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卷一百五十五 列傳第四十三 宋晟 薛祿 劉榮 朱榮 費瓛 譚廣 陳懷 蔣貴 任禮 趙安 趙輔 劉聚

Volume 155 Biographies 43: Song Cheng, Xue Lu, Liu Rong, Zhu Rong, Fei Huan, Tan Guang, Chen Huai, Jiang Gui, Ren Li, Zhao An, Zhao Fu, Liu Ju

Chapter 155 of 明史 · History of Ming
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1
祿
Song Cheng and Xue Lu (Guo Yi, Jin Yu) Liu Rong, Zhu Rong, Fei Huan, Tan Guang, and Chen Huai (Ma Liang) Jiang Gui (Sun Wan)
2
歿 西西 使 西 西 調 西 西 西祿使 便 西 西 使 宿
Ren Li, Zhao An, Zhao Fu, and Liu Ju. Song Cheng, styled Jingyang, was a native of Dingyuan. His father Chaoyong and elder brother Guoxing both followed in the crossing of the Yangtze and, through accumulated merit, rose to the rank of commander. During the attack on Jiqing, Guoxing was killed in battle, and Cheng succeeded to his command. When Chaoyong later requested retirement, Cheng was with Deng Yu capturing Huizhou. Recalled from the campaign, he inherited his father's post. He was promoted step by step to regional military commissioner of the third rank and successively served as regional commander in Jiangxi, Datong, and Shaanxi. In the twelfth year of Hongwu he was demoted for an offense to garrison commander of Liangzhou Guard. In the fifth month of the seventeenth year he marched against rebel chieftains of the western tribes. Reaching Yijina'i Road, he captured the Yuan maritime-route chiliarch Esentemür, the state duke Wu Badur chi, and others—altogether eighteen thousand captives. He sent the chieftains to the capital, drafted one thousand of their best troops into the ranks, and released the remainder. Recalled to court, he was restored as regional commander, promoted to assistant regional commander of the Rear Army, and continued to hold command at Liangzhou. In the twenty-fourth year he served as overall commander and, with Commissioner-in-Chief Liu Zhen, campaigned against Hami. Hami lay more than a thousand li from Suzhou. Cheng had the army carry abundant dry rations and forced a rapid march, reaching the city walls under cover of night. At daybreak, drums and gongs shook the earth; the entire city trembled with fear, and the place was taken. He captured Hami's prince Bie'erqietemür and more than thirty others down to the false state duke, then withdrew with the tribe's baggage train. From then on the frontier peoples submitted in fear, and Ming military prestige reached its height in the Western Regions. The following May he followed Lan Yu on the campaign against Handong, advancing along the Azhen River while native chieftains such as Haza fled. When the army returned, he was reassigned as assistant regional commander of the Central Army. In the sixth month of the twenty-eighth year he joined overall commander Zhou Xing in marching from Kaiyuan to the Hula River. The tribal chief Xiyangha fled; Cheng pursued him to Pudami City, took captives and livestock, and withdrew. The following year he was appointed Right Vice General for the Southern Expedition and campaigned against Miao stockades at Pingmeng in Guangxi, capturing or killing more than seven thousand. The year after that he led the eight Palace Guard garrisons and pacified the Miao of Wukai and Longli. In the thirty-first year he took command at Kaiping, accompanied the Prince of Yan on a campaign beyond the frontier, and on the return fortified the garrisons at Wanquan. When the Jianwen era began, he continued to hold command in Gansu. After Emperor Chengzu took the throne, he came to court, was promoted to Left Regional Commander of the Rear Army, appointed General Who Pacifies the Qiang, and sent back to his frontier command. In the third year of Yongle he induced five thousand tribesmen under Badutemür, Lundu'erhui, and others to submit, and seized sixteen thousand horses, camels, cattle, and sheep. He was enfeoffed as Marquis of Xining with an annual stipend of 1,100 shi and the hereditary rank of garrison commander. In all Cheng held command at Liangzhou four times over more than twenty years, and his prestige reached the farthest frontiers. The emperor, regarding Cheng as a veteran with true generalship, gave him exclusive charge of frontier affairs, and his proposals were invariably approved. A censor impeached Cheng for acting autocratically. The emperor replied: "If one does not give an appointee full authority, nothing can be accomplished—and when a major general controls an entire frontier, how can he be shackled by every rule in the code?" He immediately authorized Cheng to act at his discretion as circumstances required. Cheng once requested leave to come to court. The reply read: "Northwestern frontier affairs are entirely yours; unless you are summoned, do not come on your own." He was soon ordered to develop pasture lands west of the Yellow River and to draft plans for campaigns beyond the frontier. He then fell ill and died, in the seventh month of the fifth year. Cheng had three sons. The eldest, Xuan, was garrison commander of the Right Guard of the Palace Army during the Jianwen reign. At Lingbi he was first over the wall, killed several enemies, and died fighting. Xuan's younger brother Hu married Emperor Chengzu's daughter, Princess Ancheng, succeeded to the marquisate, and received a patent of hereditary entitlement. In the eighth year he bore the former general's seal and held command in Gansu. In the tenth year he and Li Bin captured the rebel chieftain Laodehan, taking many prisoners and heads. He was then recalled. In the first year of Hongxi he was stripped of his title for disrespect and also lost his post as Commandant of Attendants-in-Ordinary. During the Xuande reign his commandant rank was restored. After Hu's deposition, his younger brother Ying succeeded to the title. Ying married Princess Xianning. During the Zhengtong reign he successively directed affairs in the Front Office of the Left Army. When Esen of the Oirats invaded, Ying served as overall commander, directing Datong garrison commanders Zhu Mian and Shi Heng in the battle at Yanghe. The entire force was destroyed, and both Ying and Mian were killed. He was posthumously ennobled as Duke of Yun with the posthumous title Loyal and Obedient. His son Jie succeeded him. During the Jingtai reign he commanded the palace guard, noted for his careful conduct. On his death his son Cheng succeeded. He acted in the Right Office, again bore the seal of General Who Pacifies the Qiang, and held command in Gansu. Cheng was skilled in arms; once while hunting near Liangzhou he encountered raiders driving stolen cattle and horses northward. Cheng killed three raiders with three arrows; the rest fled in panic, and he recovered all the stolen livestock. After nine generations the line reached his grandson Yude, who was killed in the roving-bandit upheavals.
3
祿 祿 祿 祿 使
Xue Lu was a native of Jiao. The sixth son in his family, he was called "Xue Six" in the army. After he rose to prominence, he adopted the name "Lu". Lu rose from the ranks to follow the Prince of Yan in rebellion and was first to seize the Nine Gates. At the battle of Zhending, Left Vice General Li Jian came out to give battle. As the vanguards clashed, Lu impaled Jian with a spear, knocked him from his horse, and took him captive. He was promoted to assistant garrison commander. He joined the relief of Yongping and helped capture Daning, Fuyu, Huizhou, and Kuanhe. On the return to relieve Beiping, he led the vanguard and routed the enemy's scouting cavalry. He was promoted to garrison commander of the third rank. In the attack on Datong he served as vanguard. After fighting at the Baigou River and pursuing the rout as far as Jinan, he was promoted to garrison commander. At Dongchang he routed several hundred Southern troops with only fifty horsemen. At the time Emperor Chengzu had been defeated by Sheng Yong and was retreating toward Beiping. Yong ordered the Zhending generals to occupy Wei County and Shenzhou and cut off the Prince of Yan's line of retreat.
