"Your Majesty, we must send troops to quell the bandits!"
Wei Qing hesitated for a moment and asked puzzledly: "Why are there military bandits?"
Shen Yunfan reminded: "Your Majesty, more than 7,000 of the He bandit's army were wiped out earlier, and there are still more than 2,000 people who were scattered. They probably fled to Jiaozhou and became bandits."
Wei Qing nodded.
At this moment, Xu Kailin suddenly stood up and volunteered: "Your Majesty, I am willing to personally lead troops to Jiaozhou to quell the banditry!"
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, you are so courageous!" someone next to him praised.
"No, no, it's just my duty as a minister!" Xu Kailin smiled.
There were a lot of compliments all around. After all, everyone didn't want to take risks in Jiaozhou. Naturally, they wanted the emperor to choose Xu Kailin, who volunteered.
But at this moment, Shen Yunfan said: "Master Xu, after all, you have never been on the battlefield, so it is too risky to go to Jiaozhou. I think it is better for me to take someone there."
Xu Kailin's face darkened and he lowered his head without daring to refute.
After hearing this, all the officials looked a little excited.
"Jiaozhou is not a good place. The local snakes are in power. How dare this kid go there?"
"It seems that he has made great achievements and wants to go further. He probably thinks that Jiaozhou is very safe." Several people thought in their hearts.
Wei Qing naturally did not hesitate, and directly approved Shen Yunfan as the imperial envoy to patrol, and personally led 3,000 imperial guards to Jiaozhou to quell the bandits.
After hearing this, the envoy from Jiaozhou below looked at Shen Yunfan, his expression obviously somewhat reluctant. However, he did not dare to question the emperor's decision, so he could only lower his head and agree.
After the morning court was over and everyone left, Shen Yunfan muttered: "That old guy is being clever again."
"What's his purpose?"
Shen Yunfan replied: "As an important grain-producing area, Jiaozhou is nominally under the control of the prefect, but in fact the power is in the hands of Xu Kailin, the Minister of Household Affairs. His family is so rich, it cannot be separated from Jiaozhou."
"He took the initiative to ask Ying to go to Jiaozhou to suppress the bandits. Firstly, he wanted to consolidate his power in Jiaozhou, and secondly, he wanted to take this opportunity to gain some military power. This old fox has many schemes."
Wei Qing nodded thoughtfully: "Fortunately, you saw it."
"Well, this time I'm going to Jiaozhou to quell the bandits. I'll also check out the officials there and get rid of Xu Kailin's people. Once Jiaozhou is back in our hands, we won't have to ask Xu Kailin for money anymore."
"You must be careful."
"Don't worry, the emperor has prepared a reward for me, waiting for my triumphant return." Shen Yunfan chuckled.
"You are not serious!" Wei Qing's face turned red.
…
In the afternoon of that day, Shen Yunfan personally led three thousand imperial troops and set off for Jiaozhou.
On the way, Xie Min, the envoy to Jiaozhou, looked thoughtful. During the lunch break, he came over to Shen Yunfan and asked, "Your Majesty, the imperial envoy, do you have any experience in leading troops in war?"
Seeing his confused look, Shen Yunfan smiled and said, "So what if I don't?"
"If not, can you advise Your Majesty to go to Jiaozhou with someone else? Those military bandits in Jiaozhou are extremely fierce." Xie Min frowned, obviously having some doubts about Shen Yunfan.
As a Jiaozhou native, he didn't know what Shen Yunfan had done in the past few days. In his eyes, this guy was so young, he was probably a descendant of a noble family in the capital.
He ran all day and night to the capital to ask for help. He wanted to ask for help from a capable person, not a yellow-haired boy with a wealth of wealth.
Even if such a person goes to Jiaozhou, he probably won't be able to solve the banditry problem!
Being stared at with suspicion, Shen Yunfan was not angry. He just said, "When the time comes, just do your best to cooperate with me in my work. You don't have to think too much."
Xie Min was still about to speak, when a general in black armor and blue clothes suddenly walked next to him.
This man was Di Xingchang, the Cavalry General of the Imperial Guard Army, who was also the leader of the three thousand Imperial Guard Army. He walked over at this time and stared at Shen Yunfan with disdain in his eyes.
"Don't worry, Mr. Xie. As long as I'm here, it won't be a problem to kill a few bandits. I just hope that Mr. Xie can protect the imperial envoy well and don't let him get hurt."
Hearing the sarcasm in this tone, Shen Yunfan frowned and said, "What do you mean?"
"I don't mean anything. I hope the imperial envoy will not interfere too much in military affairs, so as not to delay the war." Di Xingchang snorted coldly, then turned and left.
Shen Yunfan said to himself that he didn't offend him. Why was this guy so hostile to him?
After thinking about it carefully, he understood.
The Royal Forest Army was an army subordinate to the Cao family, but Shen Yunfan, a man with a foreign surname, inexplicably became the Minister of War and became an airborne superior, which naturally made many Imperial Army soldiers unhappy.
Even though Cao Zhi convinced Shen Yunfan, his generals and soldiers were not necessarily convinced.
Di Xingchang is an old subordinate of the Cao family, so no wonder he is so hostile.
Shen Yunfan had nothing to do. In this atmosphere, the group marched all the way to the border of Jiaozhou.
The terrain of Jiaozhou is mostly plains and there are many fertile fields. No wonder it became the granary of the Southern Wei Dynasty. Moreover, there is the sea to the southeast, the capital of the Southern Wei Dynasty to the north, and mountains and forests to the southwest.
Such a safe area, just like the historical Bashu land, is very suitable for the rear area.
However, before the group arrived at Jiaozhou City, they encountered a robbery.
While they were marching, the sound of a charge suddenly sounded nearby. Everyone turned around and saw more than a hundred people emerging from the forest.
These people were dressed like savages, with various patterns painted on their faces and bodies. Each of them held a big knife in his hand and ran very fast.
The farmers working in the fields were startled and turned around and ran away.
The "savages" also gave chase and headed straight for the village not far away.
Shen Yunfan frowned and instructed: "Spread out to meet the enemy and catch them!"
Di Xingchang ignored Shen Yunfan's command, waved his hand and said: "Damn it, the bandits dare to commit murder in front of us, brothers, come on, I will reward you with ten taels of silver for each one you kill!"
When the imperial guards heard this, they rushed forward in a swarm.
However, the other party was not a fool. Seeing so many troops coming inexplicably on the official road, their expressions changed and they turned back to the mountains and forests.
A group of imperial guards crowded around each other. None of them were caught, and they watched helplessly as they disappeared into the forest.
"I've already said that we need to spread out to meet the enemy. What's the difference between crowding together and a herd of pigs? They're just walking around." Shen Yunfan said coldly.
Di Xingchang looked embarrassed and angry, but he could not refute, so he could only change the subject and asked: "Master Xie, are these the bandits who are causing trouble in Jiaozhou?"