Entry

Imperial orders of instruction were sent to the Jing-yuan Earl and Minister of War Wang Ji. They read: "Now, I am ordering you to proceed to Yun-nan, as supreme commander of military affairs, to guard the cities, to soothe the troops and the people and to pacify the borders. All the military guards and offices as well as the native offices will be under your command. I am also ordering the Vice Commissioner-in-chief Ran Bao to take on the post of assistant regional commander of the left, and the Assistant Commissioner-in-chief Mao Fu-shou to take on the post of assistant regional commander of the right. They are to lead the government troops of the capital guards and all are to be subject to your orders. The Lu-chuan bandit leader has still not surrendered. Recently, his son Si Ji-fa memorialized requesting permission to come and confess guilt. However, the chieftain Dao Fang-ge has also requested permission to lead native troops to capture the father and the son in order to present them to the Court. The truth or otherwise of the matter is difficult to assess from a distance. If the father and son can change their ways, repent their crimes and personally go to the military headquarters to kowtow and beg sympathy, you are to immediately send people to escort them to the capital, where I will pardon their former crimes. If they are obstinate and unrepentant and still harbour remnant thoughts of evil, then you are to exterminate them. As to Dao Fang-ge, if he is serious in his intentions, reward him appropriately and then have him raise and deploy native troops to provide assistance. Verily, those who commit crimes must be punished. This is the canon of the Sage rulers. Those who admit their crimes and are able to repent can however, be pardoned. In pacifying the border regions, I am entrusting everything to your hands. You must do your utmost to fulfil the task I have commissioned you with." Ji was also provided with a gold warrant and a verification tally to facilitate matters.