Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 556 The Annals of the Great Han Dynasty, Volume 4

On the first day of the first month of spring in the twenty-sixth year of Hongwu's reign (1389), the Emperor ascended the Fengtian Hall to receive court congratulations and held a grand banquet for civil and military officials and envoys from foreign countries. The Empress held a banquet at the Kunning Palace.

On the day of Guiwei, 1,400 people from Nanzhao, Luzhenla, Shuizhenla, the Queen, Poli, Popan, Duoluoboti, Tubo, Silla, Japan, and Balhae paid tribute and presented local products. They were bestowed with iron cauldrons, scriptures, and silk fabrics in varying amounts.

On the day of Jia-yin in the second month, Geng Ming, the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince and Prince of Hezheng, died. The Emperor suspended court for three days, posthumously conferred upon him the title of Prince of Liang, with the posthumous name Wu Ning, and had him buried in the imperial mausoleum. His son Huan succeeded to the title of Prince of Hezheng for his merits.

On the day of Jia Chen in the third month, Gao Pian, the Left Grand Commandant of the Vanguard Army, Grand Commandant, and Prince of Bohai, died. The Emperor suspended court for three days, posthumously conferred upon him the title of Prince of Liao, and the posthumous name of Zhongxian. His son, Qin, inherited the title with a reduced rank and was enfeoffed as Duke of Yan.

In the fourth month of summer, Liu Zhijun, the governor of Hedong, reported: Recently, some Dangxiang people have fled south, saying that the Shatuo tribe has been extensively cultivating the Shiwei River Valley. Although their annual harvest is meager, their tribe is growing stronger every day. The emperor read the report.

In May, Crown Prince Liu Lie reported: "Your Majesty, I led all officials to inspect the entire realm, and the matter is now complete. More than 3,600 officials from various circuits were found guilty, along with over 24,500 assistant officials. 216 officers and soldiers were found guilty of smuggling, and 3,457 soldiers were implicated. Tens of millions of strings of gold, silver, mansions, and silk were confiscated. An imperial edict was issued to punish them according to the law: all smugglers were to be executed, and the remaining individuals' entire families were to be exiled to the border regions to cultivate the land."

In the seventh month of autumn, the Western Hu sent envoys to present ten Ferghana horses and a thousand fine horses.

In August, the Samanid Kingdom sent envoys to pay tribute. The Samanids were formerly a vassal state of the Abbasid Caliphate, and now occupied the former territory of the Kingdom of Tashkent, and had fought several battles with the Western Hu (Karakhan). They bestowed porcelain and silk upon the Samanids.

In the tenth month of winter, the Liao people of Mei, Ang, and Ya prefectures rebelled, and Zhang Wu, the Prince of Bachuan, quelled the rebellion.

In December, Prince Husiguang of Anchang died. The emperor suspended court for three days, posthumously conferred upon him the title of Prince An, gave him the posthumous name Wujing, and had him buried in the imperial mausoleum. His son, Lü, succeeded to the title of Prince Anchang for his merits.

In the first month of spring in the twenty-seventh year of the Hongwu reign, an imperial edict was issued to release grain from granaries to relieve famine within the Great Wall, allocating more than 300,000 shi of yams.

In February, nine prefectures, including Zhao, Zhen, Jiang, and Tong, suffered from both drought and locust plagues, while sixteen prefectures, including Qi and Ding, were flooded. An imperial edict exempted these prefectures from summer taxes and allocated 300,000 strings of cash as relief.

In March, an imperial edict was issued to the provinces of Henan, Huainan, and Hebei: to recruit people to dredge the canals, using the work as a form of relief, to clear blockages and facilitate transportation.

In the fifth month of summer, Naval Commander Geng Huan reported that Palembang received 757 merchant ships from Southeast Asia annually, and collected 54,600 strings of cash in customs taxes.

In the seventh month of autumn, Gao Yu, the Minister of Revenue, reported: This year, the minting of silver coins consumed 27 million taels of silver and yielded 30 million strings of cash, thus quelling the currency shortage in Guanzhong.

In the tenth month of winter, Wang Qiong, the governor of Luzon, reported that eighty-three ships had returned from the Eastern Continent, and a customs duty of 22,500 strings of cash had been levied.

