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Tian-qi: Year 3, Month 6, Day 26

23 Jul 1623

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Shang Zhou-zuo, awaiting replacement as Fu-jian grand coordinator, memorialized: "The "red yi" have long occupied Peng-hu. I sent the the Southern Route Regional Vice Commander Zhang Jia-ce on repeated occasions to issue instructions of prohibition. They agreed that they would demolish their walls and sail their ships away, and that they were not permitted to disturb even a blade of grass of the inner territory. Now, they have gone back on these agreements. They have the nature of dogs and sheep and are unpredictable in terms of the common principles. I have thus sent officials with a warrant to upbraid them for violating the agreement and to firmly drive them away. If the yi are hostile and do not listen to the orders, we will be able to judge whether they are according or rebelling. We should quickly make military preparations so as to guarantee security and send a despatch to Guang-dong requiring it to make good plans so that a pincer attack can be waged. However, when the army advances, grain must follow. Without rations there can be no troops employed. Last year there was a need to supply tens of thousands [liang of silver] extra for the increase in troops in Quan-zhou, Zhang-zhou and Nan-ao, and for ship-building. These expenditures were met by the provincial administration commission by borrowing funds from other allocations. Recently, there has also been the construction of large ships and big guns and this commission was ordered to loan a further 12,000 liang to the two prefectures of Zhang-zhou and Quan-zhou. Now the circuits and prefectures have urgently requested the issue of funds, as their new troops are going hungry. However, the commission's funds are exhausted. I have held further discussions on this with the various officials of the offices and circuits. In the Western treasury of the commission, there are funds for troop salaries. These were originally provided to fund local assistance in emergencies. Without Imperial orders we dare not use these. We know that the Emperor will not be loath to use locally-stored funds for local emergency expenditure." The Emperor held: "The 'red yi' have long remained here. Have the grand coordinator lead the generals and their subordinates in making plans by which to instruct them and drive them away, so that calamity does not result. The troops ration funds and other matters may be handled as appropriate."

Xi-zong: juan 35.23b-24a

Zhong-yang Yan-jiu yuan Ming Shi-lu, volume 128, page 1828/29

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Preferred form of citation for this entry:

Geoff Wade, translator, Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu: an open access resource, Singapore: Asia Research Institute and the Singapore E-Press, National University of Singapore, http://epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/reign/tian-qi/year-3-month-6-day-26, accessed January 22, 2019