2
Wang Wudang was a native of Wanquan in Zhili. He took his military jinshi degree in the fifty-first year of the Kangxi reign and was appointed a Blue Finch plume guardsman. He rose through several posts to brigade deputy commander at Wuzhou in Guangxi. When the Nine-stock Miao of Taigong in Guizhou rose in revolt, Wudang led an expedition that pacified them and was promoted to regional commander of the Zuojiang garrison. When the Nine-stock Miao rebelled again, he rushed to Guzhou, detached columns, and personally supervised operations at Bazhai. Frontier Commissioner Zhang Guangsi directed Wudang to assault Taigong and Daitaixiong in separate columns, and they were captured. He pacified more than thirty stockades including Jiaoshang, seized their chieftain Bali, and jointly cleared Niupi Daqing. In the first year of the Qianlong reign he served as acting provincial military commander of Guizhou. With Zhang Guangsi he pacified the upper and lower Nine-stock Miao who had taken part in the revolt. In the second year his appointment was confirmed. He memorialized on Guizhou's pressing needs, urging grain reserves, city fortification, repair of beacon towers and guard posts, and a ban on kidnapping people for sale; the ministries approved and implemented the measures. Miao of Guluzhai under Dingfan relied on difficult ground and raided boldly; Zhang Guangsi and Wudang sent over three thousand Han and native troops along separate routes to raze stockades and comb the ravines, seized their chieftain Laopai, and restored order within a fortnight; the emperor commended their measured conduct. In the fourth year he was received in audience and awarded the peacock feather insignia.
3
In the sixth year he was transferred to provincial military commander of Huguang. When the Heidong Miao rebelled, Grand Secretary Ortai—knowing Wudang's long service in Guizhou and his familiarity with Miao affairs—detained him to finish the campaign before he assumed the Huguang post. In the eighth year the emperor, finding Huguang military administration neglected and Wudang still without reforms after taking office, issued an edict of reprimand. In the thirteenth year his banner troops were found looting goods while fighting a fire; the Board of War held that Wudang had covered for them and should be stripped of rank. Summoned to the capital for audience, he was demoted to brigade deputy commander at Yuanzhou in Hunan. He was transferred to regional commander of the Chuyao garrison in Yunnan. He was promoted in the capital to Master of Ceremonies. He was again posted outside the capital as regional commander of the Zhangzhou garrison in Fujian. He was transferred to provincial military commander of Zhejiang. He requested retirement on account of eye trouble. He died and was posthumously titled Zhuangque.
4
吳進義，字子恆，陝西寧朔人。 父開圻，康熙二十七年一甲三名武進士，官至雲南元江副將。 進義入伍，從振武將軍孫思克徵噶爾丹，劄署守備，發江南借補千總。 累遷江南壽春鎮總兵。 擢江南提督，疏言：「太湖界江、浙，漁船姦良難辨。 請照海洋例巡哨，支河小汛，飭兩省陸路兵巡查，則聲勢聯絡，姦宄斂跡。」 有旨嘉獎。 久之，移浙江，再移福建，復還浙江。 時有偽為孫嘉淦疏稿語訐上，進義與浙閩總督喀爾吉善以聞。 上令究所從來，語連提督廨胥吏，喀爾吉善劾進義隱諱，命解官聽讞。 進義力辨未嘗隱諱，其幕客證進義已見稿。 浙江巡撫雅爾哈善論進義當重闢，上愍其老，命貰罪。 復以疏稿未得作偽主名，令江蘇巡撫莊有恭會鞫。 有恭疏陳進義實未見稿，浙江承審諸吏牽合附會。 事下軍機大臣覆訊，得實。 上以進義無辜廢斥，召來京，命以提督銜署直隸宣化鎮總兵。 未幾，授古北口提督。 進義請限操演火藥，增設河屯協弓兵，皆允行。 二十三年，加太子少保。 二十七年，卒，年八十四，加太子太保，諡壯愨。
