Entry

The Yun-nan Grand Defender and Regional Commander Mu Rui and the Grand Coordinator and Censor-in-chief Chen Yong-bin advised victory in Jiao-hua and Ba-zhai. Initially, there had been private feuding and killing in Jiao-hua and San-bu, and Long Sheng-an, Zhang De-sheng and their younger brothers had dismembered the members of the Bai family. Bai Lin fled to the Nongs. Nong Ying-zu was a descendant of the Guang-nan chieftain [Nong] Zhi-gao and he made plans, together with the chieftain houseman Li Shi-mao to summon Jiao-nan troops so that they could obtain San-bu for their own benefit. At that time, the Jiao-nan chieftain Wu De-cheng was proud of his military forces. He had occupied Jiao-gang and then had joined with the Nan-dan bandit Zhang Zhong-lin and the Niu-yang Stockade chieftain Nong Jin-gui. Then, with 100,000 men and elephants, they attacked the three chief's offices of Lin-an, Jiao-hua and Ba-zhai and completely destroyed these areas. The grand coordinator repeatedly sent instructions to them, but they did not withdraw. The various prefectures and counties, including Meng-zi, A-mi and Lin-an, were nearly captured. The Education Intendent Fan Yun-lin and the Assistant Regional Commander Zhang Ming-shi held that as Jiao yi had entered the inner territory and the defences could not long be sustained, it was necessary to have the various chieftains combine their forces in attacking them. At this time, the chieftain Wu had taken on the title of Chief Controller of Annam (安南部節制) and he had declared the year to be the seventh year of the Hong-ding (弘定) reign. He also gave titles of "prince" and "duke" to his bandit followers. His military operations were going very smoothly and, thinking that his various chieftains could not be defeated, he departed. Our troops took advantage of this and beheaded his Qing Commandery Duke Huang Wen-tong (Alt: Wang Wen-tong), captured the rebellious houseman Li Shi-mao and brought to surrender Bai Lin, who had colluded with the bandits. One hundred and forty five persons were captured or beheaded, but Wu De-cheng, Zhang Zhong-lin and Nong Jin-gui could not be captured. This failure was said to be due to the assistance provided by Nong Ying-zu's gang, but it was not possible to investigate this thoroughly.