In December, Zhao Tiao, the Provincial Governor of Hedong, reported: "An earthquake struck Taiyuan, destroying thousands of houses. I request that 3,000 strings of cash be distributed for relief." The Emperor approved.

In the first month of spring in the twenty-eighth year of Hongwu (1389), the Shannan East Circuit reported: "During the second month of heavy rains, the mountain streams breached the dikes, flooding thousands of hectares of farmland in Tang and Xiang prefectures." Upon hearing this, the Emperor ordered the Crown Prince to distribute relief from the granaries.

In February, Lu Zhi, Minister of Justice, reported: 70,000 prisoners from Guanzhong were to be transferred to Dingzhou, Ningzhou (Yili), and Zhenzhou in Beiting. 60,000 prisoners from Guandong were to be transferred to Daming, 100,000 to Korea, and 30,000 to Liaodong. 130,000 prisoners from Jiangnan were to be transferred to Annam, and 60,000 to Yunnan.

In March, the Prince of Bohai, Dawei, reported that the country was suffering from food shortages and requested relief loans. The Emperor instructed the Ministry of Revenue, saying, "All people, both within and outside the country, are my subjects. I hereby grant them 200,000 shi of dried sweet potatoes to relieve them of their suffering, so that they may not be left without food."

In the fifth month of summer, a great flood struck Huainan. An imperial edict exempted Huainan from taxes and ordered the distribution of one million shi of grain from the Ever-Normal Granary in Jiangnan for disaster relief.

In the seventh month of autumn, the emperor ordered the crown prince to inspect Huainan and provide famine relief. The Ministry of Revenue allocated 300,000 strings of newly minted coins and recruited people to repair houses, using work as a form of relief.

In the tenth month of winter, Ge Congzhou, the governor of Lingnan, reported that the barbarian tribes of Dateng Gorge had rebelled, gathering 200,000 men to raid Zhechong Prefecture, and requested permission to suppress them. The emperor appointed Li Yangchun as the commander-in-chief, with governors Ge Congzhou, Zhang Guiba, and Pang Shigu as his deputies, and led troops to quell the rebellion.

In December, Lu Guimeng, Minister of Rites, submitted a memorial stating that after 25 years of official education, only one or two out of every ten people in the country were literate, and requested that all circuits publish a "Circular Gazette." The emperor approved.

In the first month of spring in the twenty-ninth year of the Hongwu reign (1380), the Nanzhao Kingdom learned that the imperial court had mobilized troops to quell the barbarians, and the northern and southern tribes began to fight each other. The emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites to send an envoy to reprimand them.

In March, Zhu Wen and Wang Jian were appointed as Grand Generals of the Five Armies. Lu Guimeng, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, was promoted to Chancellor, and Zhao Guangfeng replaced him as Minister of Rites.

In the same month, Cui Shu, the Chancellor, requested to retire due to old age, which the Emperor granted. Zhang Yanhui was promoted to Chancellor.

In the fourth month of summer, an imperial edict was issued to Prince Liu Di of Yan, who was stationed in Kaiping south of the Gobi Desert, and Prince Liu Bai of Han, who was stationed in Kunming. Each of them was granted three thousand guards, and the military pay was to be provided by the Jiannan and Hedong Provincial Administration Commissions.

In the seventh month of autumn, Gao Yu, the Minister of Revenue, reported: "In the past three years, we have traded gold and silver with Japan, and the profits have exceeded two million strings of cash, while the value of the goods exchanged is less than five hundred thousand strings of cash." The Emperor said: "Japan has few resources, while China has abundant resources. Trade is a way to benefit both countries."

In the tenth month of winter, Prince Li Yangchun of Nanhai reported: "I led 50,000 troops to pacify the barbarians of Dateng Gorge, burning 97 of their strongholds, beheading over 30,000, and capturing 150,000. Tens of thousands of the remaining rebels have fled into the deep mountains, and I have ordered Ge Congzhou, the governor of Lingnan, to continue the suppression. I request to return to Yunnan to govern." The emperor granted his request.