Wu Jinyi, whose style name was Ziheng, was a native of Ningshuo in Shaanxi. His father Kaiqi had placed third among military jinshi of the first class in the twenty-seventh year of Kangxi and rose to vice commander at Yuanjiang in Yunnan. Jinyi enlisted and followed General Sun Sike of Zhenwu against Galdan, served provisionally as garrison commander, and was lent to Jiangnan to fill a company captaincy. He rose through several posts to regional commander of the Shouchun garrison in Jiangnan. Promoted to provincial military commander of Jiangnan, he memorialized: "Taihu straddles the Jiangsu–Zhejiang border, and on fishing boats honest folk and criminals are hard to distinguish. I ask that patrols follow the maritime precedent; on branch streams and at minor flood seasons, order land troops of both provinces to inspect jointly, so our forces act in concert and wrongdoers will keep out of sight." The throne issued an edict of commendation. After some years he was transferred to Zhejiang, then to Fujian, and later back to Zhejiang. At the time a forged memorial bearing Sun Jiagan's name contained language attacking the throne; Jinyi and Zhejiang–Fujian Governor-General Ka'erjishan reported it together. The emperor ordered the source traced; the inquiry touched clerks in the commander's yamen. Ka'erjishan impeached Jinyi for concealment, and he was dismissed pending trial. Jinyi insisted he had never concealed anything; members of his staff testified that he had already seen the draft. Zhejiang Governor Ya'erhashan argued that Jinyi deserved execution; the emperor, taking pity on his age, commuted the penalty. Because the forger had still not been identified, Jiangsu Governor Zhuang Yougong was ordered to join the investigation. Yougong memorialized that Jinyi had never seen the draft and that the Zhejiang examining officials had stitched the case together by conjecture. The case was referred to Grand Council ministers for re-examination and was found to be true. Finding Jinyi innocent yet wrongly dismissed, the emperor summoned him to the capital and appointed him acting regional commander of the Xuanhua garrison in Zhili with provincial-commander rank. Shortly afterward he was appointed provincial military commander of Gubeikou. Jinyi requested limits on live-fire drill and additional bow troops for the river garrison brigade; both requests were approved. In the twenty-third year he was made Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent. In the twenty-seventh year he died at eighty-four; he was posthumously made Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and titled Zhuangque.
5
Jinyi's family had long produced distinguished soldiers; his collateral ancestor Kun, regional commander of Yongbei in Guizhou, had earned merit against Sichuan Miao and in the Jinchuan campaigns. Kun's son Kaizeng rose from military licentiate to regional commander of Wenzhou in Zhejiang.
6
Tan Xingyi was a native of Santai in Sichuan. Under Kangxi, as a military licentiate he was appointed company captain of the Xining guard in Shaanxi. Early in the Yongzheng reign he campaigned in Qinghai and was promoted to colonel of the Henan garrison battalion. Hedong Governor-General Tian Wenjing impeached him for delivering worn and emaciated Shaanxi army horses; he was dismissed, but the emperor summoned him to the capital. His answers in audience pleased the throne, and he received engraved imperial pronouncements, sable fur, and fragrant pearls; his rank was restored. He was promoted again to regional commander of the Gaolei and Lian garrisons in Guangdong. Governor-General E'ermida ordered Xingyi to lead five thousand men against rebellious Miao in Guizhou and to assault the stockades of Gunzong, Gaobiao, and others. Frontier Commissioner Zhang Guangsi sent him to reinforce the upper river, storm the strongpoints of Wupo and Baidiao, comb Niupi Daqing, and capture the rebel leader. He served in turn as commander at Zhangzhou in Fujian and at Zhenbian in Hunan.
