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Zhang Zhong, assistant surveillance commissioner in the Guang-dong Provincial Surveillance Commission, memorialized: "Vagrant bandits from Ting-zhou and other places in Fu-jian have flowed into Hai-yang and other counties in Chao-zhou Prefecture and been robbing and plundering people in the villages. In addition, the pirate Chen Wan-ning and others are luring the Zhang-zhou and Chao-zhou residents off to sea and are frequently coming ashore from their ships, killing or injuring county officials and robbing the government treasuries. It is requested that senior civil and military officials be sent to deploy the Guang-dong and Fu-jian troops in capturing or killing them." The Emperor ordered the Ministry of War to send an urgent despatch to the investigating censor requiring that he carry out an investigation together with the provincial administration commissioner and that they swiftly proceed to Chao-zhou. Any official who had allowed people to follow the bandits was to be arrested and punished in accordance with the law. Officials engaged in defence against the Japanese pirates were to be subject to the death penalty, with the capture of the bandits the means by which to achieve exemption from the punishment. In addition, instructions were sent to the military and civilian populations along the coast, noting that if anyone could capture Chen Wan-ning, they would be promoted and rewarded in accordance with the regulations governing rewards for the realization of achievements.