In December, Zhang Huaishen, the Grand Protector and Prince of Jiaohe, reported: "In the past ten years since the introduction of new crops in the Western Regions, five out of ten fields are now planted with millet and wheat, two out of ten with cotton, and three out of ten with sweet potatoes. The annual output of dried sweet potatoes is 200,000 shi and millet and wheat is 50,000 shi, in preparation for years of famine."

The Emperor said: Although the Western Regions are rich, their reserves are still meager. The supply of grain from the Central Plains cannot be neglected. Every year, 200,000 shi of grain should be sent from the prefectures of Guazhou, Shazhou, and Gansu to the border regions.

In the first month of spring in the thirtieth year of Hongwu's reign, the emperor offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth in the southern suburbs of Luoyang and held a banquet for his officials in the Jixian Hall.

In February, the National Preceptor Huiming reported: Tibet has built 570 temples, and 80-90% of the Tibetan people can speak Mandarin, while 100-200 are literate. Although 100,000 monks came to Tibet in previous years, many fled back to China out of fear of hardship. Now, Tibet has less than 3,000 monks, which is insufficient to guide the Tibetan people to learn Chinese learning. He requested that monks be sent to Tibet.

The Emperor summoned the Ministry of Rites to inquire about the matter. The Ministry of Rites replied: "There are 23,250 registered monks and nuns throughout the land. An imperial edict may be issued to send 3,000 of them to Tibet." The Emperor approved.

In March, Naval Commander Geng Huan reported that the people of Nanbin, having heard that incense was produced in the South Seas, migrated south in groups and gathered in villages on the islands, some with hundreds of people and others with dozens of households.

The Emperor said: "The people should make their own living and not be hindered. However, the law must not be violated and officials must not make things difficult for them."

In the fourth month of summer, the Henan Circuit reported that a white tortoise had been seen in Songzhou and requested to be presented as an auspicious omen. The Emperor said: "White things signify illness, not good fortune."

In the seventh month of autumn, the eldest grandson of the emperor, Liu Hao, went to inspect the countryside in Kaizhou, south of the Gobi Desert. The emperor ordered the Prince of Yan: "Protect him well, but do not let him take advantage of the emperor's favor."

In August, the court officials congratulated the emperor on his seventieth birthday at the Qianyuan Hall, saying, "Heaven blesses the Han Dynasty and bestows blessings upon Your Majesty."

The Emperor replied, “The reason I have lived so long is because I eat and drink lightly. Although I eat meat, I do not dislike fatty and sweet foods. I also practice martial arts regularly in the Qian Yuan Hall. I see that your residences are full of rich and greasy food, and some of you even drink sugarcane juice. This is not the way to maintain health. I have heard that some people take elixirs to seek immortality. Now it is the thirtieth year of Hongwu's reign. Why are you still deluded by this? If cinnabar could prolong life, would Emperor Wu of Han still be alive today?” All the ministers remained silent.

In the tenth month of winter, Duke Jing of Fengbang died at the age of seventy-five. He was posthumously granted the title of Prince of Bohai and the posthumous name Wending. His son, Meng, inherited the title with a reduced rank and was granted the title of Duke of Linru.

In December, Gao Yu, the Minister of Revenue, reported that in that year the empire had 11,483,710 households, 57,422,036 people, 3,648,520 hectares of land, 52,300,000 shi of grain, and 17,200,000 guan of miscellaneous taxes in the form of silk.

In the first month of spring in the thirty-first year of the Hongwu reign (1382), King Teisho of Japan requested to become a monk and abdicate in favor of his crown prince, Atsuhito. The emperor granted his request and sent an envoy with imperial credentials to bestow official titles upon him.

In March, the Tibetan King Meru Gyatso reported that Saman had repeatedly invaded Greater and Lesser Bolu. An imperial edict granted permission for a counterattack and dispatched envoys to rebuke Saman.

In the fifth month of summer, the Liao people of Juzhou in Qiannan rebelled. Governor Yang Shihou quelled the rebellion, beheading 7,000 and capturing 30,000 people, who were all relocated to Shannan East Road for land reclamation.

In the seventh month of autumn, Li Yangchun, the military governor of Yunnan, reported: "Yunnan now has 250,000 households and 1.2 million people, including six Han and four Man tribes. Meanwhile, the remnants of the Nanzhao Kingdom, Longshun and Longzhen, have rebelled and are in rebellion. I request that troops be dispatched to quell the rebellion." An imperial edict was issued to dispatch 50,000 troops from Jiannan, Qianzhong, and Shannan West Circuits to assist in the suppression.