4
祿 祿 西 使
Lu attacked and drove them off in every case. At the battle of the Hutuo River the right wing gave ground. Lu galloped to the front, fought through dozens of clashes, and broke the enemy. He pursued the rout to the Jiahe River and took an incalculable number of heads. At Danjia Bridge he was captured by Ping An. He broke his bonds, killed the guards, galloped back into battle, and routed Ping An's forces. He raided Shunde, Daming, and Zhangde. In the assault on the Western Water Stockade he took Regional Commander Hua Ying alive. Following up his victory he took Dong'e, Dongping, and Wenshang, and in successive battles at the Fei River, Xiao River, and Lingbi his achievements ranked first. After entering the capital he was promoted to assistant regional commander. In the sixth year of Yongle he was promoted to regional commissioner of the third rank. In the eighth year he served as Flying Cavalry General on the northern expedition and was promoted to Right Regional Commander. In the tenth year of Yongle he memorialized: "Since antiquity, the use of men has depended on prior training. Today the sons of military families are left idle without training; I fear that in an emergency there will be no one fit to serve." The emperor approved his proposal.
5
祿 祿 祿 祿 祿
When several tens of thousands of young recruits arrived from all quarters, they were all assigned to Lu for training. In the fifteenth year he served as touring Rear Army Regional Commander supervising construction projects. When the capital was established at Beijing in the twelfth month of the eighteenth year, he received the title Meritous Military Subject Who Supports Heaven, Settles Difficulties, Extends Sincerity, and Deploys Strength, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yangwu with a stipend of 1,100 shi. In the twenty-first year he led the right wing on the northern expedition. On his return he suppressed banditry in Changxing. In the twenty-second year he again led the right wing on the northern expedition. When Emperor Renzong took the throne, he was placed in charge of the Left Office, named Grand Mentor to the Heir Apparent, and granted a patent of hereditary entitlement. In the first year of Hongxi he served as overall commander defending the outer frontier. He soon received an additional stipend of 500 shi for capturing raiders. That year frontier commanders received their general's seals; Lu bore the seal of Great General Who Pacifies the North and patrolled from Kaiping to the Datong frontier. When Emperor Xuanzong took the throne, Lu was recalled and presented five proposals for frontier defense. He was soon sent out again to inspect the frontier. In the first year of Xuande he served as vanguard in the campaign against Le'an. After Gao Xu was captured, Lu and Minister Zhang Ben were left to pacify the area. The following spring he was ordered to inspect the fortifications of prefectures south of the capital, with strict orders that troops must not harass civilians; violators would be punished under military law.
6
退 祿 便 祿 祿 祿祿
That summer he again bore the great general's seal, patrolled north to Kaiping, and on returning took up post at Xuanfu. Enemy raiders struck Kaiping, withdrew empty-handed, and were more than three hundred li from the city. Lu led elite troops by day marches and night marches, reaching the enemy in three nights. He sent light cavalry to overrun the enemy camp, broke them, and captured large numbers of people and livestock. On the return march the enemy pursued from the rear; Lu turned and routed them, after which the raiders fled deep into the steppe. He was then recalled. In the third year he joined the northern expedition, defeated the enemy at the Kuanhe River, and remained to garrison Jizhou and Yongping. He several times again bore the Pacify-the-North seal, patrolling the frontier, escorting supplies, and operating between Kaiping and Xuanfu. In the fifth year he met the enemy at Fenghuang Ridge, scored many kills and captures, and was named Grand Guardian. He memorialized that fortresses should be built at Tuanshan in Yongning Guard and at Diao'e, Chicheng, Yunzhou, and Dushi to strengthen the defenses. An edict mobilized 36,000 soldiers and civilians for the project, with 1,500 elite cavalry to protect them; all were placed under Lu's command. Before his departure the emperor presented him with a poem comparing him to the ancient ministers Shanfu and Nanzhong. Lu, a soldier who was not literate, asked Yang Shiqi what the poem meant. Shiqi replied: "The emperor is treating you as one of the sages of old." Lu placed his hand on his heart and said: "How dare I compare myself to the great men of antiquity? Yet I shall strive with all my might to repay even a fraction of the emperor's kindness."
7
祿 祿祿宿
That June he fell ill and was recalled. He died a month later. He was posthumously ennobled as Duke of Yin with the posthumous title Loyal and Martial. Lu was brave yet thoughtful: he planned first and fought afterward, and he invariably won. He treated his soldiers well, sharing their hardships, and they served him willingly. Among the meritorious supporters of the "Pacification of Difficulties," Zhang Yu, Zhu Neng, and Lu ranked highest; Lu alone served three reigns and stood as the age's foremost veteran commander. His grandson Chuan succeeded to the title. When his great-grandson Han died without an heir, clansmen fought over the title; for years no claimant was approved, the estates reverted to the state, and the line lapsed for more than thirty years. Not until the fifth year of Wanli was Han's kinsman Qiang re-enfeoffed as marquis. Two generations later the line reached Lian. At the end of the Chongzhen reign, when the capital fell, he was killed.
8
祿祿
During Yongle, five men who had joined the Beiping rebellion and later rose to high command were enfeoffed as marquises or earls on grounds other than "Pacification of Difficulties" merit: Xue Lu, Guo Yi, Jin Yu, Liu Rong, and Zhu Rong; Guo Yi and Jin Yu received their titles on the same day as Lu.
9
祿
Guo Yi was a native of Jining. During the Hongwu reign he rose through accumulated merit to chiliarch of Yanshan. He followed Emperor Chengzu into the capital and was promoted step by step to Left Regional Commander. In the ninth year of Yongle he was banished to Jiaozhi for absenteeism; after distinguishing himself there he was pardoned. After several successful campaigns beyond the frontier he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Anyang with a stipend of 1,100 shi and granted the title Meritous Military Subject Who Supports Heaven and Pacifies Difficulties. Yi was in Nanjing at the time; gravely ill, he died upon receiving the enfeoffment.
10
調 使 殿 西 祿
Jin Yu was a native of Jiangpu. He inherited his father's post as centurion of the Palace Guard and was transferred to the Yanshan Bodyguard. He distinguished himself in the rebellion and was promoted step by step to regional garrison commander of Henan. In the third year of Yongle he was promoted to assistant regional commander. In the eighth year he served as Soaring Hawk General on the northern expedition. On the return march he commanded the rearguard. At the Changxiu River he collected enemy livestock abandoned along a front several tens of li long—cattle, sheep, and other animals. In the fourteenth year he suppressed the Shanxi sorcerer-rebel Liu Zijin. In recognition of his cumulative service he was enfeoffed as Earl of Huian with a stipend of 900 shi. He died in the nineteenth year. His concubine Lady Tian hanged herself in fidelity; she was posthumously granted the title Lady of Virtuous Conduct.
11
宿
Liu Rong was a native of Suqian. He had initially taken his father's name, Jiang. He served under Duke of Wei Xu Da at the battles of Huishan and Heisonglin. As chief squad leader he served in the household of the Prince of Yan. Imposing in bearing and adept in strategy, he won Emperor Chengzu's high regard and was appointed centurion of Miyun Guard. He joined the rebellion as a vanguard and repeatedly distinguished himself in battle. Advancing into Shandong, he and Zhu Rong led three thousand elite cavalry in a night attack on Southern forces at Huakou, killing several thousand, seizing three thousand horses, and capturing Regional Commander Tang Li and others. He was eventually promoted to assistant regional military commissioner. He fought at the Hutuo River, captured the pontoon bridge, raided Guantao and Caozhou, and won a great haul. He marched back to relieve Beiping and routed Ping An's forces at Ping Village. Yang Wen besieged Yongping with Liaodong troops; Jiang marched to relieve the city, and Yang withdrew. Jiang announced openly that he was returning to Beiping; after marching some twenty li, he doubled back under cover of night and re-entered Yongping. When Wen heard that Jiang had departed, he returned to launch another attack. Jiang sallied forth in a surprise attack and routed the enemy. He beheaded several thousand enemies and took seventy-one prisoners, including the commander Wang Xiong.
