Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 554 Annals of the Great Han Dynasty, Volume Two

In February of the first year of the Hongwu reign, the emperor reformed the abuses of the regional military governors of the late Tang dynasty and issued an edict to establish three offices in all the provinces: the Office of the Military Governor, which was in charge of military affairs, conquest, and military settlements; the Office of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, which was in charge of criminal law, military preparedness, education, coastal patrols, military operations, and postal services; and the Office of the Provincial Administration Commissioner, which was in charge of taxes, land, household registration, grain transport, performance evaluation, and also served as a liaison between the provincial governor and the prefectures and counties.

Liu Zhan, the Chancellor at the time, submitted a memorial stating that the coexistence of the three offices might lead to conflicting powers and responsibilities. The Emperor replied: "The former Tang dynasty perished due to the growing power of regional military governors. Now, by dividing military, political, and criminal powers, we can ensure mutual restraint and prevent them from encroaching upon each other. The Grand Commandant holds the imperial tally but does not govern the people; the Provincial Governor manages finances but does not command troops; and the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner oversees the administration according to the law. In this way, the empire will be at peace."

On the day of Bingyin, Gao Jinda, the Chancellor, reported: The traitor Doulu Zhuan secretly colluded with barbarian generals and several thousand fugitives, lying in ambush outside Shangyang Palace. As the emperor passed by Shangyang Palace, they suddenly unleashed crossbow bolts, attacking the imperial carriage. Guards shielded the emperor with their bodies, suffering heavy casualties. When the capital's troops arrived, they shouted "Protect the Emperor!" and over a thousand of Zhuan's followers were captured.

The Emperor decreed that Yang Xin, Minister of Justice, Du Xuan, Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, Cao Mao, Grand Commander of the Central Army, and Han Zheng, Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, should investigate the case of the traitor in the capital.

On the day of Bing Shen, Xin reported that several hundred members of the Zhuo faction had been arrested, and documents exchanged between them and officials in various regions were obtained. The Emperor was furious and issued an edict: "The poison of the Tang dynasty still harms loyal and virtuous officials. From this day forward, all those involved in treason, regardless of whether they were leaders or followers, shall be executed by dismemberment in the marketplace, and their three clans shall be exiled."

On the day of Dingchou, Emperor Zhongzu held a grand banquet for his officials at the Fengtian Hall. He appointed Gao Jinda, Xiao Gou, and Liu Zhan as co-prime ministers, and promoted the ranks and titles of the meritorious officials.

After the banquet, he summoned his ministers and addressed them, saying: "You ministers, having received titles and promotions, are now highly respected and honored. You should all work together to assist the state and enjoy your positions and rewards. I have often reflected on the ancient rulers and their ministers. Even in times of peace, they remained vigilant, constantly wary of arrogance and complacency, diligently working day by day, thus ensuring their continued prosperity and honor. Generally, those who founded dynasties did not necessarily wish their meritorious ministers to remain virtuous, but figures like Han Xin and Peng Yue could not preserve their achievements, which is deeply regrettable. After the establishment of peace, many former ministers have been punished. The reason for this is that their loyalty to their lord grew increasingly arrogant, and their desire for wealth and power became increasingly insatiable, leading to their downfall. The ancients placed a vessel for remembrance beside their seats precisely to warn against arrogance and complacency. You should all be mindful of this."

In the year Jia Shen, the chieftain Long of Nanzhao led an army of 50,000 to attack Qianzhong. He was blocked by the army led by the governor Wang Jian. The two armies clashed at Qianshui, north of Shian City in Juzhou. Wang Guangtu defeated the barbarian army, killing 4,000 enemy soldiers. Chieftain Long hurriedly retreated back to his territory.

In March, officials from Jiangnan, Huainan, and Shannan reported that since February, thunderstorms and floods had been incessant in various prefectures and counties. Rivers such as the Wusong River, Han River, Zhejiang River, Xiang River, Baimaotang River, Liujiahe River, and Dahuangpu River overflowed their banks, causing disasters in more than twenty prefectures including Tanzhou, Xiangzhou, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Changzhou, and Huzhou. The floods swallowed up crops, and people's houses were destroyed.

In April, the emperor appointed Husi Guang, the governor of Hebei, as the commander-in-chief to lead 20,000 troops out of Yuguan Pass to the east to reclaim the lost territory of Yingzhou. However, the Xi tribe, along with the Dangxiang and Shatuo tribes, invaded the border from the south, but were repelled by Commandant Ma Maolin.

On the day of Ji Si, Li Guochang and Li Keyong, chieftains of the Shatuo tribe, upon hearing of the newly established court, presumptuously proclaimed themselves Kings of Tang.

After the joint trial by the three judicial departments concluded, the case of the traitor was finally adjudicated. The imperial edict stated: Doulu Zhuo and 1,300 others shall be executed by slow slicing, 14,000 members of their clan shall be beheaded, and the remaining 270,000 people shall be exiled to the border regions. Their confiscated official lands, houses, and ill-gotten gains shall all be confiscated and turned over to the public treasury.

The Emperor decreed: "Confiscate all fields and houses, and distribute them to the poor people of the capital region. Those sentenced to exile, if from the north, shall be sent south next year when the ice melts; if from the south, they shall be sent north this autumn when it is hot and dry. Do not let them be troubled on the road."

In July, Feng Bangyan, the Minister of Revenue, reported that there were 7,726,527 households and 38,632,635 people in the empire that year. The Emperor said: The measurement of land registers in all provinces should not be rushed; it must be done carefully and meticulously.

