Entry

The seven spies from the country of Annam who had been captured by the Tai-ping Independent Battalion in Guang-xi were imprisoned in the guard prison. Some people who knew them then went and reported this to their families. They then bribed the soldiers guarding the prison and all the spies were freed from their fetters, allowing them to flee. On the matter becoming known, the persons involved and the soldiers guarding the prison were all condemned to death. The grand defender and other officials separately memorialized on the matter and accused the Independent Battalion Commander Zhao Bang of the crime of not providing rigorous defence. The judicial offices requested severe punishment. An Imperial order was issued stating that Zhao Bang had not been attentive in his defence, and as the price of his crime, he was to be demoted two grades in rank and was to drill troops in the guard.