7
乾隆四年，授廣西提督，帥師會討楚、粵亂苗。 宜山縣土蠻恃險劫掠，行義與總督馬爾泰、署巡撫安圖令游擊楊剛討之。 破白土、丘索二村，執其渠，斬以徇。 忻城土縣外八堡有劇盜曰藍明星，恃險焚劫。 行義檄副將畢映捕治，明星遁入山，搜捕得之。 有黃順者，匿湖北、廣東錯壤處，謀為亂。 貴州人黎阿蘭與相應，散旗印，將起事。 行義诇知之，督兵攻克賊巢，擒斬首從七十餘，事乃定。 柳州兵皆居草舍，患火。 行義請發白金四千貸兵建瓦屋，分三年還帑，從之。 又有李彩者，糾眾聚遷江石版村謀犯縣城，行義既捕治，請城北設汛。 尋以擅發倉穀貸於兵，左授登州鎮總兵。 十一年，遷江南提督。 十四年，移浙江提督。 十六年，再移福建陸路提督。 十八年，卒，諡恭愨。
In the fourth year of Qianlong he was appointed provincial military commander of Guangxi and led troops in joint campaigns against rebellious Miao in Huguang and Guangdong. Native tribesmen in Yishan relied on difficult terrain to raid; Xingyi, with Governor Ma'ertai and acting Governor Antu, ordered Colonel Yang Gang to suppress them. He overran the villages of Baitu and Qiusuo, seized their leader, and executed him as an example. Outside the eight forts of Xincheng native district a notorious bandit named Lan Mingxing used the rugged country to burn and plunder. Xingyi ordered Brigade Commander Bi Ying to hunt him down; Mingxing fled into the hills but was found and captured. A man named Huang Shun hid in the interlaced borderlands of Hubei and Guangdong and plotted rebellion. Li Alan of Guizhou joined him, distributed banners and seals, and was on the verge of revolt. Xingyi learned of the plot through intelligence, stormed the rebel stronghold, and killed or captured more than seventy leaders and followers, after which order was restored. The troops at Liuzhou all lived in thatched huts and were plagued by fire. Xingyi asked that four thousand taels of silver be lent to the troops to build tiled houses, to be repaid to the treasury over three years; the request was approved. Another man, Li Cai, mustered a band at Shiban village on the Qian River to assault the county seat; after Xingyi had captured him, he requested a garrison north of the city wall. Soon afterward, for issuing granary grain on his own authority as loans to the troops, he was demoted to regional commander of the Dengzhou garrison. In the eleventh year he was transferred to provincial military commander of Jiangnan. In the fourteenth year he was transferred to provincial military commander of Zhejiang. In the sixteenth year he was again transferred to provincial military commander of Fujian land forces. In the eighteenth year he died and was posthumously titled Gongque.
8
Li Xun was a native of Zhenyuan in Guizhou. He enlisted and rose gradually to garrison commander. He campaigned against the raw Nine-stock Miao at Taigong; Zhang Guangsi ordered joint operations at Yangdiao, Dongli, Yangse, and elsewhere and a sweep of Niupi Daqing; Xun served in the field throughout. He rose through several posts to provincial military commander of Huguang. When Burma fell into disorder he was transferred to provincial military commander of Yunnan. He memorialized asking to ride from Pu'er to Menggen to seize the rebel leader Zhaosan; the emperor, judging him too old to endure the miasmic south, ordered him to remain at Pu'er. Xun had already reached Menggen and directed regional commanders Liu Decheng and Hua Feng to repair forts, hold the passes, and capture Zhaosan's elder brother Mengyang and others. On the return journey he died on the road. He was posthumously made Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and titled Zhuangyi.