In August, the Emperor summoned Dou Bin, the Minister of Works, and said: "Farming is the source of food and clothing, and the sustenance of the people; yet droughts and floods occur from time to time, and preparations must be made. Now that the empire is newly settled and the national treasury is full, the Ministry of Works should send officials from the Water Resources Department to inspect and assess the suitability of the work during the off-season. All ponds, lakes, and weirs that can store water for drought relief and prevent flooding should be repaired according to the terrain. Although this is for the benefit of the people, the officials should not be stingy; those who recruit workers should be paid five dou of rice or three hundred coins per month."

In September, the Emperor issued an edict: "The Yellow River and the Grand Canal are completely silted up and it is time to clean them. Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Han Zhengke and Vice Minister Zhang Huaicheng are hereby appointed to oversee the Ministry of Works in mobilizing water conservancy projects throughout the empire. Soldiers will be selected from the military governorates of Hebei, Henan, the Eastern Capital, and Huainan, and civilians will be recruited. Each person will be given five dou of rice or three hundred coins per month to work in shifts to clear the silt and reinforce the river embankments. All recruited soldiers, civilians, and craftsmen will be provided with summer clothes, winter coats, two pairs of shoes, and an additional one hundred coins for travel expenses."

On the first day of the first month of the second year of the Hongwu reign (1382), the Emperor, using the confiscated funds from the treason case, issued an edict to establish provincial education commissioners in all circuits of the empire. Four thousand seven hundred official schools and thirty-three thousand community schools were established, with tuition and textbook fees waived. Children from poor families were able to carry their books and attend school.

In February, the old imperial examination system was abolished, and six departments of engineering were established: carpenters were tested on architectural methods, stonemasons on surveying and carving, hydraulic engineers on dredging dikes, blacksmiths on smelting and forging skills, shipbuilders on sail and mast design, and physicians on pulse diagnosis and acupuncture. Two hundred people were selected and appointed to positions such as principal of the Ministry of Works and assistant director of the Directorate of Works. A separate Academy of Physics was established at the Imperial Academy to teach mathematics, chemistry, and physics.

In March, thirty warships of 1,000 liang each and sixty Fujian ships of 2,000 liang each were built, and a naval patrol fleet was formed. The Dengzhou-Laizhou garrison was ordered to explore the Liaodong and Silla sea routes; the Hangzhou garrison to patrol Japan; and the Guangzhou garrison to connect Annam and Srivijaya. An imperial edict was issued: Wherever the ships go, they should spread benevolence and not rely on strength to bully the weak.

In April, Li Yangchun reported: "The rebellion of the southern barbarians in Lingnan has been quelled, and 100,000 people have been captured. I request that they be incorporated into the garrison, taught Chinese and agriculture, and tasked with cultivating the Xijiang River valley." The Emperor granted his request.

In May, the Nanzhao chieftain Long invaded Huichuan. Zhang Wu, the Prince of Bachuan, broke through the enemy lines with cannons, beheading five thousand.

In July, the Emperor inspected the troops in the capital and, seeing their lax discipline, issued an edict to the Five Military Commands: "Peace has only been enjoyed for a short time; how can we forget war? In the past, King You of Zhou played with the feudal lords by lighting the beacon fires, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang got his imperial guards drunk with flowers; both perished because of excessive feasting. From now on, each guard must conduct its ten-day drills without fail, and those who slacken will be stripped of their titles!"
In September, Zhang Huai, the Prince of Jiaohe, went to the capital. The emperor, with his officials, greeted him at the Shangdong Gate, took his hand and said: "If it weren't for you guarding the Western Regions, how could I rest easy?" They spent the night at the former residence of the Prince of Dunhuang, reminiscing about the past in Hexi until dawn.

In October, the Shatuo and Dangxiang tribes raided Daibei. Cao Mao, the governor of Yunzhou, used artillery to defeat the cavalry archers, beheading eight hundred and capturing a thousand warhorses.

In December, Silla presented 300 Silla maids, Khotan presented 100 jade artifacts, Zhongyun presented 3,000 fine horses, and Tibet presented 15,000 horses. The Emperor bestowed upon each country the Hongwu Calendar and agricultural books, and decreed: "Travelers should be protected on their journeys."

In the first month of the third year of the Hongwu reign (1386), there was a light snowfall in Guanzhong and Henan. The Emperor, observing the celestial phenomena, said to the Minister of Revenue: "The Records of the Grand Historian states that if there is no snow in winter, many people will fall ill. Therefore, order all prefectures to dig wells and repair canals to prepare for a spring drought." He then allocated 200,000 strings of cash from the imperial treasury to

In February, the Yangtze River overflowed, flooding eight prefectures in Huainan and Jiangxi. The emperor reduced his meals and suspended music, dispatching Dou Bin, the Minister of Works, to oversee flood control efforts. He also exempted the annual taxes and allocated 500,000 strings of cash to build houses for the disaster victims.

In March, the Imperial Academy reported that 476,457 new students had been enrolled in all official and community schools across the empire. The Emperor was greatly pleased.

In April, five planets appeared in the constellation Dongjing. The Grand Astrologer reported: "This is an omen of Emperor Gaozu's entry into Guanzhong." The Emperor said: "In the past, during the reign of Emperor Wu, five planets appeared in the east, which was said to be auspicious for China. Is this any different now?" He then exempted the Guanzhong region and Henan province from taxes.