12
使 宿 殿
He was promoted to Commander. He followed the prince to the Fei River and, together with Bai Yi and Wang Zhen, used light cavalry to lure Ping An into battle and defeat him. At that time the southern army was encamped at Suzhou, stockpiling provisions for a prolonged campaign. The Yongle Emperor was concerned by this and proposed cutting their supply lines. He ordered Jiang to lead three thousand men on the mission, but Jiang hesitated and refused to go. The emperor was furious and intended to have him executed. The generals pleaded on their knees, and Jiang was spared. When rewards were assessed after the crossing of the Yangzi, his earlier offense precluded enfeoffment; he was granted only the post of Assistant Regional Commander. He was promoted to Right Regional Commander in the Central Military Commission. In Yongle 8 he joined the northern campaign as General of Mobile Operations, commanding the vanguard. He seized Qingshuiyuan by night, defeated the enemy on the Onon River, and routed Aruqtai again at Jinglu Fort. On the army's return he served as rearguard, was promoted on the spot to Left Regional Commander, and posted to garrison Liaodong. The enemy slipped across the border and killed government troops. The emperor was enraged and ordered Jiang's execution, but later pardoned him. In the ninth year he was again posted to garrison Liaodong.
13
西 西 祿
In the twelfth year he again joined the northern campaign as vanguard, leading elite cavalry to scout the enemy at the Yinma River. Seeing enemy cavalry fleeing east, he pursued them to Kanghari and killed several dozen. He rejoined the main army to attack Mahmud at Heshi Weng, dismounted to fight with side arms in a charge through the enemy lines, killed and captured many, and received a distinguished reward. He was again appointed commander-in-chief to garrison Liaodong. Japanese pirates repeatedly raided the coast from Liaodong in the north to Zhejiang and Fujian in the south, and many coastal districts suffered. Assessing the situation, Jiang requested permission to build a fort at Wanghai Bao northwest of Jinxian Island, establish beacon towers, and maintain a strong garrison on alert. In the sixth month of the seventeenth year, scouts reported signal fires on a southeastern island. Jiang hastily led troops to the fort. More than thirty pirate ships arrived, anchored off Maxiong Island, landed, and rushed toward Wanghai Bao. Jiang laid ambush in the hills, sent another general to cut off the pirates' retreat, and engaged them with infantry in a feigned withdrawal. When the pirates entered the trap, cannons fired and ambush parties sprang up; from morning until evening he routed them completely. The pirates fled into an abandoned fort at Yingtaoyuan; Jiang opened the west wall to let them escape. He then split his forces in a two-pronged attack and destroyed them entirely, beheading more than a thousand and taking 130 prisoners. From then on the pirates were so badly mauled that they dared not raid Liaodong again. He was enfeoffed as Baron of Guangning with an income of 1,200 shi of grain, granted a hereditary certificate, and formally renamed Rong.
14
He was soon sent back to his post. He died the following April. As a commander, Rong habitually led the vanguard and broke every strong enemy formation he faced. He governed his troops with discipline and combined strictness with kindness and trust. He treated all who submitted at the border passes with the utmost care and conciliation. After his death, he was fondly remembered by all. He was posthumously ennobled as a marquis with the posthumous name Zhongwu ("Loyal and Martial"). His son Tuan succeeded to the title. When Tuan died without an heir, his younger brother An succeeded. In Zhengtong 14 he was posted with Guo Deng to garrison Datong. Esen brought the captive Emperor Yingzong to the city walls and invited Guo Deng to come out and meet him; Guo refused. An went out to meet the emperor, prostrated himself, and wept before him. The Jing Emperor issued an edict sharply rebuking him. An rode in haste to the capital, claiming he had come on the former emperor's orders to report on the enemy—and that the former emperor had promised to promote him to marquis. Officials jointly impeached him; he was imprisoned and sentenced to death.
15
退 祿
When the capital was placed on high alert, he was released and appointed commander-in-chief, deployed at Dongzhimen. After the invaders withdrew, he was promoted to Vice Regional Commander, assigned to defend Baiyangkou, and restored to his baronial rank. When Emperor Yingzong was restored, An was granted a hereditary marquisate and an additional stipend of 300 shi of grain. During Cao Qin's rebellion, An was wounded and was appointed Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent. He died during the Chenghua reign. He was posthumously ennobled as Duke of Yi with the posthumous name Zhongxi ("Loyal and Diligent"). The hereditary title was passed down until the fall of the Ming.
16
西
Zhu Rong, styled Zhonghua, was a native of Yi. In Hongwu 14 he accompanied the Marquis of Xiping, Mu Ying, on the Yunnan campaign as a chief company commander. He rose through successive promotions to deputy company commander of a guard. While defending Daning, he surrendered to the Prince of Yan. He attacked Sun Lin at Huakou, besieged Dingzhou, and severed the southern army's supply lines; after more than twenty engagements, he was rewarded with the post of Assistant Regional Commander. In Yongle 4 he joined the Marquis of Xincheng, Zhang Fu, on the campaign against Jiaozhi, captured Jiling Pass, and rendezvoused with Mu Sheng at Baihe. Zhang Fu and his colleagues planned to ferry the army across the upper Jialin River and sent Rong to deploy eighteen li downstream, increasing his reported numbers day by day to deceive the enemy. He also built boats and rafts to feign a crossing and tie down the enemy. The enemy duly split their forces, crossed the river, and came ashore. Rong and his troops fought fiercely and routed them. The main army then captured Duobang City, with Rong contributing the largest share of the victory. Because Rong had once been remiss in his duties, when rewards were assessed on the army's return he was promoted only to Right Regional Commander and given silver and banknotes. In the seventh year he again joined Zhang Fu in suppressing the rebel remnants and pacified them. The following year he commanded the right wing on the campaign against Aruqtai and was promoted alongside Liu Rong to Left Regional Commander. In the twelfth year he again joined the northern campaign, serving alongside Liu Rong as vanguard.
17
祿
That winter he was appointed commander-in-chief to garrison Datong. He repaired the forts at Mangniu Ridge, Tumao River, Chishan, Yuyangkou, Laisheng, and elsewhere, and the enemy no longer dared approach. After three years in post, he was recalled to court. In the eighteenth year he replaced Liu Rong as garrison commander of Liaodong. In the twentieth year he again joined the northern campaign as vanguard. He encamped at Diaoge to scout the enemy and dispatched five thousand cavalry to track their movements. The main army encamped at Yusha Spring. Rong led three hundred elite troops, each with three horses and twenty days' provisions, on a deep raid. The enemy had already abandoned their livestock and fled north; he collected it all, burned their baggage train, and moved on to defeat the Uriyangkhad. On the army's return he was enfeoffed as Baron of Wujin with an income of 1,200 shi of grain and continued to garrison Liaodong. In the twenty-second year he again joined the northern campaign. He then returned to his garrison post. In Hongxi 1 he was granted the seal of General Who Subdues the Barbarians, Vanguard, and continued in his garrison command. He died at his post that July. He was posthumously ennobled as a marquis with the posthumous name Zhongjing ("Loyal and Tranquil").
