Entry

The Ministry of War re-submitted 10 proposals, made by Yang Wen-ju, a supervising secretary in the Office of Scrutiny for Personnel in respect of pacifying or eliminating the Mang bandit, Yue [Feng] and Han [Qian]: "1. The power of the grand coordinator should be increased so that he can supervise Si-chuan and Gui-zhou. The Yun-nan grand coordinator should be temporarily permitted to concurrently supervise the Si-chuan and Gui-zhou military rations. The offices and circuits of those two provinces should also be made subject to his orders..... 3. On establishing commanders' positions to assist in the suppression. The Lin-an/ Yuan-jiang Assistant Regional Commander should also control Qu-jing. The grand coordinator and regional inspector originally proposed a Shun-ning/Meng-hua Assistant Regional Commander and suggested that he be based between Shun-ning and Da-hou. However, the officials of the Office of Scrutiny think the position should be moved to the area between Shun-ning/Meng-hua and Yao-an/Jing-dong. If arrangements are to be changed, the grand coordinator and grand defender should be required to deliberate and make proposals. 4. A proposal on army rations, so as to provide for border security. In Yun-nan, the price of rice has risen dramatically. In the Yi-xi area, the method of repeated, overlapping transport as well as the purchased redemption of punishment and the issuing of rewards for the provision of grain urgently requires deliberation and arrangement. 5. The opportunity should be taken to recover people's hearts. The various native-office chieftains should be encouraged as the situation allows and they should be told that previous wrongs will not be investigated. If they are able to capture or behead the chieftains Yue [Feng] and Han [Qian], they should be shown grace beyond that normally extended. As to Han Jin-zhong, he is the son of Han Ba of the Mu-bang Pacification Superintendency, and he has been pushed into a situation where he has returned to our allegiance. We should accept him, so as to calm the yi sentiments. 6. It might be considered calling back those who have violated the border prohibitions and have gone to reside among the yi. Those who have had communication with the yi, but have now truly turned their hearts towards China, should be spared death. Those who are able to capture or behead chieftains should be rewarded above the usual standards. 7. The postal stations should be extended so as to provide communication links. For all postal stations, there should be a little generosity in terms of the money and grain they need to pay. 8. The jurisdiction of the native prefectures should be changed to facilitate control. The officials of the Office of Scrutiny wish to have the two prefectures of Shun-ning and Meng-hua put under the jurisdiction of Jin-chi/ Teng-chong. The two circuits of Lan-cang and Jin-chi/Teng-chong have important responsibilities in terms of military grain rations. They should coordinate their plans and actions and there will be no need for further proposals on changing jurisdiction. 9. On the proposal that defensive garrisons be established to strengthen the border defences. After the old borders have been restored, the grand coordinator and regional inspector should be required to establish counties and battalions in the strategic areas and station commanders and troops there. They should deliberate on appropriate arrangements and then memorialize. 10. There should be lenience in terms of civil law so as to encourage border officials. If local officials put their hearts into border matters and realize achievements, they should be rewarded above the usual standards. Each year they should be required to submit memorials, and they should not be allowed to have government troops or defence officials forward them on their behalf. In the matter of the recovery of Mu-bang and the three pacification commissions, so as to strengthen and relieve Teng-yue and Yong-chang and consolidate control over the entrances into Yun-nan, and also in respect of the appropriate policies for safeguarding the area, the grand coordinator and grand defender should coordinate their efforts and their strengths and ensure the implementation of the approved memorials and successive Imperial orders which have been issued." An Imperial command was issued, noting: "The Yun-nan Grand Coordinator is permitted to exercise supervision over Si-chuan and Gui-zhou military grain rations. In regard to the other matters, the grand defender and grand coordinator are to act in accordance with the successive Imperial orders which have been issued, devote themselves to their strategies and handle matters as the situations dictate. If matters require a memorial, they are to submit one, so that appropriate actions can be decided."