In June, Han Zhongyi, a former soldier of the Weizhou Garrison, gathered a thousand men in rebellion. The Hebei Governor, Husi Guang, sent Ma Yi to suppress the rebellion, and Han Zhongyi was executed at Linqing Post Station. The Emperor decreed: From this day forward, soldiers of the Garrison aged fifty and above are permitted to return to farming, and will be provided with land and exempted from taxes.

In July, 250 soldiers from Pingzhou defected to the Xi tribe. Border generals pursued them to the Bailang River and captured them all. The Emperor said: "These ungrateful men shall not be pardoned." They were all executed at Lulong Pass.

In September, the Changshan barbarians of Annam rebelled. Governor Deng Yan dispatched military commissioner Ge Congzhou with 5,000 troops to suppress the rebellion, destroying 36 strongholds. 100,000 barbarians surrendered and were relocated to Jiaozhi. The emperor exempted them from taxes for three years and bestowed upon them 300,000 shi of grain, 10,000 oxen, and 5,000 iron plows.

In October, Bozhou King Pu falsely claimed to be a Yellow Turban and gathered several thousand men to plunder the countryside. Husi Guang sent Ma Yi to attack him, and Pu was captured in Liaocheng.

On the day of Jia-Shen in the eleventh month, Zhang Yichao, the Prince of Dunhuang, passed away. The Emperor was deeply grieved, suspended court for three days, posthumously conferred upon him the title of Prince of Liang, the posthumous name Zhongwu, and ordered him to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. He personally composed a eulogy: "Thirty years of wind and rain in Hexi, the Han dynasty's banner finally ushers in a new era of peace." His eldest son, Huaiquan, inherited the dukedom, and his other sons were all granted the title of Grand Master of the Palace.

In December, the Ministry of Revenue reported that the annual grain revenue was 32.67 million shi (a unit of dry measure), and miscellaneous taxes amounted to 9.46 million guan (another unit of dry measure). The Emperor ordered the Three Departments to clearly inscribe the record on a stele to inform the people, and to exterminate any corrupt officials.

In the first month of the fourth year of the Hongwu reign (1389), the emperor abolished the Secretariat and established seven Grand Secretaries: Qianyuan, Zhenguan, Xuanzheng, Zichen, Wensi, and Wucheng, with the rank of fifth grade, collectively known as the Grand Secretariat. In the second month, an imperial edict was issued stating that their duties were limited to compiling and drafting responses to memorials, and they were not prime ministers. Those selected were required to serve on the frontier for one year and govern a county for three years, possessing both military expertise and knowledge of the people's conditions.

In March, Qin Xingzhang, the chieftain of the Cili barbarians in western Hunan, burned down the granaries of Lizhou. Governor Liu Yingyan led 5,000 Tujia soldiers and used gunpowder to destroy their stronghold. The Emperor decreed: A combination of suppression and appeasement should be employed; indiscriminate killing is prohibited.

On the day of Xinwei, a locust plague struck Qingzhou, Shandong. The Emperor ordered the Ministry of Revenue to distribute 300,000 strings of cash for relief and to exempt the year's taxes.

In April, Pingyang in Shanxi suffered a famine, and 500,000 shi of grain from the capital's granary were allocated to provide relief.

In May, the Man people of Yong and Gui in Lingxi rebelled, numbering 100,000. The Deputy Commander-in-Chief dispatched Zhang Guiba and Pang Shigu with 7,000 troops to quell the rebellion, capturing 100,000 people and incorporating them into the garrison troops.

In July, torrential rains fell in Jiangnan for three months, causing the Yangtze River to overflow and affecting seventy-three counties. The Emperor allocated 700,000 strings of cash from the imperial treasury and dispatched Geng Ming, the Minister of Works, to manage the floods. That same month, Chancellor Liu Zhan retired, was granted a residence, money, and silk, and ordered to be escorted back to his hometown by the Northern Army. Cui Shu, the Provincial Governor of Hedong, was promoted to Chancellor, and Wang Pingzhong replaced him.

In August, the Imperial Preceptor Wuzhen reported that the Tibetan King Meru Danzeng had been conferred an official title and had built fifty-six temples. The Emperor ordered the expansion and repair of the post roads connecting Longyou and Jiannan to Tibet, and commanded Meru Danzeng to mobilize 100,000 laborers to assist in the construction, providing them with three liters of grain per day.

In September, the old system of ordination certificates for monks and Taoist priests was abolished, and examinations were set for the Buddha's Birthday and the Xuanyuan Festival. Six million mu of land belonging to temples and monasteries throughout the country were confiscated, and those without certificates were required to return to secular life within three years. The monks and Taoist priests complained but dared not disobey, and many fled to Tibet.

In October, the Ministry of Revenue reported that the granaries throughout the country held 22 million shi of grain and 4 million guan of cash.

In November, the Arsenal presented matchlock guns. The Emperor summoned the Chancellor and said: "Bohai has occupied the former territory of Liaodong and is disrespectful to the Celestial Empire. In the past, when Wiman stole Joseon, Emperor Wu still sent troops to destroy it." He then transferred 500,000 shi of grain to Dengzhou and Laizhou, gathered troops from various provinces in Qingzhou for training, and built 200 ships, intending to launch an eastern expedition across the sea.

In February of the fifth year, the Emperor ordered Qingzhou to gather 30,000 troops, and Commander-in-Chief Geng Ming to lead 20,000 naval troops northward. Twelve granaries were built on the islands of Dengzhou, Laizhou, and Liaonan, along with five stone fortresses and numerous beacon towers. The Ministry of Works reported, "To transport grain across the sea, one hundred 2,000-ton sea hawk ships must be built." The Emperor approved, ordering the Ministry of Revenue to allocate 800,000 strings of cash.

