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Zheng-tong: Year 4, Month 2, Day 28

13 Mar 1439

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Imperial orders were sent to the Qian-guo Duke Mu Sheng, regional commander of Yun-nan, the Grand Defender and Commissioner-in-Chief Mu Ang and others. The orders read: "Previously, I received your memorial noting that you had crossed the river and defeated the bandit forces, destroying their lair. This can be considered an achievement. You also memorialized that the Commissioner-in-Chief Fang Zheng advanced the troops along a separate route but was defeated. The reason for this was that you failed in your command responsibilities and Zheng, thirsty for achievements, acted rashly and too hastily. I am greatly saddened by this. I have been considering the matter. The bandits will indeed have increased in strength and ferocity. You should consider keeping the army at Jin-chi where they can make defence preparations. However, you are 10,000 li away from the capital and it is difficult to make decisions from afar. Now, I am ordering that the Assistant Censor-in-Chief Ding Xuan and the Embroidered-Uniform Guard commander Ni Zheng go and make plans with you. If the army is to advance this winter, it will be necessary for Yun-nan to select 50,000 troops and have them await deployment. As to other arrangements, it will be necessary to transfer a certain amount of grain and fodder sufficient for some time. You must be united in your actions. Deliberate fully on these matters and advise."

Ying-zong: juan 51.9a-b

Zhong-yang Yan-jiu yuan Ming Shi-lu, volume 24, page 0989/90

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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/zheng-tong/year-4-month-2-day-28, accessed January 22, 2019