Entry

After the audiences, the Emperor went to the Zuo-shun Gate, where he summoned the Cheng-guo Duke Zhu Neng and the Xin-cheng Marquis Zhang Fu. The Emperor spoke to them, saying: "The crimes of the Li bandit of Annam are extreme, and Heaven and Earth cannot tolerate them. Thus, I am now ordering you to take troops under your command and go and punish him. You will attack from Guang-xi, while the Xi-ping Marquis will attack from Yun-nan. How many troops do you estimate you will require?" Neng and so on replied: "We know that benevolence is not a universal thing. A benevolent and righteous army will be without equal. Your Majesty is employing great benevolence in punishing those without benevolence. We will make known the might of Heaven and, at the beat of a drum, will exterminate the bandits. Whether the army is large or small is a matter for the Emperor to order at his discretion." The Emperor praised them (壮之).