Entry

Imperial orders were sent to the Qian-guo Duke Mu Bin, regional commander of Yun-nan, and the Vice Minister of the right and Military Consultant Yang Ning. The orders read: "The Lu-chuan bandit leader Si Ren-fa has been executed and the bandit son Si Ji-fa has repeatedly sent male relatives and chieftains to the Court to admit guilt. Whether he is sincere in his repentance of errors, whether his power is exhausted and he wants to delay things, or whether, as the Ava-Burmese had seized his father, he wants to reduce his activities in order to maintain his forces, is difficult to know. Now, he has again sent Tao-meng Dao Ke-meng and others to offer tribute of gold and silver utensils, elephants and horses and to request that he be pardoned 10,000 deaths. I do not anticipate deceit and I embody Heaven and Earth's love for all living things. Thus, I am pardoning him. The envoys who are being shown hospitality are to be sent back to instruct Si Ji-fa in the Court's will to pardon him. If he will personally come to Court, he will be treated with great grace and his place will be assured. I employ the greatest sincerity in ruling all under Heaven and will not act in ways which will result in the loss of the trust of the distant yi. If he is obstinate and stupid and will not come to Court, he must be eliminated or captured, and will not be pardoned. When Dao Ke-meng arrives back in Yun-nan you must send people to accompany him and to advise of my will. They are also to closely observe the situation there and see whether the general feeling is one of submission or opposition. If they do not have evil designs, accept their submission and soothe them. If he cannot be easily soothed or captured, have him govern what he controls at present. If he secretly harbours ideas of revenge, order Mu-bang and Ava-Burma to separately proceed to take Meng-yang. The bandits will not be able to withstand that, and this will put an end to border troubles. Apart from this, if you have other plans or good policies, advise of them. You have received my great trust in border matters. You must widely assess popular feeling, investigate the actual situation and then make plans. You must ensure that the yi are at peace and the area is quiet, so that the Court will not have to be constantly concerned about affairs in the distance. In this way, you will be according with the importance of the task with which you have been commissioned."