In October, Yangchun advanced to Yongchang, bringing with him 80,000 troops and conscripting 200,000 laborers. He sent an envoy to summon Longshun to welcome him, but Longshun did not respond.

In November, 300,000 shi of military provisions arrived in Yongchang. Yangchun selected 5,000 barbarian soldiers and ordered Wang Yanzhang and Zhang Quanyi to lead them, crossing the Gaoligong Mountains and directly attacking Ruanhua City (Tengchong).

In the year of Xinhai, Yanzhang and Quanyi decisively defeated the barbarian army, beheading their general Yang Huiqing, capturing 5,000 heads, and taking nearly 10,000 prisoners.

On the day of Xinwei, Commander Wang Chuzhi led 10,000 barbarian troops to attack Yaxi City. The barbarians held their ground firmly, and the Han army was running out of food. The barbarian forces were gaining momentum, and Chuzhi sent an urgent message for help. Yangchun personally led 500 cavalry to the rescue, arriving at the city walls at night.

The next day, Yangchun ordered his cavalry to gallop through the air, raising dust as if a large army had arrived. The barbarian troops were terrified and surrendered the city. Taking advantage of the victory, Yangchun captured Zhenxi City, and the barbarian army fled that night.

In December, Yang Chun divided his army into three routes: Chu Zhi and Fu Cunshen each led 10,000 men to attack Long Shun in the north; Yan Zhang and Quan Yi each led 10,000 men to attack Long Zhen in the south.

On the day of Gengxu, the Han army advanced along the Jinsha River from north to south, beheading 50,000 and accepting the surrender of 70,000. The generals wanted to execute all the surrendered prisoners, but Yangchun refused.

When the chieftains of the various states heard of the fall of Nanzhao, they were all terrified and said, "Since ancient times, no one in the Central Plains has ever crossed the Jinsha River. Now that the Han army has arrived here, it is truly a display of divine might!"

Yang Chun summoned the chieftains to Mandalay, and eight countries, including Zhenla, Bago, Poli, Popan, Dharapati, Queen, and Arakan, came by land and sea.

Yang Chun proclaimed: "The Central and Southern regions are all within the territory of the Great Han. All nations should uphold their tribute obligations. I am now sending envoys to settle the payment of gold and silver to your eight nations annually. The Great Han will protect your nations. If you encounter any difficulties, you may report them. The court will not stand idly by." He then sent envoys to tour the eight nations, and none of the chieftains dared to disobey.

In the first month of spring in the thirty-second year of Hongwu (1389), Li Yangchun, the military governor of Yunnan, reported: "I have already sent envoys to settle the various countries, but the central and southern regions are plagued by malaria, and it is difficult for the Han troops to stay for long. I request an imperial edict to deal with the areas to be recovered."

The Emperor decreed: "After the envoys have inspected the various countries, the tax collection should be determined according to the population, with a rate of 1,000 strings of cash per 10,000 households per year. Excessive taxation will cause unrest. The central and southern regions are treacherous, and prolonged garrisoning is not a good strategy. Now that Nanzhao has been pacified, the other countries have lost their control and disputes are bound to arise."

“In the past, Long Shun feared that his younger brothers Long Luosheng and Long Zhen would contend with him for power, so he held Luosheng hostage in Luoyang. Now Luosheng is forty years old and still lives in the Honglu Guest House, where he has married and had children.”

“They should select strategically important locations by land and water to govern the Han army’s prefectures and counties, and in the remaining areas, Longluosheng can be established as king to continue the Nanzhao ancestral rites.”

In February, the Emperor summoned Longluosheng and said, “Your father repeatedly raided the borders in the past, so I raised an army to punish him. After his death, I did not pursue the matter further. Unexpectedly, your two elder brothers held you hostage in court and rebelled again by raising an army.”

"Now that we have quelled the rebellion of the two rebels, it is not because we covet your land. Nanzhao cannot be without a ruler. Therefore, we hereby appoint you as the King of Nanzhao. Be good to the imperial court and pacify the central and southern regions."