18
西 西
His son Mian succeeded to the title. After the Prince of Jin, Zhu Jihuang, was recently deposed, Mian was ordered to garrison Shanxi but was soon recalled. In the sixth year he was ordered to transport provisions to Dushi and took the opportunity to inspect the area. In Zhengtong 4 he was granted the seal of General Who Pacifies the West and posted to garrison Datong. In the fourteenth year he joined the northern campaign, fought at Yanghe, and was killed in action. He was given the posthumous name Zhongque ("Loyal and Resolute"). His son Ying succeeded to the title. The hereditary title was passed down until the fall of the Ming.
19
使 西
Fei Huan was a native of Dingyuan. His grandfather Yu served in the Hongwu reign as Left Chancellor of the Prince of Yan's household and was later appointed commander of the Yanzhong Bodyguard. The post passed to his son Su. When Huan joined the Prince of Yan's rebellion he distinguished himself and rose through successive promotions to Assistant Regional Commander of the Rear Army. In the spring of Yongle 8, the company commanders Hubao of Liangzhou Guard and Yiling Zhenba of Yongchang Guard rebelled with several thousand men and seized control of the post road. The recently submitted Bayan Temur and others joined them. The western frontier was thrown into alarm. Regional Commander Li Zhi attacked them but was defeated. The rebels announced their intention to attack the cities of Yongchang and Liangzhou. The crown prince ordered Huan to go and suppress them. Upon reaching Liangzhou, he joined forces with Li Zhi and Regional Commander Chen Huai and advanced on Zhenfan. He encountered the rebels at Shuangcheng. Huan attacked their left flank while Chen Huai and the others struck their right. The rebels were routed and fled, leaving more than three hundred dead. He pursued the fugitives to Heiyu Sea, captured more than a thousand rebels, and seized 120,000 horses, camels, cattle, and sheep.
20
調 祿 祿
Hubao and the other ringleaders fled into the distance. He then withdrew his forces. In the twelfth year he was appointed commander-in-chief to garrison Gansu. Noting that Suzhou had many troops but little grain and that sudden mobilization would be hard to supply, Huan requested that tax grain from Linqiong be assigned to nearby border troops for transport. He also noted that Liangzhou had much unused land and requested that it be allotted to troops for military colonization. The emperor approved the request. In Hongxi 1 he was granted the seal of General Who Pacifies the Qiang. During the Yongle reign, eunuchs were routinely posted to assist frontier garrisons, where they acted arbitrarily and dominated military affairs; Huan too fell under their control. When the Renzong Emperor learned of this, he sent an imperial letter reproaching him: "You are the descendant of a renowned minister and have been entrusted with a weighty charge of state, yet you bow your head and submit to control by others—is this what a true man should do! Chastise yourself severely and strive to redeem yourself hereafter." Huan received the letter and submitted a formal apology. When the Xuande Emperor succeeded to the throne, Huan was promoted to Left Regional Commander in the Right Military Commission. In the seventh month of the first year he came to court and was enfeoffed as Baron of Chongxin with an income of 1,100 shi of grain. He joined the campaign against Zhu Gaoxu and encamped at Liuhe Post. Concerned that the vanguard Xue Lu had too few troops, the emperor ordered Huan to lead reinforcements to his aid. On his return he was granted a hereditary certificate and resumed his garrison command in Gansu.
21
使
In the second year, rebels from Shazhou Guard repeatedly robbed tribute envoys from Samarqand and Yili Bali; Huan defeated and suppressed them. He died at his post the following year. Huan was affable by nature and skilled at winning over his troops. During fifteen years in command, the region under his charge remained peaceful. His son Zhao succeeded to the title. He joined the campaign against Deng Maoqi and on his return took charge of the Regional Military Commission. During the Tianshun reign he accepted bribes from Zhao, the second grandson of the Marquis of Wuding, Guo Ying, and falsely accused the legitimate heir Chang of unfilial conduct in an attempt to seize his title. The judicial authorities requested his arrest and prosecution; an edict relieved him of his duties at the commission. When he died, his son Huai succeeded to the title. The line continued until the fall of the Ming, when it died out.
22
涿 使 西
Tan Guang, styled Zhonghong, was a native of Dantu. At the beginning of the Hongwu reign he rose from the ranks, joined the campaign against Jinshan, and became a company commander in the Yanshan Guard. He joined the Prince of Yan's rebellion and, with a hundred cavalry, raided Zhuozhou and took thirty enemy officers alive. He fought with distinction at Baigou, Zhending, and Jiahe, rose through successive promotions to commander, and was left to garrison Baoding. Regional Commander Han Guan led an army of 120,000 against him. With a lone garrison Guang held out for more than forty days and, seizing an opportunity, routed the enemy. In Yongle 9 he was promoted to Assistant Commander of Daning. He supervised the construction of Beijing. He later commanded the Divine Engine Corps, joined the northern campaign, and served as General of Valiant Cavalry. In the eleventh year he trained troops in Shanxi. The following year he joined the campaign at Jiulongkou as vanguard. When tens of thousands of enemy troops held the riverbank, Guang ordered his strongest archers to shoot at them. Ten thousand arrows flew at once, and the dead were beyond counting. Pressing the advantage with a pincer attack, he routed the enemy. For his merit he was promoted to Assistant Regional Commander.
23
調 祿
When the Renzong Emperor succeeded to the throne, Guang was promoted to Left Regional Commander, granted the seal of General Who Pacifies the North, and posted to garrison Xuanfu. In Xuande 3 he requested that military guards, following the county and district precedent, establish altars to wind, cloud, thunder, rain, mountains, rivers, and the god of the soil and grain. In the sixth year, noting the grain shortage at Xuanfu, he requested that merchants be invited—as at Kaiping and Dushi—to deliver grain in exchange for salt certificates in order to supply the troops. Both requests were approved. The following year the emperor adopted a proposal from the Ministry of Revenue and ordered troops from other guards stationed at Xuanfu to be sent back to their farms for garrison cultivation. Guang submitted a memorial stating, "The frontier I defend stretches more than fourteen hundred li. Enemies watch for opportunities and can raid without warning at any time. If an emergency arises, troops must be levied from hundreds of li away. How could they possibly arrive in time? As for the proposal to establish garrison farms, I fail to see how it could work." The Emperor held that border garrisons already had sufficient troops for defense and ordered only that men transferred to frontier service during the Yongle reign not be sent away. At the start of the Zhengtong reign, the court judged that although Toqtaq had pledged allegiance at the frontier, his treacherous designs remained unpredictable. Guang and the supreme commanders of other garrisons—Chen Huai, Li Qian, and Wang Yu—were ordered to submit strategic plans to the throne. Guang and the others each submitted recommendations, the gist of which was: "Frontier raiders come and go unpredictably; steadfast defense is the best strategy. Troops should be divided to hold key positions, while elite detachments are periodically sent to patrol beyond the border. When the enemy is encountered, one should fight or hold according to circumstances; spies should be used for reconnaissance, and light forces to pursue them. If raiders gain nothing when they come and depart in fear, frontier troubles can be substantially reduced." The Emperor accepted their recommendations. In the eleventh month of the sixth year, he was enfeoffed as Baron of Yongning with a stipend of 1,200 shi for his success in repelling the enemy, and continued to command at Xuanfu.
