Entry

The Qian-guo Duke Mu Sheng, regional commander of Yun-nan, "General for Subduing the South", and Grand Mentor, died. Sheng was the son of the Qian-ning Zhao-jing Prince [Mu] Ying who, during the Hong-wu reign (1368-98), was assistant commissioner-in-chief of the Rear Military Commission. Ying's eldest son died before him and he thus lost his heir. Sheng, the younger son, inherited the title of Xi-ping Marquis and was appointed as grand defender of Yun-nan. In the fourth year of the Yong-le reign (1406/07), the bandit Li of Annam rebelled against the Court's instructions. Sheng took on the seal of "Deputy General for Subduing the Yi" and, leading troops from Yun-nan and Si-chuan, he acted as deputy to the Cheng-guo Duke and went to punish the bandits. Sheng advanced the troops from Meng-ci County and followed the mountains. They hacked their way through the forests until they reached the bandit's territory. They then constructed a fort, built boats and sent troops out from the Xuan-guang River Port and captured the enemy's boats. At night they set out from the Tao River and marshalled their forces. They then again divided the troops and proceeded upstream where they attacked together. The bandits met the attack at Fu-liang River and there was desperate fighting until evening, by which time the government troops had inflicted a great defeat. The government troops then attacked and took the Eastern and Western capitals and the Li bandits fled to the sea. In the fifth year (1407/08), the combined army pursued them to Qi-luo Sea-port in Ri-nan Subprefecture, where the Li bandits, both father and son, and their false officials and subordinates were captured. In the sixth year (1408/09), the troops were withdrawn and Sheng was enfeoffed as the Qian-guo Duke and remained grand defender of Yun-nan. Later, the remnant bandits in Jiao-zhi again became active and Sheng was again ordered to take on the seal of "General for Subduing the Yi" and lead the various troops in pursuing and eliminating them. On reaching Champa, he captured their leader. In the 22nd year (1424/25) for his achievements in gaining the surrender of the rebellious bandits of Fu Subprefecture, he was appointed Grand Mentor and in that year he came to the Court. In the first year of the Hong-xi reign (1425/26) he took on the seal of "General for Subduing the South" and was sent back to Yun-nan to carry out defence duties. In the third year of the Zheng-tong reign (1438/39), the Lu-chuan bandit Si Ren-fa rebelled and it was ordered that Sheng take command of troops from Yun-nan, Si-chuan and Gui-zhou to punish him. On reaching Lu-jiang, he supervised the troops in building boats and, under cover of night, they crossed the river, attacked the bandits' palisades and broke through them. Sheng then pursued them to the Gao-li-gong Mountains and successively destroyed several forts, taking 3,000 heads. Due to illness, Sheng returned to E-lu Postal Relay Station in Chu-xiong where he died. When his death was announced, he was posthumously enfeoffed as the Ding-yuan Prince with the posthumous name of Zhong-jing (Loyal and Respectful), and his son Yan inherited his title.