Luo Sheng wept and kowtowed, saying, "Your subject and your descendants will forever guard the Han lands and dare not disobey your command."

In March, he bestowed upon Longluo a thousand bolts of silk and thirty pieces of silverware, and dispatched five hundred soldiers to escort his family back to Nanzhao to assume the throne.

In the fifth month of summer, Gao Yu, the Minister of Revenue, submitted a memorial stating that the population of the two circuits in Jiangnan, east and west, was growing rapidly, now exceeding twenty million people, and that they should be separated and relocated to the circuits. The emperor approved.

On the day of Gengyin, the Jiangnan East and West Circuits were divided into five: Jiangnan Circuit, Zhejiang Circuit, Fujian Circuit, Jiangxi Circuit, and Hunan Circuit. The Ministry of Revenue reported that the Jiangnan Circuit had a population of over six million, the Zhejiang Circuit five million, the Jiangxi Circuit four million, the Fujian Circuit two million, and the Hunan Circuit three million.

In the seventh month of autumn, the Emperor summoned the Three Departments and Six Ministries to the Zhenguan Hall and said: "Taxation has never been an easy matter since ancient times. I initially set the tax rate at 12 percent because at that time, internal and external troubles were not yet resolved."

"Now that the country is at peace, the agricultural tax should be reduced to 30% of the total tax, while the tax for merchants should remain at 20%." All the officials praised this decision.

In August, an imperial edict was issued throughout the land: agricultural taxes were reduced to three-twentieths of their original amount, while commercial taxes remained unchanged. Farmers across the land were overjoyed upon hearing this.

In the tenth month of winter, Li Yangchun reported: Longluosheng has arrived at Duobao City and ascended the throne. Your Majesty, I have designated the former territory of the Pyu Kingdom as the border of Nanzhao, and established Han prefectures in the Lishui River basin. The pacification of the nine kingdoms in Central and Southern China has been settled.
The annual tax rates were as follows: Nanzhao 15,000 strings of cash, Shuizhenla 14,000 strings of cash, Luzhenla 12,000 strings of cash, Duoluoboti 8,000 strings of cash, Bago 3,000 strings of cash, Poli 2,000 strings of cash, Popan 2,000 strings of cash, Queen's Kingdom 2,000 strings of cash, and Aragand 2,000 strings of cash. This was to be established as a permanent system, and no further taxes would be levied.

In December, the Han army remained stationed at Xicheng. Lishui was renamed Mengzhou, governing seven counties, and barbarian people were relocated to Quzhou. A request was made to relocate criminals from Jiangnan to Mengzhou. The imperial edict approved.

In the first month of spring in the thirty-third year of Hongwu's reign, the emperor heard that Cui Shu, the Prince of Shandan, was seventy-eight years old and still took a concubine, which surprised him greatly.

In February, Prince Di of Yan reported: "During my northern tour, I saw the Shatuo people spying on us from the south, more than a hundred li away from Kaiping."

The Emperor said: "The Shatuo are spying southwards, likely intending to observe the imperial army's deployment and plot to destroy the Kyrgyz. Your Majesty should diligently patrol the borders and be careful not to be lured into a trap by the Hu."

On the day of Xinhai, an imperial edict ordered Zhao Guangfeng, the Minister of Rites, to send an envoy to Hai to investigate the situation of the Kyrgyz.

In the fourth month of summer, Li Yangchun, the military governor of Yunnan, reported that the main army had returned to Dali. The emperor appointed Wang Chuzhi as the acting governor of Yunnan and summoned Yangchun, Wang Yanzhang, Ge Congzhou, Zhang Guiba, and Fu Cunshen back to Luoyang to report on their duties.

In May, Prince Di of Yan reported: "During my northern tour, I encountered several thousand barbarian cavalry raiding the border. I did not rashly pursue them." The Emperor praised him, saying: "Good. The barbarian cavalry are often cunning; be cautious."

In the eighth month of autumn, Zhao Guangfeng, the Minister of Rites, reported: The Kyrgyz have fought many battles with the Shatuo and suffered many defeats. Now their army is less than 100,000, and their cavalry is no more than 30,000.