24
使
In the eighth year he requested retirement. An imperial edict graciously refused the request. In the tenth month of the following year he was recalled to the capital for an audience. The Emperor, taking pity on his advanced age, exempted him from regular court attendance. He died that same month at the age of eighty-two. He was posthumously honored with the title Xiangyi. Guang was tall and powerfully built. He rose from the ranks to become a senior general, fought in more than a hundred engagements large and small, and never suffered a setback. During twenty years at Xuanfu, he repaired garrison farms and fortifications, tightened frontier defenses, expanded courier stations, and also petitioned for firearms to be issued to the border garrisons. When officers violated discipline, he immediately memorialized requesting their punishment, yet he treated the rank and file with kindness. The frontier remained largely peaceful, and he was acclaimed as an eminent general. On one occasion he beat to death a staff officer of the regional military commission in a fit of anger, and on another beat a company commander out of personal spite; in both cases he was impeached by censorial officials. No action was taken against him. After his death, the Ministry of Personnel noted that he had not held a hereditary patent of nobility and appointed his son Xu as a garrison commander.
25
使西 西
Chen Huai was a native of Hefei. He inherited his father's position as deputy company commander at Zhending. In the early Yongle reign he accumulated merit until promoted to vice commissioner of the regional military commission. He took part in the pacification of Annam, was promoted to regional military commissioner, and assumed charge of the Shanxi regional military commission. He again followed Zhang Fu in capturing the Annamese rebel Le Qui Ding and joined Commissioner-in-chief Fei Yao in suppressing the Liangzhou rebel Hu Bao, distinguishing himself in both campaigns. When the Renzong Emperor acceded, he was promoted to vice commissioner-in-chief. In the first year of Xuande he replaced Liang Ming as supreme commander and took command at Ningxia. At that time the government forces campaigning in Jiaozhi had suffered repeated defeats, and an edict ordered Songpan troops sent as reinforcements. The officers and men dreaded the assignment. Company commander Qian Hong conspired with his men, falsely reporting a tribal rebellion, and led troops to raid the Maiza and other tribes. Terrified, the tribesmen rose in rebellion. They killed Commander Chen Jie and others, seized Songpan and Diexi, and besieged the prefectures of Wei, Mao, and others. Commanders Wu Yu, Han Zheng, and Gao Long were defeated in succession, throwing the western frontier into turmoil. An edict dispatched Honglu Deputy Director He Min and Commander Wu Wei to negotiate with the rebels, while Huai was ordered to command Liu Zhao, Zhao An, and Jiang Gui to lead an army of tens of thousands in their wake. When Wu Wei and his party arrived, the rebels refused to submit. Wu Wei joined Longzhou Prefect Xue Jixian in attacking the rebels and recovered Songpan.
26
When Chen Huai arrived, he kept Wu Wei in the vanguard, recovered Diexi, and brought more than twenty stockades to surrender. More than 12,200 households were restored to their livelihoods, and more than 2,200 captured soldiers and civilians were recovered. The affair was thus settled. Chen Huai was promoted to left commissioner-in-chief and richly rewarded with gold and silk, but Wu Wei's achievements went unrecorded. Huai remained in command in Sichuan. While in command he was arrogant and lawless, meddled in civil affairs, accepted bribes to protect criminals, seized garrison farmland, and beat and humiliated officials such as Junior Commissioner Chai Zhen. He was repeatedly impeached by censorial officials. The Emperor issued an edict of rebuke and also showed him the impeachment memorial submitted by Censor Wang Li. Huai confessed his guilt. No further action was taken against him. In the sixth year, the Ledu and Beiding tribes of Songpan, together with the Konglang, Longxi, and other stockade tribes, rebelled again. Huai sent troops but was defeated; Commander An Ning and more than three hundred others were killed. Huai then personally led troops deep into enemy territory, captured Ge'ergu Stockade, and advanced to attack Konglang Qier Cave. The rebels were defeated; those beheaded or who fell from cliffs were beyond counting. The Ge'ergu rebels rallied living Miao tribesmen to intercept and engage them in battle. They were routed and nearly wiped out. Thereupon the tribes of Renchang, Niuxin, and other stockades submitted on hearing the news, and all the rebels were pacified.
27
使
After some time, the touring censor and the provincial surveillance commissioner again memorialized: "Huai lives in extravagant luxury far beyond his rank. Each morning he had the officials of the three provincial commissions stand in separate ranks; when they had business to report, they knelt and addressed him. Huai sat in the center and issued orders as he saw fit. Moreover, he daily indulged in wine, neglected frontier defenses, and allowed fortresses and stockades to fall." The Xuanzong Emperor was enraged, recalled Huai, and ordered senior civil and military officials to try him. The offense warranted execution. He was imprisoned in the Censorate jail; his death sentence was commuted and he was stripped of office. In the second year of Zhengtong he was restored to his former rank and placed in command at Datong. At that time the daily provisions given to tribute missions from the north had become a burden on soldiers and civilians alike. Huai reported this to the court, and the allowances were reduced. After two years in office he was recalled on account of age and ordered to manage affairs at the Zhongfu. In the spring of the ninth year he marched out through Gubeikou with the eunuch Dan Zhu to campaign against the Uriangqai. On his return he was enfeoffed together with Ma Liang and others; Huai received the title Baron of Pingxiang. In the fourteenth year he accompanied the Emperor on the northern expedition and died at Tumu. He was posthumously enfeoffed as a marquis and given the posthumous title Zhongyi. His son Fu petitioned to inherit the title, but the Ministry of Personnel argued that there was no hereditary patent and refused.
28
使
The Jingdi Emperor, in view of Huai's death in service, granted the request. When Fu died, his son Zheng petitioned to inherit the title; the Ministry of Personnel again refused, but an imperial edict permitted the succession. Zheng had long commanded the Two Guang. Citing his military achievements, he requested a hereditary patent; the Ministry again refused, but an edict granted it. When Zheng died, his son Xin succeeded to the title. He died during the Hongzhi reign without a son; his younger brother Jun succeeded as a garrison commander.
29
Ma Liang was a native of Qi. As a soldier of the Yanshan Guard he followed the Chengzu Emperor in raising troops and rose through merit to vice commissioner of the regional military commission. During the Xuande reign he rose to the rank of left commissioner-in-chief. In the campaign against the Uriangqai, he marched out through Liujiakou with the eunuch Liu Yongcheng, reaching Heishan, Dasonglin, Liushahe, and other places, where he encountered the enemy and defeated them. On his return he was enfeoffed as Baron of Zhaoyuan. In that campaign Wang Zhen was in charge, so many generals with modest achievements nonetheless received enfeoffment. Liang was skilled in horsemanship and archery. In every battle he led from the front and won wherever he fought; at the time he was acclaimed as a fierce general. He died three years after receiving his baronial title. He was posthumously honored with the title Rongyi.