In April, the barbarians of the Great Snow Mountain in Huichuan rebelled, cutting off the southwestern post road. Zhang Wu, the Prince of Bachuan, led 10,000 troops, scaling icy cliffs and burning vine bridges, searching and exterminating over a hundred caves. He beheaded 30,000 and captured 50,000, all of whom were incorporated into the military farms. The Emperor decreed: The Snow Mountain is treacherous and remote; garrison fortresses should be established there to permanently eliminate future threats.

In August, due to the unresolved flooding in Jiangnan, the Ministry of Revenue allocated 500,000 strings of cash to dredge the Wusong River for 100 li, widen the Huangpu River estuary, and reinforce the Zhejiang seawall.

In October, relief was provided to more than 33,780 famine victims in Hangzhou, with 160,000 shi of rice distributed.

In the first month of the sixth year of the Hongwu reign (1380), Wang Kui, a former military officer of Zhenzhou, led 3,000 fugitives, falsely claiming to be the "Grand General of Heavenly Restoration and Equalization," and plundered Zhao Prefecture. Husi Guang, the Governor-General of Hebei, dispatched 5,000 light cavalry in a night raid on his camp. Kui stubbornly resisted at the Hutuo River, but Guang ordered his soldiers to fill the trenches with grass and unleash a volley of firearms. Kui was beheaded in the chaos, and his head was sent to various prefectures and counties in Hebei. The Emperor decreed: "The remaining poison of the military officers must be eradicated. From now on, any captured rebel soldiers will be executed by slow slicing, and their followers will be exiled to Annam."

In March, a spring drought struck the capital region, and the wheat seedlings withered. The Emperor ordered the capital region to distribute one million shi of grain from the Ever-Normal Granary to three hundred soup kitchens. He also dispatched the Ministry of Works to supervise the dredging of ten thousand wells, bestowed the "Compendium of Famine Relief Herbs" upon the counties, and reduced the emperor's own meals as a prayer for relief.

In July, Pei Ting, the envoy from Bohai, arrived in Luoyang and questioned the emperor about the construction of fortifications at sea. The emperor said: Liaodong originally belonged to the Han people, but was temporarily abandoned when the Tang dynasty declined. Now, I have received the mandate of Heaven and shall restore the old territory of the Han people. Your king may relocate the people northward to avoid the ravages of war.

Ting said: "Emperor Taizong of Tang was once trapped in Anshi City." The Emperor said: "Have you not seen the death of the Xiajias of Yelangchuan?" Ting retreated, drenched in sweat.

In August, the Qingzhou army replaced all its muskets with matchlock guns and produced one million catties of ammunition. Two hundred thousand laborers were conscripted to transport grain, and thirty water relay stations were established along the coast.

In September, Li Juzheng, the general of Bohai, deployed 30,000 troops in Liaodong. He built an ice fortress and laid out iron caltrops. Geng Ming sent fast ships to harass their supply lines and burned more than a hundred of their naval vessels.

In October, the barbarian tribes of Juzhou in southern Guizhou rebelled. Commander Wang Jian used the chieftain's troops as the vanguard, lured the enemy out of their strongholds, and then attacked them with fire. More than 10,000 were beheaded, and 40,000 surrendered and were incorporated into the garrison.

In December, Silla envoy Kim Yu-hong requested assistance in the war. The emperor refused and instead bestowed upon him one hundred bolts of brocade.

In March of the seventh year of the Hongwu reign, Geng Ming led an army of 50,000 men by land and sea to attack Liaodong. Li Juzheng retreated to Liaodong City. Geng Ming then dispatched Zhang Yanhui, Ma Yin, and Wang Chongrong to lead multiple routes to capture cities in southern Liaodong and Pyongyang.

In April, Geng Ming led his troops to besiege Liaodong City, launching a fierce attack with musketeers and cavalry flanking maneuvers, beheading more than 10,000 elite soldiers from Bohai.

In May, upon hearing of the defeat, King Dae Heonseok of Bohai was terrified and sent Pei Ting to the court to negotiate peace, relocating the people of Liaodong to Bohai. Geng Ming then sent troops to recover Liaodong.

In June, the Emperor established the Three Offices in Liaodong, stating: "Liaodong is vast. The court can fill in the mudflats of Xuantu, Liaodong City, and Pyongyang with earth, thus creating millions of arable lands. With the court's strength, it would take more than a million people to firmly occupy Liaodong. Currently, the earth filling and road construction in western Liaodong will take more than ten years to complete, and the only way to relocate the people is by sea."

On the day of Ji Si, the Emperor issued an edict to the Southern Court, primarily targeting the people of Hebei and Henan provinces. All those who migrated to Liaodong would be exempt from land tax for three years, each person would be given twenty mu of land, and each household would be given one ox for plowing.

In February of the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, the Emperor issued an edict to the Naval Commander-in-Chief Geng Ming, saying: "I have been on the throne for eight years, and Japan has never sent an envoy. The world is vast, how can there be no uncivilized nations beyond our reach? You should lead the fleet on an eastern expedition to inquire about the reasons for their lack of tribute, and also to investigate the various barbarians in the East China Sea."

In April, Geng Ming led a fleet of 28,000 men and 280 ships from Mingzhou to the open sea. Banners covered the sun and masts were like a forest. The people of eastern Zhejiang gathered on the coast to watch and marveled that it was "a dragon soaring across the sea".

