408: Chapter 408 Banditry: A Persistent Problem of Successive Dynasties!

"And that is to take me with you!"

The First Emperor spoke in an unquestionable tone.

Before Zhao Fusu could say anything, General Wang Jian spoke up, "Your Majesty the First Emperor, you must not!"

"This is not a pleasure trip; it is very dangerous!"

"Mhm!"

Zhao Fusu also nodded.

After all, they were going to suppress bandits, not go on an excursion.

Hearing this, the First Emperor gave a thin smile and said, "Your Special Forces Battalion is so well-equipped; do you still think you cannot guarantee my safety?"

Zhao Fusu smiled; the First Emperor was using reverse psychology on him.

"Fine."

Zhao Fusu agreed.

"Good!"

The First Emperor nodded with satisfaction.

He looked at Zhao Fusu and said, "The problem of banditry is a chronic malady that has been difficult to eradicate throughout history. If you merely suppress them, it is like weeding without removing the roots."

General Wang Jian nodded.

This problem was difficult to solve. Given the First Emperor's prestige, the fact that there were bandits bold enough to commit robberies even in Xianyang showed just how arrogant and rampant these outlaws were.

"That is true!"

Zhao Fusu nodded; the issue of banditry had been a chronic malady for thousands of years.

The Han and Tang dynasties were powerful enough, yet the problem of banditry remained unsolved. Numerous 'heroes of the greenwood' claimed mountains as their own and were even written into popular novels.

While many of these 'Greenwood Heroes' were romanticized, they were the minority; the vast majority were bloodthirsty thugs who oppressed the common people.

The First Emperor asked, "Have you thought about how to properly handle the banditry problem?"

"Mhm."

Zhao Fusu spoke up, "Throughout history, the vast majority of bandits are those who lost their land and were forced to flee under the coercion of landlords."

"From then on, they lost their household registration and became 'Black Households'."

"Thus, they could only hide in the mountains and forests, becoming bandits."

"After all, even if these people did not commit murder, arson, or plunder, the government lost control over them, so in the eyes of the authorities, they are bandits!"

"This...!"

Hearing Zhao Fusu say this, both the First Emperor and General Wang Jian felt that his perspective was very sharp.

They both understood Zhao Fusu's underlying meaning.

In their view, those who fell outside of government control were indeed considered a bandit threat.

But in Zhao Fusu's view, these people were clearly not the real bandit threat.

Zhao Fusu said, "I believe that those who flee to the mountains because they cannot endure the oppression of Tyrannical Landlords should not be defined as bandits."

"Those Tyrannical Landlords who oppress the people are the real bandits who need to be eliminated!"

Zhao Fusu would not forget that in television dramas, there were many Tyrannical Landlords who disguised themselves as bandits to rob passing caravans and even kidnap brides.

"Mhm!"

The First Emperor and General Wang Jian both expressed their agreement with Zhao Fusu's viewpoint.

"To know your enemy and know yourself is to be victorious in every battle. First, we must ascertain the number of bandits Inside the Pass."

"For example, how many bandit groups are there with over a thousand people?"

"How many are there with over a hundred people?"

"And how many are there with only a few dozen people?"

"If it is just a bandit group of a few dozen people..."

Zhao Fusu said, "I think we can just leave those to the local Public Security Teams to handle."

These Public Security Teams were similar to modern armed police.

They were mostly veterans who had retired from the military.

Their skills were not weak at all.

Most importantly, they possessed revolvers!

If they were sent into combat, Zhao Fusu would even equip them with Hand Grenades!

With such overwhelming weaponry, letting them deal with a few dozen bandits would be a complete slaughter.

This would also significantly save their energy, so they wouldn't have to go and suppress every single bandit group themselves.

"We will focus on dealing with bandit groups of hundreds or even thousands."

"Father, Old General, what do you think?"

Zhao Fusu looked at the First Emperor and General Wang Jian inquiringly.

"Mhm!"

Seeing that Zhao Fusu's reasoning was so clear, the First Emperor and General Wang Jian naturally agreed with his approach.

"I wonder, Your Majesty the Paramount Leader, how will you be able to tally the number of all bandits Inside the Pass?"

General Wang Jian asked.

It was no wonder General Wang Jian asked.

Many bandits hid in the mountains and forests, and even the local governments did not know how many bandit factions existed within their jurisdictions.

Zhao Fusu smiled and said, "The government might not know, but that doesn't mean the common people don't know."

"We only need to mobilize the masses and let them tell us exactly how many bandit factions there are Inside the Pass."