30
Jiang Gui, courtesy name Dafu, was a native of Jiangdu. As a soldier of the Yanshan Guard he followed the Chengzu Emperor in raising troops. Stalwart and powerfully built, and skilled in horsemanship and archery, he rose through merit to assistant commander of the Changguo Guard. He followed the main army in campaigns against Jiaozhi and into the desert, was transferred to vice commissioner of the regional military commission, and took charge of the Pengcheng Guard. In the second year of Xuande, when the tribes of Songpan in Sichuan rebelled, he was appointed right assistant regional commander and followed supreme commander Chen Huai to suppress them. He recruited local guides, advanced by perilous routes, and closed in on the enemy stronghold. Fighting more than ten engagements in a single day, he routed them completely. He was promoted to assistant regional military commissioner and stationed at Miyun. In the seventh year he was again appointed assistant regional commander to assist Huai in commanding at Songpan. The following year he was promoted to vice commissioner-in-chief, appointed deputy supreme commander, and assisted Fang Zheng in frontier defense. The year after that the tribes rebelled again, and Fang Zheng and the others advanced by separate routes to suppress them. Gui commanded four thousand troops and captured the great stockade at Renchang. Together with regional military commissioners Zhao De and Gong Ju, his forces successively pacified Longxi and thirty-seven other stockades, taking 1,700 heads; those who fell from cliffs or drowned were beyond counting. When news of the victory arrived, he was promoted to vice commissioner-in-chief, appointed supreme commander, invested with the seal of the General Who Pacifies the Barbarians, and replaced Fang Zheng in command. When the Yingzong Emperor acceded, noting that his command covered the most remote frontier regions, he memorialized for an increase in the soldiers' monthly grain rations.
31
西 西 使
In the first year of Zhengtong he was recalled to the capital and appointed right commissioner-in-chief. Atai raided Ganzhou and Liangzhou, and frontier generals sent urgent reports. He was ordered to take the seal of the General Who Pacifies the Barbarians and lead an army against him. The raiders invaded Zhuanglang; Regional Military Commissioner Jiang Yuan was killed in battle, and more than 140 soldiers were lost. Vice Minister Xu Xi impeached Jiang Gui, but the court held that Gui was then selecting troops at Ganzhou and could not have reached Zhuanglang in time. Responsibility for Zhuanglang and the forces under Xu's command was instead placed on Xu for shifting blame. Jiang Gui was not punished. The following spring, intelligence reported that the enemy was encamped behind Helanshan. An edict ordered Datong supreme commander Fang Zheng and Regional Military Commissioner Yang Hong to march west from Datong, while Gui and Commissioner-in-chief Zhao An were to advance through the Liangzhou frontier pass for a joint campaign. Gui reached Yuerhai, but Regional Military Commissioner An Jing reported that there was no water or pasture ahead and withdrew the force. Garrison Shaanxi Censor-in-chief Chen Yi reported what had happened; Minister Wang Ji went out to manage frontier affairs, executed An Jing, and ordered Gui to redeem himself through achievement. Stirred to action, Gui took the field just as Doiratan, fearing punishment, repeatedly sent tribute missions, and enemy strength began to weaken. Gui led light cavalry to defeat them at Langshan and pursued them as far as Shicheng. Soon afterward, learning that Doiratan had joined Atai in the Wulunai region, Gui took 2,500 men as a vanguard to launch a surprise attack. Deputy general Li An tried to dissuade him, but Gui drew his sword and shouted at Li An: "Anyone who dares obstruct this army will die!"
32
西 西祿 祿
He then marched out through Zhenyi. Taking a hidden route, he rode hard for three days and nights until he reached the enemy stronghold. Atai was just tending his horses when Gui suddenly rode into the herd and ordered his men to lash the horses' bow quivers with whips, stampeding them in all directions. Deprived of their horses, the enemy drew their bows and fought on foot. Gui unleashed his cavalry in a crushing assault; Commander Mao Ha'a charged deep into the enemy formation and routed them. He then divided his force into two wings, sent a separate detachment of one hundred cavalry to high ground as a decoy, and fought a running battle over eighty li. When Ren Li also pursued the enemy to Heiquan, Atai and Doiratan fled far off with only a few horsemen, and the western frontier was fully pacified. In the fourth month of the third year, Wang Ji reported the victory; for his achievements Jiang Gui was enfeoffed as Baron of Dingxi with a stipend of 1,200 shi and granted a hereditary patent. The following year he replaced Ren Li as commander in Gansu. The winter of the year after that, he was recalled to the capital for the campaign against the Luchuan chieftain Si Renfa. In the sixth year he was invested with the seal of the General Who Pacifies the Barbarians, appointed supreme commander, and marched with Wang Ji to Jinci. Advancing by separate routes against the Upper Jiang stockade in Luchuan, he captured seven stockades at Shanmuglongshan and broke the elephant formation at Ma'anshan, ranking first in merit in each engagement. The details are given in the Biography of Wang Ji. The following year, when the army returned, he was promoted to marquis and his stipend was increased by 300 shi. In the summer of the eighth year, again invested with the seal of the General Who Pacifies the Barbarians, he joined Wang Ji in attacking Si Renfa's son Si Jifa and captured his stockade.
33
祿 使
The following year, when the army returned, he received lavish rewards and an additional annual stipend of 500 shi. In that campaign, Gui's son Xiong, taking advantage of the enemy's defeat, led thirty men deep into enemy territory. The enemy cut off his retreat; he cut his own throat and sank in the river. He was posthumously honored as General of Huaiyuan and garrison commander of the Pengcheng Guard. In the first month of the fourteenth year Jiang Gui died at the age of seventy. He was posthumously enfeoffed as Duke of Jing and given the posthumous title Wuyong. Jiang Gui rose from the ranks, was illiterate, and was by nature plain and honest. He put others before himself and shared hardship and comfort with his soldiers. On expeditions beyond the border, he always carried his own clothing, provisions, weapons, and equipment without making a single man serve him, and always led the charge in battle; for this reason he succeeded wherever he fought. His son Yi was too ill to inherit the title, so his adopted son Wan succeeded as marquis. At the end of the Tianshun reign he was invested with the seal of the General Who Pacifies the Qiang, commanded in Gansu, and built garrison forts at Gansu, Shahe, and elsewhere. In the eighth year of Chenghua he was recalled to assist in the defense of Nanjing and concurrently supervise the Yangzi river defenses. In the tenth year he was appointed to supervise the Twelve Tuan battalions and soon afterward also took command of the Shenji battalion. He memorialized the throne: "When Taizu first established Nanjing, he also built an outer earthen wall to protect the populace—a truly enduring foundation for the ages. Beijing today has only an inner city wall.
34
西 使
In the Jisi crisis, enemy cavalry rode straight to the foot of the walls—a lesson that should not be forgotten. The old foundations in the northwest corner still survive. If an urgent order is issued to encourage contributions and recruitment, supplemented by labor-service penalties, the work should not be difficult to complete." He also wrote: "Below the passes at Datong, Xuanfu, and other frontier garrisons, fertile land amounting to hundreds of thousands of mu has all been seized by powerful local families. In the eight prefectures of the metropolitan region, half the best farmland belongs to powerful and well-connected families. Ordinary people have lost their livelihoods. If the frontier posts come under threat, how will the interior commanderies be supplied? If the transport routes are cut, how will the capital be provisioned? I request that supervising secretaries and censors be sent to inspect frontier farmland below the passes and fix the tax quotas; and that within the metropolitan region powerful families be strictly forbidden from seizing commoners' farmland. Then soldiers and civilians may have enough to eat, and both the interior and the frontier will be prepared." The memorial was referred to the appropriate offices. Although not all of it was implemented, contemporary opinion approved his proposals. In the thirteenth year he led capital troops on autumn defense duty at Datong and Xuanfu and submitted more than ten strategic recommendations. All were approved.