In May, the fleet arrived at Hakata Bay, Japan. The Japanese king was young, and his regent, Fujiwara no Mototsune, was acting as regent. Seeing the Han warships towering like mountains and arrayed with firearms, he hurriedly sent an envoy with a letter of state and presented coral and pearls, requesting that Sado Island be used as a port for the Han army. Geng Mingxuan proclaimed: "Your country has long neglected to pay tribute, and should be punished accordingly. Considering your obedience, I grant permission to open trade."

In June, Geng Ming ordered the construction of an official port, dockyard, and beacon towers at Sado, leaving 3,000 troops to garrison the area. He also dispatched a 2,000-strong expeditionary fleet eastward.

In July, the Dongman people of western Hunan rebelled again, plundering Lang and Li prefectures. The emperor ordered the combined forces of Huainan and two other provinces to suppress the rebellion, destroying 82 strongholds and capturing over 60,000 prisoners. They were all relocated to the eastern province of Shannan, given farming tools and rice seeds, and the emperor decreed that they would not be conscripted for three years, allowing them to learn farming and reading.

In October, three million catties of gunpowder and two million strings of cash were allocated to repair the official road in central Guizhou. Bridges were built by carving through mountains, opening up a smooth road in the southwest from Chenzhou to Bozhou.

In December, the Ministry of Revenue reported the census data for the entire empire: 8,624,053 households, 42,572,065 people; 2,878,872 qing of land, with an annual grain yield of 37,476,500 shi. The report also listed the quantities of cloth, gold, silver, salt, iron, and military horses. The Emperor commented in vermilion ink: "Although the granaries are full, frugality is still necessary." In February of the ninth year of the Hongwu reign, the Emperor led 150,000 troops from the Hebei, Liaodong, and Hedong regions to conquer the Khitan and Xi tribes.

In March, the Truong Son barbarians of Annam rebelled. Military commander Ge Congzhou led 10,000 troops to quell the rebellion, destroying 68 of their strongholds, killing 30,000 barbarians, and causing the entire barbarian tribe to collapse.

In May, the navy encountered a great storm during its eastern tour, and the wounded soldiers retreated to Fujian. The emperor then dispatched a thousand naval personnel and twenty ships to continue the eastern tour to various foreign lands.

In August, the barbarian tribes of Chenzhou and Guilin rebelled, which Liu Yingyan quelled.

In February of the tenth year of the Hongwu reign (1380), the emperor issued an edict ordering troops from Hebei, Hedong, and Liaoxi to launch a joint attack on the Xi and Khitan. Commander-in-Chief Husi Guang was appointed Grand General, leading 50,000 cavalry out of Gubeikou, where they encountered the Khitan leader Yilijin's chariot at the Luan River. Guang used a combination of matchlock guns to break their cavalry archery, beheading the enemy charioteer and pursuing him for three hundred li. Two hundred thousand Khitan captives were captured, along with millions of cattle and sheep. The Khitan Khan, Yaolan Qinde, fled north to the Shiwei Mountains, leaving the southern Gobi Desert empty.

In April, the Da Ning Circuit was established, governing the newly established territory south of the Liao River. A military governor's office was set up in Da Ding Prefecture, an imperial surveillance commission in Huizhou, and a provincial administration commission in Wuping. Hu (non-Han) people were relocated to Hebei for agricultural settlements, and convicts from the Guandong region were sent to populate the border regions. The emperor personally drafted the "Policy for Border Security": "Hu and Han people will live together, taught to cultivate the land and study; taxes will be waived for three years, and they will be permanently Han citizens."

That month, the imperial examinations were held in Luoyang. The examinations covered three subjects: policy essays, arithmetic, and law, and 120 candidates were selected. The emperor, standing before the emperor, asked the candidates, "How can we pacify the Khitan people?" The top scholar, Wang Pu, replied, "By practicing benevolence and righteousness, promoting marriage alliances, and revitalizing schools." The emperor then promoted him to the position of Provincial Administration Councilor of Daming.

In July, Gao Pian, the Prince of Bohai, reported: "Nanzhao has many elephant troops, please provide firearms." The Emperor ordered the Military Equipment Bureau to allocate 5,000 thunderbolts and 8,000 matchlock guns to assist in the battle.

In September, 100,000 troops and 400,000 laborers were dispatched in four routes to conquer Nanzhao. 500,000 catties of gunpowder and 2 million shi of grain were supplied. Gao Pian led the army from Huichuan, Li Yangchun from Yongzhou, and Deng Yan from Bozhou, advancing in three routes simultaneously.

On the day of Ji-You in the tenth month, Gao Pian destroyed seventeen mountain fortresses of the Nanzhao Kingdom and burned the elephant formation at Erhai Lake. On the day of Geng-Xu, Li Yangchun defeated 30,000 Liaozi Man troops at Dujin and captured one hundred bronze drums. On the day of Ren-Zi, Deng Yan's general Ge Congzhou captured the chieftain Yang Qing at Jianshui and carved a stone to commemorate the victory.

On the days of Yin and Mao in the twelfth lunar month, King Long of Nanzhao sent envoys to present a letter of surrender, a map, and thirty cartloads of ivory. The Emperor threw the letter to the ground and said: "In the past, how could I allow others to snore beside my bed? Now you have repeatedly invaded Jiannan, your submission is not genuine." He ordered his generals: "Take back all their territory and establish the Yunnan Circuit."

In February of the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign (1380), Gao Pian and Li Yangchun breached Nongdong City. The Nanzhao army held Longwei Pass to the death.