9
Fan Ting was a native of Wuwei in Shaanxi. When he first enlisted he changed his name to Wang Gang. He campaigned in Wumeng, Qinghai, and Tibet and, through accumulated merit, rose to regional commander of the Suzhou garrison in Gansu. He petitioned to resume his original name and transferred his household register to Tongchuan county in Sichuan. The Dzungars raided the Keshetu post station and drove off camels and horses; their force exceeded twenty thousand. Ting led Brigade Commander Ye Daxiong and two thousand men against them, fought seven days and nights, joined Zhang Yuanzuo's force, killed the enemy in great numbers, and recovered everything that had been taken. Provincial Commander Ji Chengbin then held the seal of the Ningyuan grand general; when word reached court, an edict praised Ting for fighting many with few, called his loyalty and courage unmatched in the army, granted ten thousand taels of silver, and ennobled him as hereditary Commandant of Light Chariots of the First Class. He was appointed provincial military commander of Guyuan in Shaanxi and Vice Commissioner-in-chief. At audience he asked to take the field and was ordered to follow Acting Ningyuan Grand General Zhalang'a, who marched out and encamped at Nanshan. Deputy Grand General Zhang Guangsi learned that the enemy lay in ambush at the Wueritu River and ordered Ting forward with fifteen hundred men from Jianquanzi; at Hatao they met the foe, seized the ridge, and routed them again and again. Crossing Gashun they reached Elongji Pass, killed four hundred of the enemy, captured thirty-six, and took their grain and arms.
10
Early in the Qianlong reign, acceding to Zhalang'a's request, the emperor sent five thousand troops from the Gansu and Liangzhou garrisons to Hami, created a supreme commander's post, and gave it to Ting. On reaching the army Ting memorialized: "Wuerke is the foremost pass of the far west; patrols toward Taolai Daban report fires by night north at Lucao Gully, east at Luanshanzi above Gashun Gully, and along the Wueritu River. The garrison is too thin; I ask that it be strengthened as needed." He also memorialized: "Hami troops pasture camels and horses south of the mountains at Yandun Gully and elsewhere; I ask that part of the northern garrison be detailed to patrol and protect them." All his proposals were adopted. After two years on the frontier he asked to retire on account of illness; he was ordered back to Guyuan to recover, and a physician was sent to attend him. He soon died at Hami. His final memorial on frontier defense was urgent and thorough, and the emperor was deeply moved. Zhalang'a was ordered to arrange his funeral and return the body for burial at Liangzhou. He was posthumously made Vice Commissioner-in-chief and titled Yongyi.
11
His son Jingwen rose to regional commander of the Guangdong Right Wing. Jingwen's son Jizu served as brigade commander in Hubei. Jizu's son Congdian petitioned to transfer his household register to Enshi in Hubei. Congdian's son Xie served as regional commander of the Yongzhou garrison in Hunan; during the Tongzhi reign he was dismissed for misconduct.
12
武進升，山西寧鄉人，其後改籍江南江寧。 初以張姓入伍。 稍遷浙江溫州鎮標守備。 雍正初，閩浙總督滿保疏薦，引見，授三等侍衛，屬怡親王允祥。 尋外授江寧游擊。 累遷福建陸路提督。 言：「閩省不習騎射，加意督率，弓力漸增。 馬兵出馬收馬較前改觀。」 高宗諭以「如此方不負任使，然亦不可欲速，尤貴為之以實，要之以久」。 進升與總督喀爾吉善忤，疏言：「喀爾吉善外似和平，心實剛愎。 令臣密察水師提督張天駿營伍，臣辭以水師非所轄。 督臣正言厲色，必令臣密察。 及察知水師陋規，告之督臣，督臣置不問，反與天駿契合。 臣察漳州營馬值，總兵馬負書為督臣舊部，巧為徇私。 令臣無地自容。」 又疏言喀爾吉善衰憊狀，上斥進升支離狂率。 喀爾吉善亦劾進升徇所屬，縱兵行竊。 因左授江南狼山鎮總兵，進升疏謝，諭曰：「汝無他過，祗好勝多事，故左授示薄懲。 若不知改，或遂委靡，一切姑息，皆不可也。」 居數月，擢江南提督，以老罷。 再起，終浙江提督。 卒，年八十餘，諡良毅。
Wu Jinsheng was a native of Ningxiang in Shanxi and later transferred his household register to Jiangning in Jiangnan. He first enlisted under the surname Zhang. He rose gradually to garrison commander of the Wenzhou garrison standard in Zhejiang. Early in the Yongzheng reign, Fujian–Zhejiang Governor-General Manbao recommended him by memorial; after audience he was made a third-rank guardsman and assigned to Prince Yi Yinxiang. He was soon posted outside the capital as colonel at Jiangning. He rose through several posts to provincial military commander of Fujian land forces. He reported: "Fujian troops were unskilled in mounted archery, but under close supervision bow strength has steadily improved. Cavalry turnout and the return of