Entry

The Jiao-zhi Regional Military Commission, Provincial Administration Commission and Provincial Surveillance Office memorialized: "The rebel bandits Jian Ding and Deng Xi have gathered troops and are engaging in rebellion. It is requested that further troops be provided to eliminate these bandits. Ding is a former official of the Chens. When the Great Army eliminated the Li bandits, he had already surrendered and was to be sent to the capital. However, he fled together with Chen Xi-ge and plotted rebellion together with the Hua Subprefecture false officials Deng Xi and Ruan Shuai. Xi and the others promoted Ding as their leader, and he arrogated a dynastic title to himself, and adopted the reign title "Xing-qing" ( ). They moved around the hills in Yi-an and Hua Subprefecture, producing weapons and raising followers for their gang. When the Imperial army was withdrawn, Ding and the others came out, attacked Pan-tan Pass and Xian-zi Pass, and held the roads leading into and out of San River Prefecture. They plundered the cities near to Jiao-zhi, and the subprefectures and counties of Ci-lian, Wei-man, Shang Hong, Da-tang, Ying-ping and Shi-shi went over to the bandits. Their strength is increasing daily and the Imperial troops' repeated forays are without result. It is thus that we are memorializing to request further troops to quell these bandits." The Emperor felt that as Jiao-zhi had just been included on the maps, the people's hearts were not yet firmly fixed, and it was thus that the remnant bandits continued to rise up. He was concerned that if the bandits were not wiped out in a timely way, the sprouts would grow and become uncontrollable. It was ordered that 40,000 troops be despatched from the Yun-nan, Gui-zhou and Si-chuan Regional Military Commissions and the three escort guards in Cheng-du. It was also ordered that the Qian-guo Duke Mu Sheng take on the seal of the "General for Subduing the Yi" and lead the troops from Yun-nan on the mission of subjugation. It was also commanded that the Minister of War Liu Jun go to assist in military matters. Imperial orders were also sent to the Assistant Commissioners-in-chief Lu Yi and Huang Zhong, who were supervising the Jiao-zhi Regional Military Commission. The orders read as follows: "As to the revolt by Jian Ding and so on, I have commanded the Qian-guo Duke Mu Sheng to lead an army to punish them. You are permitted to deploy the troops and to transfer them. You are also to prepare 20,000 naval troops as well as boats, oars and weapons ready for use."