In May, Wang You, a soldier in Zhao Prefecture, Hebei, gathered a group of followers and rebelled, killing the prefect and seizing the city. The commander-in-chief, Husi Guang, used siege ladders and fire to breach the city, killing Wang You and three hundred others. The emperor issued an edict: all former soldiers and their descendants throughout the empire should be registered. Those who violated this edict would have their entire clan exiled to Daning to guard the border. As a result, more than eight thousand households were relocated from Hebei.

In August, the Emperor summoned Crown Prince Lie and said, "I have been in power for eleven years, and the capital inspection has been carried out repeatedly, yet the administration remains corrupt. I now order you to lead one hundred newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and one thousand Imperial Academy students to inspect the nine prefectures surrounding the capital. You must emulate Emperor Guangwu's inspection of records at the Cloud Terrace and not fail my expectations." The Crown Prince bowed and accepted the order.

In September, Deng Yan, Duke of Langzhong, died. The emperor suspended court for three days, posthumously conferred upon him the title of Prince of Nanhai, the posthumous name of Wuyong, and ordered him to be buried in the imperial mausoleum. His son, Deng Long, inherited the title of Duke of Dingguo.

In October, Chief Long burned down Yangjumei City and fled west to Yongchang with 300,000 people. Along the way, they burned granaries and destroyed bridges, and smoke and flames covered the sky over the former territory of Nanzhao. Gao Pian urgently dispatched military provisions to provide relief to the remaining people.

In November, the ruins of Yangjumei City were destroyed. The Emperor issued an edict to establish the Yunnan Circuit, with its capital at Kunzhou, and set up three offices. Two million shi of grain were allocated from Jiannan, and 30,000 artisans were relocated to Yunnan. The edict stated: The people of Yunnan are exhausted and will be exempt from taxes for three years. Soldiers stationed in the fields will be provided with oxen, planting tools, and agricultural implements.

In December of the thirteenth year of the Hongwu reign, Prince Gao Jinda of Jinchang and Prince Wang Shi of Taiyuan died on the same day. Upon hearing the news, the Emperor suspended court for three days, dressed in mourning clothes, and went to the Zhenguan Hall. He wept and said to his ministers, "Jinda followed me from Longxi, swept away the Tubo, pacified Hebei, and pacified the Central Plains. Today he has passed away, as if a limb has been broken."

On the day of Renyin, the Emperor posthumously conferred upon Gao Jinda the title of Prince Su, with the posthumous name Wenzheng; and posthumously conferred upon Wang Shi the title of Prince Bing, with the posthumous name Wencheng. He ordered the relevant officials to conduct the funeral with the rites due to a prince, and commanded the Ministry of Works to build a stele with a dragon head. The Emperor himself wrote the inscription for the spirit path stele.

Gao Jinda was buried alongside the emperor at the western gate of the imperial mausoleum, and was bestowed with secret artifacts from the Eastern Garden and a set of yellow cypress wood. Three thousand Imperial Guards were dispatched for the funeral procession, with banners obscuring the sun, and the entire route from Luo Yin to the imperial mausoleum was a hundred li long in white mourning.

Gao Jinda's son, Gao Shu, inherited the title of Prince of Jinchang, but the hereditary title was downgraded; Wang Shi's son, Wang She, inherited the title of Prince of Taiyuan. The emperor summoned his two sons and instructed them: "You should maintain humility and not bring shame to your family's reputation."

On the Jia-Chen day of the first month of the twelfth year of the Hongwu reign (1380), the Eastern Ocean Fleet returned to Annam with its naval forces. It presented over thirty kinds of agricultural products, including sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, rubber, tomatoes, and pumpkins. The Emperor ordered the publication of the *New Book of Agricultural Administration*, to be left in Lingnan for trial cultivation. All those who returned with the fleet were granted land and rewarded with titles and ranks.

In May, Gao Pian, the governor of Yunnan, reported that the malaria-ridden region of southern Yunnan had caused the deaths of 30-40% of the garrison soldiers. He requested the recruitment of 50,000 barbarian soldiers from central Guizhou and Lingnan, as they were more resistant to the heat and humidity. The emperor approved the request.

In August, Crown Prince Lie reported the results of the capital's investigation: It was found that 18 families, including the meritorious official Li Yangchun, had concealed 57,600 hectares of land, and their ill-gotten gains amounted to 9.2 million strings of cash. Some prefects had privately altered the land registers, and county magistrates had allowed their slaves to seize farmland from the people. The Emperor sadly remarked: "It is easy for me to pacify the realm, but difficult to govern the hearts of the people." He then ordered the Crown Prince to oversee the capital's investigations in all twenty circuits.

In October, the Ministry of Revenue reported the census data for the entire empire: 9,205,670 households, 46,427,590 people; 3,125,410 hectares of cultivated land, with an annual grain yield of 42,612,692 shi. The Emperor's vermilion comment: Although the acreage has increased, the actual tax revenue has decreased, likely due to concealment by meritorious officials. The Crown Prince is ordered to thoroughly investigate, without leniency or injustice.

On the day of Xin Hai in the first month of the thirteenth year of Hongwu's reign, the Emperor held a grand sacrifice to Heaven and Earth at the southern suburbs. Dressed in imperial robes and holding a jade tablet, he performed the "Yunmen" dance. He burned firewood and addressed Heaven, saying: "Your subject Jilong respectfully offers jade and silk sacrifices, along with various kinds of offerings, to the Emperor Heaven and the Empress Earth. I humbly pray that Heaven will bless our people, that the five grains will be plentiful, and that the borders will be peaceful."