mounts are markedly better than before." The Qianlong Emperor replied: "That is how you fulfill your charge—but do not hurry. What matters is solid effort sustained over the long term." Jinsheng fell out with Governor-General Ka'erjishan and memorialized: "Ka'erjishan seems mild in manner but is in fact stubborn and overbearing. He ordered me to inspect Naval Commander Zhang Tianjun's camps in secret, but I declined because the navy is outside my jurisdiction. The governor spoke sternly and insisted that I carry out the secret inspection. When I uncovered corrupt practices in the navy and reported them, the governor ignored them and instead grew close to Tianjun. When I inspected horse prices in the Zhangzhou garrison, Regional Commander Ma Fushu—an old subordinate of the governor—cleverly bent the rules in his favor. I was left utterly humiliated." He also memorialized on Ka'erjishan's declining health; the emperor rebuked Jinsheng for rambling and reckless accusations. Ka'erjishan also impeached Jinsheng for favoring his men and allowing troops to plunder. He was demoted to regional commander of the Langshan garrison in Jiangnan; in his memorial of thanks he was told: "You have no other fault except competitiveness and meddling; the demotion is meant as a mild warning. If you fail to reform, or sink into slack indulgence, either course is unacceptable." Within a few months he was promoted to provincial military commander of Jiangnan; he later retired on account of age. Called back to service, he ended his career as provincial military commander of Zhejiang. He died in his eighties and was posthumously titled Liangyi.
13
Ma Fushu was a Han bannerman of the Bordered Yellow Banner. In the first year of Qianlong he placed first among military jinshi of the first class and was appointed a first-rank guardsman. He rose through several posts to regional commander of the Zhangzhou garrison in Fujian. He memorialized: "The people of Zhangzhou are quarrelsome; gangs of so-called 'street brawlers' roam at will, and local bullies keep them as muscle—I ask that they be sternly suppressed." The memorial was referred to Ka'erjishan with orders to investigate and punish accordingly. He served in turn at Qiongzhou, Jinmen, Taiwan, and Langshan. As acting provincial military commander of Gubeikou he memorialized: "Troops drill in formations that do little in real combat. After the autumn harvest they should choose ground, form ranks, and practice uphill assaults and flanking attacks. Advancing, withdrawing, dividing, and reuniting should be timed to gongs and drums. Regular monthly drills on the training ground should still follow camp regulations." The throne approved and ordered implementation. He was appointed provincial military commander of Fujian land forces. He died and was posthumously titled Zhaoyi.
14
Fan Yuxiao was a native of Jiexiu in Shanxi. The Fan clan had long been immensely wealthy. Under Kangxi, when armies campaigned against the Dzungars, the family supplied grain to the troops, generally at a cost of one hundred and twenty taels of silver per picul. In the sixtieth year, when troops marched out again, Yuxiao's elder brother Yushen offered family wealth to transport provisions and was paid carriage fees at one-third of the official rate. In the Yongzheng reign, when armies marched by the two northwest routes, Prince Yi Yinxiang recommended Yushen to manage supplies; fees were set by grain volume and distance, ranging from eleven taels five mace to twenty-five taels per picul, and over the years he transported more than a million piculs of grain. The Yongzheng Emperor specially granted him the rank of Director of the Court of the Imperial Stud, with insignia and dress of the second rank. When raiders struck the northern route and more than one hundred thirty thousand piculs of grain were lost, Yushen spent private funds to make up the shipments, totaling one million four hundred forty thousand taels of silver. After the campaign ended, grain was moved to nearby depots and the Board of Revenue settled accounts at local rates; Yushen was therefore ordered to repay the difference on distant hauls—two million six hundred twenty thousand taels in all—and again spent private funds gathering ginseng and buying copper for minting to meet the debt.