The emperor summoned Li Yangchun, Wang Jian, and others to discuss the matter in the Zhenguan Hall, saying: "In the past, Hebei and Hedong were exhausted, so we did not launch a northern expedition against the Shatuo. Now, the two provinces have a population of ten million, which is enough to support the royal army."

An imperial edict ordered the Court of Imperial Stud to dispatch 100,000 draft horses to Kaiping, and the Ministry of Revenue to send 1.2 million shi of grain from the Ever-Normal Granaries in Hebei and Hedong to Kaiping. The Five Military Commissions selected 5,000 soldiers from various provinces to gather in Youzhou for training.

On the day of Bingwu, an envoy was sent to inform the Khakas that the court planned to send troops to suppress the Shatuo next spring, and that they should send troops to assist the Heavenly Army in encircling and blocking them.

On the day of Dingwei, Li Yangchun was appointed General of the Cavalry, in charge of the three circuits of Hedong, Hebei, and Daning, with Wang Jian and Zhu Wen as his deputies. He was in charge of military training in all circuits and awaited imperial orders for the northern expedition.

In the tenth month of winter, the naval commander Geng Huan reported: "The warships are old and worn out, please rebuild them." The emperor granted the request, and ordered the Ministry of Revenue to allocate 300,000 strings of cash to build 50 three-thousand-ton seagoing ships and 100 five-thousand-ton Fujian ships, and the Ministry of War to prepare artillery.

In December, Li Yangchun reported: "We have selected troops from twelve provinces including Hedong to gather in Youzhou. We have obtained 10,000 cavalry, 20,000 infantry and cavalry, 30,000 infantrymen, 300,000 laborers, 1.2 million shi of grain, 200 light cannons, 500,000 jin of gunpowder, and 100,000 jin of iron, which have been sent to Kaiping."

In the first month of spring in the thirty-fourth year of Hongwu's reign, the emperor offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth at the southern suburbs.

In February, General Li Yangchun led 60,000 elite cavalry and infantry to garrison Kaiping in the north. At that time, Kaiping was guarded by Prince Di of Yan with 3,000 guards, 5,000 soldiers from Hedong, 240,000 laborers, 600,000 shi of grain, and 100,000 horse-drawn carts.

On the day of Ji-Mao, an imperial edict was issued to launch a northern expedition against the Shatuo. Yang Chun received the order and led an army of 68,000 northwards, accompanied by 240,000 laborers.

On the day of Bingzi, Ge Congzhou, Zhang Guiba, and Yang Shihou were appointed as the vanguard, while Prince Yan Di and the eldest grandson of the emperor led a thousand elite cavalry as escorts.

Yang Chun ordered his generals to advance in succession, avoiding the mountains and taking the proper paths, so as not to tire the soldiers. Every forty li (approximately 20 kilometers) they advanced, they left behind a thousand infantrymen and five thousand laborers to build fortifications and store grain.

When Li Keyong heard that the imperial army had arrived, he burned his camp and moved north. Our army pursued him for a thousand miles, but by the time we reached Julunbo, the enemy had already fled. In Yangchun, we dispatched elite cavalry to search for their tracks.

On the day of Bingwu in the third month, the scouts captured five enemy spies and recruited them as guides. They learned that Keyong had moved west to the Wukun River (northwest of Ulaanbaatar), so they pursued him along the Gonglu River.

On the day of Wuxu in the fourth month, the Hu barbarians grazed their herds on both banks of the Gonglu River, unaware that our army had penetrated deep into their territory. The barbarian general Li Siyuan led tens of thousands of people to graze, and the commander-in-chief Yang Shihou challenged them with three thousand cavalry. Siyuan led ten thousand cavalry to charge into their formation, and Prince Di of Yan shouted, "I am the Prince of Yan!" and led several hundred cavalry to cut through their ranks.

Commander Liu Zhijun led 3,000 infantrymen to reinforce the enemy, and they arrayed themselves and fired muskets at the enemy. The enemy cavalry were overwhelmed, and Siyuan led several hundred cavalrymen to escape. They pursued the fleeing enemy for over a hundred li, but the weather was hot and there was no water, so they withdrew their troops and built a camp to await reinforcements.