In March, Zhao Tiao, the Provincial Governor of Lingnan, presented a new work, "A Record of a Bountiful Harvest": sweet potatoes yielded more than eight shi per mu, potatoes four shi, corn one shi and six dou, and the amount of chili peppers and other condiments was countless.

You reported: "All things are not picky about soil fertility; even barren, newly reclaimed fields can yield 30% of the harvest." The Emperor was overjoyed and decreed: "This is a divinely bestowed auspicious harvest; it should be widely distributed throughout the land."

In April, a banquet was held for the officials at the Jixian Hall. The "Nine Musical Performances" were performed for the first time, and the officials danced and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

In June, the Yellow River breached its banks at Zhengzhou. Duke Zhao Ying of Cheng mobilized 100,000 laborers from Henan and Hebei to plug the breach and relocated 30,000 disaster victims to Jingzhou and Xiangyang. The emperor reduced his meals and abolished music, allocating 500,000 strings of cash from the imperial treasury for relief.

In October, Gao Pian captured Yongchang. He reported that the area west of Gaoligong Mountain was ravaged by miasma, with hundreds of soldiers falling ill daily. He requested a temporary truce until the miasma subsided in winter before advancing again. The Emperor granted his request, bestowing upon him ten thousand doses of medicine, and decreed: "The lives of the soldiers are more precious than an inch of land in the southern frontier."

In November, King You Shilong of Nanzhao died of a malaria epidemic. His eldest son, Long Shun, succeeded him and sent envoys with maps and household registers to request submission and hostage status. The emperor granted his request, and took his son Long Luosheng, who was then taken hostage, into a state guesthouse.

In December, an imperial edict was issued announcing the pacification of Yunnan. Taxes were exempted for three years in the four circuits of Jiannan, Shannanxi, Lingnan, and Yunnan, and soldiers stationed in the southwest were granted double pay. An imperial decree ordered the construction of a shrine to the martyrs in Kunming to commemorate the soldiers who died in the southern campaign.

In the first month of the fourteenth year of the Hongwu reign (1380), the Crown Prince reported that tens of thousands of officials in Guanzhong and Guandong were implicated in corruption, embezzling countless amounts of gold and silver and concealing untold tracts of land. Upon learning of this, the Emperor ordered the relevant officials to exile them to the border regions in accordance with the law.

In February, the emperor went on an inspection tour of Hexi and ordered the crown prince to oversee the capital and inspect all the circuits.

In March, the officials of Fujian reported that there was an epidemic in Fuzhou and Quanzhou, with thousands of deaths. The Crown Prince sent people to inspect the disaster area, exempted the two prefectures from taxes, and ordered the officials to provide medical relief.

On the day of Bingchen, the emperor arrived in Didao and paid homage at the Phoenix Mountain Martyrs' Shrine.

In April, officials reported that during an inspection of the Jiangnan region, many powerful and influential people had broken the law. The Crown Prince ordered the officials to investigate and punish them according to the law.

In the year Xinhai, the emperor arrived in Zhangye and toured Ganzhou with the Prince of Jiaohe.

In May, many powerful families in Jiangnan rebelled, and many prefectures and counties were set ablaze by their servants. These powerful families had hundreds or even thousands of servants who gathered to besiege the prefectural and county governments. Lu Zhi, the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, urgently dispatched troops from the Military Governor's Office to suppress the rebellion.

In June, Censor Lu Zhi reported that Commandant Lu Zhen, citing a rebellion by powerful local magnates in Suzhou, had gathered troops to attack Suzhou, intending to kill Lu Zhi. The generals were unaware of this until they surrounded Suzhou and learned of their plot. A subordinate general captured Lu Zhen at night and presented him as a prisoner to Suzhou. Upon learning this, the Crown Prince did not punish the soldiers but instead awarded them ten thousand strings of cash to appease them and reward them for their efforts in restoring order.

In July, the emperor parted ways with the Prince of Jiaohe and returned to Luoyang.

In September, powerful local warlords in Jiangnan rebelled, and the Crown Prince mobilized troops from various regions of Huainan to quell the rebellion in Jiangnan.

In October, the Emperor arrived in Luoyang, and the Crown Prince led all the officials out of the city to greet him. The Emperor held court in the Qianyuan Hall, and the Crown Prince reported: 4,500 officials in the capital had committed crimes, 33,000 assistant officials had reported crimes, and 196 families had been identified as rebels. The Emperor ordered them to be punished according to the law.

On the day of Bingyin, the Emperor, noting that Crown Prince Jingcha had implicated many innocent people, ordered him to be confined to the Laozi Temple on Xiong'er Mountain for half a month.

On the day of Dingmao, the Crown Prince of Emperor Shi was at Laojun Temple, where he was ordered to reside in the East Upper Pavilion and perform duties in the Inner Cabinet.

In November, Lin Yi attacked Annam. Upon hearing this, the Emperor ordered Li Shenfu, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Lingnan, to lead 20,000 troops to suppress the rebellion. The army then advanced along the coast, forging roads for over a thousand li along the mountains.

In the second month of spring in the fifteenth year of the Hongwu reign (1380), Li Shenfu, the governor of Annam, led his army to Langbo. Lin Yi King Fan Tuoluo met them with an elephant formation, but Shenfu used muskets to startle the elephants, causing them to turn and flee. Three thousand were beheaded, and more than ten thousand surrendered.

