Entry

It was ordered that the Minister of War and Jing-yuan Earl Wang Ji take on the post of supreme commander of military affairs, that the Vice Commissioner-in-chief Gong Ju take on the seal of "General for Pacifying the Man" and assume the post of regional commander, that the Assistant Commissioner-in-chief Zhang Yue take on the post of deputy regional commander of the left, that Tian Li take on the post of deputy regional commander of the right, that Fang Ying take on the post of assistant regional commander of the left, and that the Gui-zhou Vice Commissioner Zhang Rui take on the post of assistant regional commander of the right, and that they lead the Nan-jing Zhi-li troops as well as the government troops and native troops of Yun-nan, Hu-guang, Si-chuan and Gui-zhou on expedition to eliminate Si Ji-fa. Imperial orders of instruction were conferred upon Wang Ji and the others. The orders read: "The bandit son Si Ji-fa has fled to Meng-yang. The Court has repeatedly sent him orders of pacification and instruction, hoping that he would change his ways. However, he has remained recalcitrant and relied upon his defences. Although he has sent people to admit guilt, he has not really submitted in heart. Recently, the Regional Commander Mu Bin led troops to the Jin-sha River to accept his surrender, but he pleaded sickness and did not appear. The Meng-yang chieftains have also conspired in evil with him and they have not brought him and presented him to the Court. Their crimes are equal to his. Now I am ordering you to lead the government troops to carry out Heaven's punishment. I have already sent orders to Dao Bian-man and others in Meng-yang castigating them for their crimes and advising them of the reasons they are subject to punishment. I have instructed them to urge the bandit son to surrender, or otherwise to capture him themselves and present him to the Court. When you arrive in Yun-nan, you are again to send a person to hasten there, to examine their situation. If the bandit son plans to personally come to Court or the Meng-yang people are afraid of calamity and thus present him to the military headquarters, you are to rest the troops. If he still refuses to submit, then attack with firm purpose and ensure that he is eliminated. The bandit son and the Meng-yang clansmen are all to be captured and sent fettered to the capital. Those persons who cooperate and accord are to be instructed to return to their occupations and to not engage in disturbances. You and the major civil and military officials previously realized great achievements. Now, all military matters and plans, as well as the rewards and punishments to encourage and warn the commanders and troops are to be decided upon as the circumstances demand. You are to act loyally and with wisdom in order to accord with the great trust placed in you." Other secret orders were sent to Ji. These orders read: "If by any chance the bandit son flees to the distance and it becomes difficult to capture him, first capture Dao Bian-man and pacify his lair. They may flee into Ava-Burma territory and be concealed by the Ava-Burma people. Capture them as the opportunities allow. In this way, the yi people will know fear and the Great Army will not have laboured in vain. These orders are secret. You are not to divulge them to anyone, as it may harm major matters." Further orders were sent to the Qian-guo Duke Mu Bin, regional commander of Yun-nan, requiring that in the defence of cities, the comforting of the military and the people and in the overall supervision of grain rations, he was to deliberate with Ji on appropriate arrangements. Other orders of instruction were sent to Yun-nan, requiring it to make arrangements so that Dao Meng-bin, the former pacification superintendent of Meng-yang, could act as a guide. Further Imperial orders of instruction were sent to the pacification superintendents Han Gai-fa and others of the Mu-bang, Ava-Burma, Nan Dian, Gan-yai and Long-chuan Pacification Superintendencies requiring them to raise troops, prepare boats and store grain and await orders for deployment.