Entry

Formerly, the country of Annam was under the Chens, but power was then usurped by Li Ji-li. Later Mo Deng-yong took advantage of the Lis being in straitened circumstances, seized power and settled the Li male descendants at Qi-ma River. Mo was subsequently appointed as Commander. At this time, the Mos fortunes had waned and Li Wei-tan had taken the title of the former rulers. Then, with the favour and support of the people of the country, he drove off the Mo descendants and took control of their former territory. Wei-tan then put on a black cap and white robes, bowed and prostrated himself and humbly presented a figure representing his corpse, and together with all the ministers and elders of the country, presented a memorial admitting his crimes and requesting that he be allowed to inherit the Southern border, employ the Court's calendar and offer tribute to the Court. The Censor-in-chief Chen Da-ke, supreme commander of Guang-dong/Guang-xi, advised of this. The ministry re-submitted the memorial, noting: "In controlling Annam, the state has established patterns. When Li Li craftily established himself as ruler, how could the Xuan-de Court, in its eminent perspicacity, not have known that Li was making false statements? Yet, it did not find it difficult to abolish the prefectures and counties which had been established and appoint him to rule. Then, when [Mo] Deng-yong falsely claimed that there were no Li descendants, how could the Court of Shi-zong, with its sagacious judgement, have not known that Mo had usurped power. Yet, it did not find it difficult to withdraw the stationed troops and appoint him as head of the Commandery. It was truly considered that that place with its rocky fields is of no use and there was no desire to labour the troops in far-away places. Given that fakers and usurpers have been approved in the past, how should a real member of the ruling family who has been restored be treated? It is requested that the title be conferred upon Wei-tan and that he be ordered to govern the region, to restrain the people and make arrangements for the Mos in Gao-ping, so that those few remaining can continue the ancestral sacrifices. This arrangement would certainly be appropriate." An Imperial order was issued approving the appointment of Li Wei-tan as Annam Commander, and requiring that Imperial instructions be written and a seal cast, so that he could govern the region and long respect the civilizing influences of the Court.