Entry

The Auxiliary Minister of War and concurrently Chief Minister in the Court of Judicial Review Wang Ji memorialized appropriate arrangements for the expedition against Lu-chuan: " We should: 1. Select those who have combat experience and are capable of leading troops. These should include the Regional Commissioners Dong Bin, Ma Rang and Wang Xi, the Guard Commanders Lu Quan and so on, a total of 11 persons as well as nine battalion, company and platoon commanders; 2. Obtain the services of Chen Yi of the Xun Guard. He is from a general's family and is quite skilled and capable. If the attack is carried out along separate routes, he can be employed as a deputy general or military assistant; 3. Permit the silver stored in the Yun-nan treasury to be used for rewarding government troops who have realized achievements. There are in the area many native-official offices. Whenever they send native troops or native people or assist in the transport of grain, the subordinate chieftains have to be rewarded. It is requested that the Ministry of Revenue arrange to send officials to escort 500 biao-li of variegated satins and 500 bolts each of cotton cloth and of thin silks for use as rewards for those engaged in border defence; 4. Many of the officials of the battalions and guards of Yun-nan, Gui-zhou, Hu-guang and Si-chuan are old, weak or stupid and they are unfamiliar with military strategy. They cannot even carry out the duties of their posts. How can we hope that they will achieve success in battle! I wish to select, in conjunction with the five military commissions and the various commanders, 300 guard, battalion and company commanders who are young, strong, able and knowledgable to accompany the expedition from among those surplus officers who are engaged in training. If, on reaching our destination the officials of the various battalions and guards are found to be not fit for their posts or to serve the expedition, they should be transferred to hinterland guards as "salary-receiving" training officers and be replaced by the officials selected. When the bandits have been eliminated, everything will be memorialized. In this way, the border guards will have suitable personnel and the grain and rewards will not be wasted; 5. If the military-function native officials under the guards of Yun-nan, Gui-zhou and Si-chuan Military Commission or the military-function native officials now being mobilized in the border guards of Hu-guang die of old age or sickness, their sons or nephews should replace them. However, such persons are poorer than even probationary officials. If they cannot afford to go to the capital, it is requested that, in accordance with the arrangements of the Imperial instructions relating to the superintending of military affairs in Gan-su, I be permitted to summon the official's relatives, investigate the facts and, upon verification, approve inheritance of the post...." The Emperor, after reading the memorial, ordered that only 150 surplus officials should be selected and that an additional 500 bolts of cloth and 500 bolts of thin silk should be sent. The other arrangements were approved as proposed.