35
退
In the fifteenth year he joined Wang Zhi in inspecting frontier affairs in Liaodong. In the twentieth year he was granted the general's seal and went out to repel border raiders. After the enemy withdrew he returned with his troops and was successively promoted to Grand Guardian and Concurrent Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. Upon his death he was posthumously granted the title Duke of Liang, with the posthumous epithet Minyi ("Diligent and Resolute"). His son Ji succeeded to the title and was placed in charge of the capital garrison forces. During the Hongzhi reign he served as regional commander, holding commands at Jizhou, Liaodong, and Huguang in turn. He held office at court and abroad for twenty years yet left his family with no surplus wealth. The line passed down to his grandson Fu in the third generation. During the Jiajing reign he repeatedly held senior military commands. He was invested with the seal of General for the Pacification of the Man and stationed in the Two Guangs. For subduing sea pirates and the Yao of Qingyuan he was promoted to Grand Guardian to the Crown Prince. With the fall of the Ming dynasty the hereditary title became extinct.
36
使 西 禿
Ren Li, styled Shangyi, was a native of Linzhang. Starting as a soldier in the Yanshan Guard, he followed the Yongle Emperor in rebellion and rose through merit to become regional commander of Shandong. In Yongle 20 he was promoted to vice commissioner-in-chief. On the northern campaign he rode ahead to scout the enemy and was generously rewarded on his return. Upon the Hongxi Emperor's accession he was appointed to manage the Guangxi regional military commission. He was soon transferred to Liaodong. When the Xuande Emperor came to the throne he was promoted to assistant regional commander. He took part in suppressing Le'an and later joined the campaign against Uriankhai, serving as rear guard on the return march. When the Zhengtong Emperor ascended he was promoted to left commissioner-in-chief. In Zhengtong 1 he was granted the seal of General for the Pacification of the Qiang and appointed left deputy regional commander at the Gansu garrison. Atai and Dorzijibai repeatedly raided Suzhou, drawing reprimands via imperial edict. In the following year they raided Zhuanglang again. Regional commander Wei Rong drove them back and captured Dorzijibai's nephew Batu Boluo. Ren Li reported this to the throne. In the third year he joined Wang Ji and Jiang Gui in a campaign beyond the frontier and defeated Dorzijibai at Shicheng.
37
祿
They then split their forces, reaching Wutong Forest and Ejinay, advanced as far as Heiquan, and then withdrew. With many enemies slain and captured, he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Ningyuan with a stipend of 1,200 shi. The following year he returned to court. The year after that he replaced Jiang Gui as garrison commander in Gansu. In the eighth year Qiwan Shijia, commissioner of the Chijin Mongol Guard, chafing under Esen's oppression, sought permission to relocate his encampment to Yelubola. Ren Li, finding the site too close to Suzhou, firmly refused to grant permission. Qiwan Shijia then submitted a memorial requesting that a temple be built at the site. Ren Li argued that allowing the temple would inevitably lead them to settle there and create future problems; the proposal was ultimately abandoned. At the time, household retainers of frontier generals who reclaimed border lands were required to pay twelve shi of grain per qing. Ren Li repeatedly petitioned the court and secured a reduction of four shi. At that time the frontier was quiet; Ren Li and Grand Coordinator Cao Yi organized garrison farming to stockpile grain, repaired arms, and drilled troops, making the border defenses very strong. In the eleventh year Nange and his brothers of the Shazhou Guard fell into dispute, and their followers became divided and disaffected. Ren Li sought to exploit their hunger and hardship by relocating them into the interior. Coincidentally, Nange himself also requested to settle within Suzhou territory. Ren Li therefore sent regional commander Mao Halao ahead to pacify Nange's followers, while he himself led troops in support.
38
When they arrived, however, Nange again hedged between the two options. Some of his followers attempted to flee to the Oirats, but Ren Li pressed forward with his army and brought back the entire group of more than 1,200 people. When the matter was reported to the throne, he was rewarded with exceptional generosity. Esen of the Oirats was then at the height of his power and had enfeoffed Nange's younger brother Suonangben as Prince of Qi. Fearing that an alliance between the two factions would make them harder to control, Ren Li sent envoys to win Suonangben over. Suonangben was inclined to comply but hesitated; Ren Li secretly marched straight to Handong, seized him, and brought him back. The emperor was greatly pleased and granted Ren Li an iron certificate of investiture conferring hereditary succession. In the fourteenth year Esen launched a multi-pronged invasion that reached Suzhou. Ren Li sent subordinate commanders to resist but suffered defeat in two engagements, losing tens of thousands of men and horses. Recalled from the frontier, he retired to his marquisate. At the start of the Jingtai reign he was appointed to supervise the Three Thousand Camp but retired due to old age. After some time he was recalled to serve as defender of Nanjing and given charge of the Central Military Commission. From his beginnings as a common soldier Ren Li rose to become a senior commander, yet remained scrupulous and law-abiding throughout. He died early in the Chenghua reign. He was posthumously ennobled as marquis with the posthumous epithet Xiwu ("Reverent and Martial").
39
西 滿 使
His son Shou succeeded to the title and served as regional commander of Shaanxi. He was punished for military misconduct during the campaign against Man Si and, though spared execution, was banished to frontier service. His son Hong was granted the hereditary rank of regional commander.
40
使西 使 使
Zhao An was a native of Didao. His cousin Qi, a native assistant regional commander, was executed for a crime, after which Zhao An was demoted and sent to serve at Ganzhou. In Yongle 1 he presented horses to the court, was appointed company commander of Lintao, and dispatched on a mission to the Western Regions. He distinguished himself on the northern campaign and rose through successive promotions to assistant regional commander. In Xuande 2 the tribes of Songpan rebelled. Serving as left vice general, he joined regional commander Chen Huai in suppressing the rebellion and was promoted to vice commissioner-in-chief. When a campaign against Uriankhai was proposed, Zhao An and Shi Zhao were ordered to bring their units to the capital. When Uriankhai soon submitted tribute, they were ordered to return to their original guard posts. He was sent on a mission to U-Tsang and returned after four years. The following year he again served as left vice general under Shi Zhao against Quxian, with numerous enemies slain and captured. In the ninth year the eunuch Song Cheng was dispatched to U-Tsang; Zhao An was ordered to lead 1,500 troops to escort the mission to the Biliujiang River. He soon joined Vice Minister Xu Xi in a campaign beyond the frontier against Atai and Dorzijibai and routed them. In Zhengtong 1 he was promoted to commissioner-in-chief and appointed right deputy regional commander to assist Ren Li at the Gansu garrison. The following year he joined Jiang Gui in a raid beyond the frontier but achieved no success against the raiders. In the third year he again joined Wang Ji, Ren Li, and Jiang Gui in a multi-pronged advance, reaching Diaoligou and capturing thirty persons including the right chancellor and darughachi.
41
祿 使 西 使
For his achievements he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Huichuan with a stipend of 1,000 shi. The following year he was transferred to the Liangzhou garrison. Zhao An's family remained at Lintao, where his relatives and household retainers frequently turned to banditry; Vice Commissioner Chen Bin reported this to the throne. At Liangzhou he further recruited ruffians as household bondsmen and harassed the populace, drawing impeachment from censor Sun Yu as well. An imperial edict ordered that all charges be dropped. Zhao An was courageous and skilled in command; together with Jiang Gui and Ren Li he was regarded as one of the finest frontier generals of the west. He died in the twelfth month of the ninth year. His son Ying served as regional commander, distinguished himself in service, and was promoted to commissioner-in-chief.