On the day of Bingwu, Yang Chun led 20,000 cavalry to the scene and ordered Zhang Guihou and Wang Yanzhang to cover the rear before advancing towards the Wukun River.

On the day of Wushen in the fifth month, the emperor camped south of Langjuxu Mountain. At that time, the Kyrgyz Khan Li Bei disobeyed orders and attacked Keyong without authorization. He was defeated, and Bei barely escaped with his life, fleeing to Chenghai.

On the day of Xinmao, the army arrived at the Wukun River with only 5,000 elite cavalry and 10,000 infantry and cavalry. At that time, Keyong, along with Zhou Dewei, Li Cunxu, and Li Siyuan, gathered 50,000 cavalry and stationed them at Cangyun Ridge. In the spring, they climbed to a high place and observed the enemy split into three routes, ordering Zhu Wen and Wang Jian to each lead 1,000 cavalry to challenge them.

Enemy generals Zhou Dewei and Li Siyuan came to fight, but Yang Shihou and Liu Zhijun fired cannons, killing hundreds of enemy soldiers. Prince Yan Di led his iron cavalry to attack the ridge, but Li Cunxu resisted with several thousand cavalry.

From dawn till dusk, the enemy repeatedly charged the central army. Yang Chun calmly commanded the troops, and the Crown Prince Hao killed three enemy soldiers with muskets. Keyong retreated to the mountains.

That night, the enemy left cattle and sheep to confuse the army, and Keyong led his cavalry to flee west. Just then, Marquis Liu Xun of Anqiu and Marquis Fu Cunshen, who had just woken up, led a thousand cavalry in pursuit, but Zhou Dewei and others blocked their retreat with ten thousand cavalry.

Yangchun's entire army pursued for a hundred li through the night, fighting seven battles until dawn. Siyuan fell from his horse and died, Keyong was wounded by an arrow and fled far away, and Zhou Dewei and Li Cunxu led more than a thousand Hu cavalry to break through the encirclement.

The soldiers were hungry and exhausted, and many horses had died, so Yangchun withdrew his troops.

On the day of Bingyin in June, Li Keyong's troops fled to Yanran Mountain. Yang Chun led his army in pursuit for three hundred li, but their food supplies ran out, so they retreated to Julunbo.

On the day of Wuxu in the seventh month of autumn, Yangchun returned to court and reported: "The Kyrgyz disobeyed orders and caused the Shatuo to flee west. Although 24,000 enemy soldiers were killed, Keyong was not captured. Please punish him."

The Emperor said, "This is not a fault of war." He also said, "I am unwell. Let the Crown Prince be relieved of his military duties and return to Luoyang."

In August, the emperor fell ill and ordered the crown prince to oversee the state.

In September, Zhao Jing, the provincial governor of Annam, reported: "Anna now governs 260,000 households, three of which are Han Chinese and seven are non-Han Chinese. I request that criminals from Jiangnan be relocated to Annam." The Crown Prince granted his request.

In the tenth month of winter, the Crown Prince Hao returned, and the Emperor recovered somewhat.

On the day of Bingyin, the Kyrgyz sent an envoy to plead guilty. The Emperor said: "The campaign is not yet complete, all because you violated the regulations and ordered troops to fight without authorization. Now, Hebei and Hedong are short of food, so the royal army will temporarily halt its northern expedition. You should reflect on your actions."

On the day of Ji Si in the eleventh month, Li Yangchun reported: The Shatuo people have suffered greatly and dare not return to their pastures this winter. They are likely to be stationed at Hangai Mountain.

The Emperor said: "The barbarians are cunning by nature and should not be trusted lightly. My health has improved somewhat. If I can live for more than a year, I plan to send troops from Longxi and Hedong next year to annihilate them in one fell swoop."

In December, Gao Yu, the Minister of Revenue, reported that in that year, the empire had 12,195,990 households, 60,985,592 people, 3,852,936 hectares of land, and an annual grain income of 42,590,000 shi. Miscellaneous taxes, silk, gold, silver, and customs duties amounted to 17,530,000 guan.

On the day of Xin-You in the first month of the thirty-fifth year of Hongwu's reign, the Emperor caught a cold, and his illness recurred. For fifteen days, he was in a daze, both waking and sleeping.