In March, Shenfu led his fleet up the Xiangjiang River and captured its capital, Champa. He captured Fan Tuoluo and burned its palace. He re-erected the bronze pillar of Ma Yuan, casting an inscription that read: "When the bronze pillar falls, Jiaozhi perishes." The surviving people of Lin Yi wept and bowed before the pillar, not daring to look up at it.

In April, the Emperor issued an edict establishing the Annam Circuit in the territory of Annam and Lin Yi, with three offices set up. Li Shenfu was promoted to Governor-General of Annam. The edict stated: Lin Yi was fierce and unruly, but now that it has been pacified, benevolent policies should be implemented, and harsh taxes should no longer be imposed.

In May, the kingdoms of the South China Sea were terrified upon hearing of the destruction of Lin-yi. Eight kingdoms, including Poli, Panpan, Zhenla, Tuohuan, Heling, Duoheluo, Poden, and Dongnu Kingdom, sent envoys to offer tribute, presenting pearls, rhinoceros horns, and jeweled cloth. The Emperor hosted a banquet for them at the Jixian Hall and bestowed upon them the Hongwu Calendar and agricultural tools.

In July, the Japanese envoy Tachibana no Hayanari presented one hundred taels of gold dust and ten bushels of pearls. The Emperor ordered the Directorate of Works to teach the "ash-blowing method" of silver refining and bestowed upon him the "Essential Techniques for the Common People." Tachibana no Hayanari bowed and said: Japan wishes to forever serve as a bulwark for the eastern Han Dynasty.

In August, King Longshun of Nanzhao seized the former territory of Pyu. The emperor dispatched Imperial Censor Du Xuan with an imperial edict to rebuke him: "Your father has just died, his body is not yet cold, yet you dare to expand your territory?" Longshun was terrified and offered one hundred ivory tusks as an apology.

In October, Wang Tai, the Provincial Governor of Zhejiang, reported that of the more than seventy merchant ships that had sailed to Japan this year, only seven had returned. Rumors circulated that the Eastern Continent held mountains of gold and seas of silver, and many risked their lives to go there. The Emperor summoned the Crown Prince of Japan, Teisho, for questioning. Teisho trembled and said, "My country forbids its citizens from leaving privately; it must be that wicked people have lured and abducted us." He then dispatched envoys back to Japan to thoroughly investigate.

In the twelfth month, the Japanese envoy reported that there were indeed large Han merchants living in the Eastern Continent, mining for gold and logging timber to build Jinshan City. The Emperor sighed, "Greed blinds the mind; even a sage cannot stop it." He ordered the publication of "Admonitions for Crossing the Sea" in Zhejiang, but those seeking wealth still flocked to it like moths to a flame.

In February of the sixteenth year of the Hongwu reign (1389), Zhao Tiao, the Provincial Governor of Lingnan, reported on the expansion of new plantings. The Emperor decreed: "Agriculture values ​​truthfulness. You should use the 'Tree Planting Book' to record its advantages and disadvantages and distribute it to all regions. Anyone who dares to falsely report yields per mu will be dismissed from office and reduced to commoner status."

In the year of Bing Shen, one million catties of potato seeds were distributed to various regions.

In March, Liu Zhijun, the governor of Hedong, reported that the Western Kyrgyz had been defeated by the Shatuo and Dangxiang, and that Khan Li Zheng had died in battle, with his people fleeing south.

The Emperor sighed and said: "These barbarians are killing each other, but we must not allow them to disturb the northern border." He ordered the surrender of 30,000 Kyrgyz people, to be settled in Henan to cultivate the wasteland, and to be given land and seeds. He also allocated 200,000 strings of cash and 300,000 shi of grain from the imperial treasury to build sixteen border cities, from Yunzhong to the Shanyutai, and to set up beacon towers and cannons.

In May, a great famine struck Bohai, and people resorted to cannibalism. The king's younger brother, Da Mou'e, sent envoys to request grain. The emperor said: "Relieving the suffering of neighboring states is the foundation of benevolent governance." He ordered the navy to transport 500,000 shi of grain and sell it at the market price in the Central Plains. The people of Bohai were deeply moved and erected a stele inscribed "Han Virtue is as Bright as Heaven" on the shore of Huhanhai.

In July, Naval Commander Geng Huan inspected Luzon. The local chieftain, Lakansu, led 10,000 men to attack the camp, but Huan used cannons to breach their wooden fortress and capture the chieftain. The Emperor decreed: the ringleaders be executed, the followers pardoned, and a Maritime Trade Office established to facilitate trade.

In September, Geng Huan was ordered to build an official shipyard, granaries, docks, and beacon towers in Manila Bay, Luzon, to receive merchant ships from the East.

In October, the Imperial Preceptor Wuzhen reported the unification of Tibet. The Emperor decreed: Tibet's land is barren, suitable for grazing but not for farming. He granted permission to exchange cattle and sheep for grain and silk in five markets in Songzhou and Shanzhou. Tibet thus began its pastoral administration.

In November, a Fujian merchant ship returned from Dongzhou, carrying 100,000 taels of gold and silver. The Provincial Governor, Wang Ping, petitioned to levy a tax of 20,000 taels. The Emperor decreed: "Maritime merchants face great risks; the tax rate should be constant. This shall be established as a fixed rule."

In December, the Ministry of Revenue reported: there were 9,642,670 households and 48,133,520 people in the empire; 3,257,396 qing of land, with an annual grain yield of 47,500,000 shi. The Emperor reviewed the records and sighed: "The population and land area are gradually returning to the prosperity of the Han and Tang dynasties, but the average person still has less than ten mu, and further cultivation is still needed."

(End of this chapter)