15
毓皛以武舉授衛千總，以駝佐軍，擢守備。 累遷直隸天津鎮總兵。 自河南河北鎮移廣東潮州，疏請令潮州營兵如河北例，兼習長槍、短棍、連接棍諸藝。 世宗命與總督鄂彌達、提督張溥商榷。 鄂彌達等上言：「廣東山海交錯，軍械惟鳥槍最宜，次則弓箭、藤牌、挑刀、大砲。 毓皛所議與廣東不甚宜。」 上韙鄂彌達等議，仍諭毓皛初至，當嘉其肯言。 嘉應、潮陽遇颶，海岸決。 毓皛以聞，命加意撫綏。 乾隆初，署廣東提督。 故事，市舶至，詣海關納稅。 或遇風未至所往地，中道暫泊，亦論稅如例。 毓皛慮民避屢稅，遇風不敢泊，致傾覆，疏請商舟寄泊，非即地市易不徵稅，上命待審察。 毓皛以憂歸，服終，授直隸正定鎮總兵。 湖廣總督阿爾賽請移任苗疆，上不允，諭以「毓皛富家子弟，謹慎無過。 苗疆事重，不能勝也」。 上巡五台，毓皛言兄毓馪子清注具羊千、馬十備賞賚，上卻之。 尋以老罷。 卒。
Yuxiao entered service as a military licentiate appointed company captain of a guard; he supplied camels to the army and was promoted to garrison commander. He rose through several posts to regional commander of the Tianjin garrison in Zhili. Transferred from the Henan–Hebei garrison to Chaozhou in Guangdong, he memorialized asking that Chaozhou troops, following the Hebei precedent, also drill in long spear, short staff, and linked staff. The Yongzheng Emperor ordered him to consult Governor-General E'ermida and Provincial Commander Zhang Pu. E'ermida and others reported: "Guangdong's terrain mixes mountain and sea; muskets suit it best, followed by bows, rattan shields, pole blades, and cannon. Yuxiao's proposal is not well suited to Guangdong." The emperor sided with E'ermida but still told Yuxiao that, as a newcomer, his willingness to speak out deserved praise. Jiaying and Chaoyang were struck by typhoons and the sea walls gave way. Yuxiao reported the disaster and was ordered to give special attention to relief and pacification. Early in the Qianlong reign he served as acting provincial military commander of Guangdong. By precedent, trading ships paid duties at the customs house on arrival. If storms kept them from their destination and they anchored en route, duties were still assessed as usual. Yuxiao feared merchants would avoid repeated duties, refuse to anchor in storms, and capsize; he memorialized that temporary anchorage should be tax-free unless goods were sold on the spot, and the emperor ordered the proposal held for review. Yuxiao returned home to mourn; after the mourning period he was appointed regional commander of the Zhengding garrison in Zhili. Huguang Governor-General A'ersai asked that he be transferred to the Miao frontier; the emperor refused, saying: "Yuxiao is a wealthy man's son—careful and without fault. Miao frontier affairs are too weighty for him to bear." During the emperor's tour of Wutai, Yuxiao reported that his brother Yushen's son Qingzhu had prepared a thousand sheep and ten horses as gifts; the emperor declined them. He soon retired on account of age. He died.
16
The historians comment: Although provincial and regional commanders held independent commands, they remained subordinate to governors-general and governors; their troops were scattered across garrison posts, and the triennial capital examinations and drill existed largely as empty forms. Wudang and Jinyi were diligent in office; Xingyi suppressed bandits; Ting fought in many campaigns—all earned merit. Jinsheng was exacting and unwilling to neglect his duties. Yuxiao and his brother spent private wealth to support the armies, nearly ruining their house without regret—a devotion unmatched in the histories.