On the day of Jia-Shen in the second month, the emperor's condition worsened, and he summoned Crown Prince Lie, Crown Prince Hao, and Chancellors Luo Yin and Zhang Yanhui to the Zhenguan Hall to entrust the young emperor to them.

The crown prince wept and begged for a skilled physician, but the emperor laughed and said, "Heaven's will has brought us to this point; how can human power defy it? Besides, if I do not die, how will you succeed to the throne? How can there be a crown prince for thirty-five years?"

Seeing that all his ministers were weeping, he then issued his will, which read: "I joined the uprising led by Zhang Gong when I was seventeen. I rose from humble beginnings and it took twenty-three years to pacify the country, causing many people to suffer. I have heard that many emperors and generals in the past died for palace women. You, the rulers and ministers of later generations, have not followed this example."

"After my death, no gold, silver, or jade artifacts shall be buried with me, no court shall be suspended or government affairs abandoned, and no people shall be required to observe mourning. The Crown Prince and all officials shall perform their duties, and the common people shall continue to live in peace as before, without disturbing the people."

"If any princes wish to enter the capital to offer sacrifices, they should first complete their duties and not let grief interfere with the affairs of the state. If they truly have a heart of filial piety and loyalty and treat the people well, then I will thank Heaven."

The Empress and the courtiers wept upon hearing the imperial edict. The Emperor said sadly, "I wish you all to see me off with smiles, so that I may not die with my eyes open." The Crown Prince and the officials forced smiles and obeyed the order, but the Empress continued to sob as she received the imperial insignia.

The Emperor patted his back and said, "Life and death are the natural order of things, what is there to grieve over?" He then ordered Chancellor Zhang Yanhui, "When writing to Prince Huaishen of Jiaohe, be careful with your words and do not provoke him to change his mind." Yanhui bowed his head and wept as he agreed.

The emperor then dismissed all his officials, leaving only the empress to speak with him in the Zhenguan Palace that night. That night, the emperor died at the age of seventy-five.

The funeral was held on the Jiaxu day of the third month.

On the day of Bingzi in the fourth month, all officials presented him with the posthumous title of Emperor Zhaowu, and his temple name was Zhongzu.

In the year of Gengyin, he was buried simply at Xiaoling Mausoleum in Mangshan.

Emperor Zhaowu, whose personal name was Jilong, was the thirty-ninth generation descendant of Emperor Gaozu of Han. He rose from humble origins to receive the Mandate of Heaven, pacifying the chaotic world and establishing the Han Dynasty. He was resolute and insightful, a brilliant strategist, and benevolent in governing the people, surpassing even the most enlightened rulers of antiquity.

He first joined Zhang Gong's uprising, and for twenty-three years quelled all rival warlords. He campaigned north against the Shatuo, reaching the Wukun River; in the south, he pacified the barbarians and established a prefecture west of the Li River. The barbarian cavalry trembled at the mere mention of the emperor's name, and the barbarian chieftains trembled at the sight of the Han banners.

Taxes and levies were reduced to a mere 3/20; education was promoted and literacy was encouraged, with only one or two out of every ten people in the country becoming literate. Convicts were relocated to strengthen the border regions, and military farms were established to ensure sufficient food. During the Hongwu reign, the number of households increased by more than four million, hundreds of millions of acres of land were cultivated, granaries were overflowing, and there was no famine on the roads.

His will stated, "Do not commit suicide by burial, do not disturb the people," showing his concern for the common folk even on his deathbed. He jokingly remarked, "How could there be a crown prince for thirty-five years?" calmly accepting the will of Heaven. Those around him wept, but the emperor instead smiled and comforted them, displaying such magnanimity.

The Shatuo were not destroyed before the emperor died midway, and the Longxi strategy ended with his dying wish. If Heaven had granted him a few more years, he would surely have been able to annihilate the northern barbarians and permanently quell the border troubles.

The eulogy reads: His revival of the dynasty was magnificent, a testament to his brilliance. He pacified the four seas with his sword and brought peace to all nations with his pen. Though it may be attributed to Heaven, was it not also the result of human effort? His will reveals a benevolent heart that remained constant throughout; even Emperor Gaozu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang could not surpass him in virtue!

(End of this chapter)