42
使 西 西
Zhao Fu, styled Liangzuo, was a native of Fengyang. He inherited the post of regional commander of the Jining Guard. When the Jingtai Emperor succeeded to the throne, Minister Wang Zhi and others recommended him for his military talent; he was promoted to acting vice regional commander, appointed left vice general, and posted to defend Huailai. At the start of the Tianshun reign he was summoned to the Right Military Commission to take up duties. In Chenghua 1, while serving as commissioner-in-chief of the Central Military Commission, he was appointed General for the Subjugation of the Yi and joined Han Yong in a campaign against the tribal peoples of the Two Guangs; after capturing Dateng Gorge he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wujing on his return. Soon afterward the tribes raided Xunzhou, and censorial officials submitted a barrage of impeachments. The Guangxi touring censor Duan Hong said: "The bandits' ravages are at their height, yet Fu falsely claims the bandits are entirely eliminated and fraudulently received enfeoffment; if Fu is not punished there is no way to show admonition." Zhao Fu then submitted a personal account of his battlefield record and shifted the blame onto the garrison commander Ou Xin. The emperor declined to investigate either matter. In the third year he served as regional commander on a Liaodong campaign; advancing deep into enemy territory from Fushun alongside Censor-in-Chief Li Bing, he won victories along the way and was promoted to marquis. In the eighth year, when the court resolved on a major campaign to sweep the Ordos Loop, Zhao Fu was appointed commanding general with authority over the troops of the Shaanxi, Yansui, and Ningxia garrisons. By the time Zhao Fu reached Yulin, the raiders had already penetrated deep into the interior and carried out extensive looting. Unable to bring the situation under control, Zhao Fu joined Wang Yue in memorializing to halt the campaign. Censorial officials submitted a wave of accusations against him. Supervising Secretary Guo Yong was dispatched to investigate and reported on his return: "In the sixth month the raiders entered Pingliang, Gongchang, and Lintao, killing and looting people and livestock.
43
祿 祿
By July they were ranging freely throughout Qingyang territory. Yet Fu and Wang Yue, upon reaching Yulin, failed to advance; they should be punished for dereliction of military duty and negligence toward the enemy." The emperor did not accept the recommendation. After returning Zhao Fu continued to supervise the capital garrison. His critics pressed their attacks more vigorously, but an edict ordered the matter set aside for the time being. Zhao Fu offered to resign his marquisate and requested instead a hereditary barony. The emperor granted him a hereditary barony while retaining his marquisate, reducing his stipend by only 200 shi. Censorial officials protested vigorously. The emperor refused to heed them. Zhao Fu submitted another memorial listing his achievements, complaining that the stipend reduction left him unable to support himself in old age. He further argued that the eunuchs Lu Yong, dispatched against the southern tribes, and Huang Shun and Wang Zhi, sent to the northeast, had likewise achieved no great victories and that their records should be referred to the Historiography Office. Yu Zijun and others called for Zhao Fu to be prosecuted, but in the end he was not investigated. In the twelfth year he was relieved of his garrison duties. He lived in retirement for ten years before his death. He was posthumously ennobled as Duke of Rong with the posthumous epithet Gongsu ("Respectful and Solemn").
44
祿
Zhao Fu was handsome and eloquent in his youth, skilled in literary composition, cultivated many scholarly friendships, and was fond of currying favor with those in power. Hence he was repeatedly criticized and impeached, yet never suffered serious consequences. His son Chengqing inherited the barony and served in the joint defense of Nanjing. Early in the Zhengde reign he was punished for transcribing a memorial by the remonstrance official Liu Qie, incurred the enmity of Liu Jin, and had his stipend halved while being placed in inactive retirement. The line passed down four generations to his great-great-grandson Guangyuan, who held command in Huguang during the Wanli reign. The lineage became extinct with the fall of the Ming dynasty. Liu Ju was the nephew of the eunuch Yongcheng. He served as assistant regional commander of the Jinyu Guard. For his role in the "Gate Seizure" coup he was promoted to vice regional commander and then abruptly elevated to commissioner-in-chief. He took part in suppressing Cao Qin and was promoted to right commissioner-in-chief. In Chenghua 6 he served as right deputy regional commander under Zhu Yong at Yansui, pursuing bandits at Huangcaoliang. Ambushed in fierce fighting, he was wounded in the jaw but was saved by the strenuous defense of his subordinates. Soon afterward he joined Commissioner-in-Chief Fan Jin and others in attacking the raiders at Qingcaogou and routed them. Zhu Yong and others pursued the enemy to Niujiazhai, while Liu Ju pressed the attack from a position on South Mountain. The raiders suffered a crushing defeat and fled beyond the border.
45
西 滿 退
For his achievements he was promoted to left commissioner-in-chief and, owing to backing within the court, was specially enfeoffed as Marquis of Ningjin. In the winter of the eighth year he replaced Zhao Fu as commanding general with authority over all the Shaanxi garrisons. When raiders entered Huamachi, Liu Ju led Deputy Regional Commander Sun Yue, Mobile Corps General Wang Xi, and others to drive them back. On returning to Gaojiabao he encountered the raiders again and defeated them. Pursuing the fleeing enemy to Mantian Ridge, he sprang an ambush in a pincer attack and routed them again. Sun Yue and Wang Xi also separately defeated the enemy at Jingyoushan. When news of victory reached the throne, he was granted a hereditary certificate of investiture. That winter Boluo Hu, Mandulu, and Yijiasilan combined their forces in a deep raid reaching the prefectures and counties of Qinzhou, Anding, and Huining, ravaging an area spanning thousands of li. After the raiders withdrew, Wang Yue, returning from Hongyanchi, falsely reported a great victory, and the emperor responded with an edict of commendation. Before long Merit-Recording Vice Director of the Ministry of War Zhang Jin impeached Liu Ju, Regional Commander Fan Jin, and five other generals for killing captives taken by the raiders and fraudulently claiming credit. Ministry departments and censorial officials submitted a barrage of joint impeachments. The emperor dispatched Supervising Secretary Han Wen to investigate; on his return Han reported as Zhang Jin had alleged: of 150 severed heads reported as trophies of merit, only 19 were verified. Since the raiders had already fled, the emperor declined to pursue the matter. Liu Ju soon died. He was posthumously ennobled as marquis with the posthumous epithet Weiyong ("Formidable and Brave").
46
祿
The title passed to his sons Lu and Fu; Fu, during the Hongzhi reign, commanded the Three Thousand Camp and was promoted to Grand Guardian to the Crown Prince. Upon his death his son Yue succeeded. After Yue's death his cousin Wen petitioned to succeed to the title. The Ministry of Personnel argued that Liu Ju had never achieved outstanding merit and that his descendants should not inherit the title again. The Jiajing Emperor overruled them and ordered Wen to succeed. The line likewise continued until the fall of the Ming dynasty, when it became extinct.
47
西 祿 祿
The eulogy states: Song Sheng, already serving alongside the founding meritorious lords under the founding emperor, later held the Liangzhou command four times, earning renown on the western frontier. With two sons marrying imperial princesses and the family ranking among full marquises for generations, their glory was truly magnificent. From Xue Lu onward, all these men took part in the "Pacification of Difficulties" (the Yongle succession war). Xue Lu distinguished himself at the battles of Dongchang and the Hutuo River; Liu Rong held Yongping and Tan Guang held Baoding — each made outstanding contributions. Though they did not receive enfeoffment immediately upon the initial reckoning of merit, each was eventually ennobled for his accumulated battlefield record. Their care for their troops, vigilance in frontier defense, and scrupulous devotion to duty are qualities worthy of admiration. Zhao Fu and Liu Ju fell far short of their predecessors in achievement, yet they enjoyed the "covenant of the girdle and whetstone" and retained their honors until the dynasty's end — a mark of extraordinary good fortune indeed. As all these men held ennobled commands on the frontier, they are grouped together in this chapter.
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