In Yunzhou City, a vast troop of five thousand soldiers marched into the city.
Before entering the city, Ye Chen had established the following rules for his soldiers:
Do not disturb any civilians.
Pay for anything you buy.
Do not act on your own without orders.
When Ye Chen announced these rules, Bai Ju’s impression of Ye Chen improved once again.
It seemed that Ye Chen was not just a fierce general within the army but also a prince who truly cared for the people.
Bai Ju had seen other princes in the capital, but none were as approachable as Ye Chen; none treated ordinary people with such consideration.
“His Highness’s care for the people is truly rare!” Bai Ju remarked.
At this moment, Ye Chen was not concerned with such flattery but urged Bai Ju, “Hurry and take me to the Prefectural Office. I need to understand the situation with the bandits in Yunzhou immediately!”
Bai Ju immediately led the way, saying, “Your Highness, please follow me.”
Soon, the two arrived at the entrance of the Yunzhou Prefectural Office. Ye Chen was almost convinced Bai Ju had taken him to the wrong place.
The Prefectural Office looked quite dilapidated.
Situated at the center of Yunzhou City, the main gate of the Prefectural Office appeared weathered, with the red paint peeling off to reveal the wood beneath.
The two stone lions at the entrance, though imposing, were covered in dust, as if they were telling tales of the office’s decay.
Ye Chen twitched his mouth. From Bai Ju’s description, he knew Yunzhou had been suffering, but he didn’t expect it to be in such a poor state.
Bai Ju noticed Ye Chen’s thoughts and, feeling somewhat embarrassed, explained, “Your Highness, please do not blame us. Due to debts over the years, the Prefect could only halt the repairs of the Prefectural Office. Over time, it has become like this.”
Ye Chen understood and nodded, “Though the Prefectural Office is the face of the court, the Prefect’s willingness to forsake appearances for the sake of the people is also a commendable trait.”
Bai Ju agreed and led Ye Chen into the Prefectural Office.
Inside the main gate was a spacious but somewhat chaotic courtyard. The stone slabs on the ground had several cracks, and weeds were growing through the gaps.
Around the courtyard, there were notices about the bandits, but the paper was yellowed and the edges curled.
Ye Chen approached and saw that the situation with the bandits was indeed severe, with notices about the bandits’ rampant activities. Notices had been posted repeatedly, but no one had taken action; some even had the words “Death to those who take action” written on them.
“These bandits are so audacious?” Ye Chen said in astonishment.
Bai Ju, smiling apologetically, said, “Your Highness, please do not blame us. We truly are powerless, otherwise, we would not have troubled Your Highness!”
At this point, Ye Chen quickly moved forward, eager to obtain information on the bandit situation in Yunzhou and swiftly eliminate them.
In the Prefectural Office’s main hall, under the eaves hung a plaque with the words “The Bright Mirror is High” inscribed. Chen Xing, the Prefect of Yunzhou, was handling the affairs of Yunzhou.
“Sir, His Highness the Seventh Prince has arrived!”
The announcement by the constable startled Chen Xing, who hurriedly put down his pen and stood up to welcome Ye Chen.
Ye Chen quickly entered the hall. As Chen Xing was about to speak, he was interrupted by Ye Chen.
Ye Chen then boldly sat in the Prefect’s seat. The chair creaked as he sat, clearly an old piece of furniture.
The inkstones and other stationery on the desk were also quite worn.
Sitting at the desk, Ye Chen addressed the constables below.
“Prefect Chen, enough with the small talk. Quickly present me with the details of Yunzhou’s bandit situation!”
Chen Xing took the dossier handed over by Bai Ju and presented it with both hands:
“Your Highness, I am incompetent. The bandit situation in Yunzhou is beyond my ability to handle. I am willing to kneel and beg for Your Highness’s help for the people of Yunzhou!”
Chen Xing spoke with tears in his eyes, deeply remorseful for not being able to protect the people of Yunzhou over the past three years. Now that a mighty Seventh Prince had come, he hoped to exchange his position for peace for Yunzhou.
Ye Chen understood Chen Xing’s intentions. As a prince, he was well aware of the unspoken meaning.
In the competition for the throne, princes relied on wealth and power.
Currently, the Emperor was still in his prime and had not yet named a crown prince. To have a chance at the mysterious title of crown prince, one needed to win over important officials.
A provincial governor was neither too big nor too small, but it was Chen Xing’s biggest bargaining chip.
Chen Xing’s intention was to exchange the position of Yunzhou Prefect for Ye Chen’s assistance, hoping that Ye Chen would then take control of Yunzhou.
Ye Chen, realizing Chen Xing’s intentions, began to reevaluate this persistent prefect.
He did not expect that Chen Xing would give up his official position for the sake of the people. He was indeed a good official!
Bai Ju tugged at Chen Xing’s sleeve and explained, “Prefect Chen, do not belittle His Highness. He is not that kind of worldly prince.”
Chen Xing was slightly confused but then Ye Chen explained:
“Prefect Chen, if you want Yunzhou to quickly stabilize, come and tell me the details of the bandit situation in Yunzhou. After I understand the details, I will immediately dispatch troops to eliminate the bandits!”
Chen Xing, upon understanding Ye Chen’s attitude, quickly climbed onto the desk to explain the details of Yunzhou’s bandit situation.
“Your Highness, the bandit problem in Yunzhou is quite complex, but it can be broadly divided into three forces.”
“The first is the long-standing Black Wind Village, which has been entrenched in Yunzhou for many years, committing countless crimes. It has been a major headache for Yunzhou for years.”
“The second is the Black Water Village, which entered Yunzhou three years ago. Black Water Village often robs merchants on trade routes. Moreover, Yunzhou is already remote, so over time it has become…”
“No merchants come and go here.”
“This third group is the Wangjia Village, which has been supported by a mysterious force. They are well-trained, well-equipped, and have a significant background, but they seldom cause trouble. They do, however, often touch upon the authority of the government.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Chen became very interested in Wangjia Village and asked, “How do you know that Wangjia Village is supported by a mysterious force?”
As soon as Wangjia Village was mentioned, Chen Xing became lively and momentarily disregarded the proper etiquette, sitting on Ye Chen’s armrest:
“Your Highness, three years ago, Wangjia Village entered the mountains and wilderness of Yunzhou. According to woodcutters and hunters, there are often sounds of drills and shouting coming from Wangjia Village, with a mighty presence not typical of ordinary stray soldiers.”
“Moreover, I once sent people to investigate Wangjia Village. The chevaux-de-frise and the scouts deployed in front of the village gates are clearly from a military force!”
Ye Chen nodded upon hearing this: “I see!”
At this point, Chen Xing realized that he was too close to Ye Chen and quickly stepped back to bow and apologize.
Ye Chen waved his hand and then stood up, saying, “Since this prince has understood the bandit situation in Yunzhou, we cannot ignore it. We will act today and launch a night attack on Black Wind Village!”
“Your Highness is serious?”
Ye Chen smiled and said, “This prince never speaks falsely. We will take Black Wind Village tonight, and tomorrow we will deal with Black Water Village. As for Wangjia Village, we will need to plan carefully!”
Comment