sheng and Wu Guang.

The current national situation is far from that point, but it already has that intention. His Majesty's southern tour entourage of two or three thousand people looks extraordinary, yet the thieves in Nanyang County still dare to make a move.

This is because Your Majesty insists on honoring Yao and Shun, claiming to restore the good order of the unified world and the prosperous era of the sage kings.

“Prefect, Mei Mian and Bai Zheng haven’t made a move yet. They’re waiting for the Prefect’s Office to react. If you continue to remain indifferent, things may become irreparable,” Wang Wenshu warned with a very serious expression.

Mei Mian and Bai Zheng are not just bandits who scattered and hid in the mountains after a failed attack. They are real bandits who have gathered thousands of men and are equipped with weapons. They are capable of fighting Qi Menlang to the death. If the two bandits attack together, taking advantage of the terrain, even Qi Menlang may be defeated.

However, people have a bond, and the Prefectural Governor's Office, Mei Mian, and Bai Zheng have an unspoken understanding. If the Prefectural Governor's Office wants to protect certain people or caravans, no matter how valuable the goods they carry, the two notorious bandits will not take action. A prefecture spans hundreds of miles, and the Prefect can easily be considered a ruler of a hundred miles. No matter how rampant the bandits are, as long as they don't dare to rebel, they won't dare to truly push the Prefect of a prefecture to the brink.

The merchant caravan disguised as the southern inspection team was clearly not simple. Mei Mian and Bai Zheng would not let it go easily. If the prefectural governor's office dared to remain indifferent, they would really dare to take action.

If His Majesty is captured or killed in Nanyang County, not a single person in Nanyang County, whether official or commoner, will be spared.

To quell a rebellion, all you need is a location.

"The Commandant's reaction seems a bit too hasty," Mi Pu said, looking up at Wang Wenshu with a half-smile.

Wang Wenshu was a native of Yanglingyi, a town under Emperor Xiaojing. He was a fallen powerful family who, in his youth, "committed heinous crimes by burying the dead and stealing graves," doing nothing but depraved acts.

As he grew older, Wang Wenshu used his wealth to pave his way to becoming a county magistrate. He was dismissed several times, and somehow ended up as the Chief Justice under Zhang Tang, who was then the Minister of Justice. He was responsible for overseeing the arrest of thieves, and during this tenure, he "inflicted many casualties."

Serving as a cruel official under a ruthless bureaucrat, Wang Wenshu's career path was originally bright, but the ever-changing political situation in the court made everything unpredictable.

As the Crown Prince gradually gained control of the court, Zhang Tang, who was adept at understanding the emperor's intentions, clearly sensed the emperor's dissatisfaction with the cruel official politics. He knew that from now on, the cruel official politics should only be implemented when it was appropriate, and at other times, he should act as an upright and honest minister.

Therefore, as soon as Zhang Tang was appointed as the Grand Censor, one of the Three Dukes, and entered the Imperial Library, he dismissed the cruel officials under his command. All the favors he received were converted into corresponding official positions. Wang Wenshu had made great contributions in the past and was assigned to Nanyang County as a Commandant, responsible for suppressing bandits and controlling powerful clans in the county.

Mi Pu believed that Zhang Tang must have conveyed the Emperor's message to his former officials: "The true picture of a peaceful and prosperous world" and the bandit attack were to be expected. What they should do was to observe the situation calmly within the bounds of what was to be done.

Therefore, Wang Wenshu's eagerness to whitewash the situation seems very abnormal.

Wang Wenshu's expression changed, and he explained, "I'm worried about unforeseen events. Besides, the rampant banditry proves that the prefect and I have failed in our efforts to suppress the bandits. It's very likely that His Majesty's decree has already reached the court to dismiss us from our posts. His Majesty's will is overwhelming. If the court cannot withstand the pressure, you and I will become scapegoats."

"is it?"

"Yes."

Wang Wenshu replied.

Mi Pu smiled and said, "Since the Commandant is so worried, let's go and escort His Majesty on his journey."

"Yes."

Wang Wenshu bowed and accepted the order, his voice calm, his pace quickening unconsciously.

Mi Puming made no move, but his smile vanished. He stared intently at Wang Wenshu's retreating figure.

There are always some people who are indulging in unrealistic dreams of achieving great merit by following in the footsteps of others.

(End of this chapter)