Treatise on Armament Technology

The locations of the Imperial Tombs original: 寢陵 (qinling). This specifically refers to the Xianling Tomb in Zhongxiang, Hubei, the resting place of the Jiajing Emperor’s parents, which required massive upkeep are plagued by excessive expenses and burdensome administrative tasks. In the regions between Jingzhou, Yuezhou, Qianjiang, and Mianyang, floods occur frequently. In the districts of Yunyang and Xiangyang, these waters destroy both the fields and the homes of the people.

Although the land in Changsha is not particularly fertile, its tax revenue from agricultural land ranks highest among all other districts. Huangzhou is known for its unruly population original: 澆頑 (jiaowan), meaning the people were considered difficult to govern or culturally "thin" in morals, while Changde is exhausted and impoverished. Chenzhou and Yuanzhou are half-composed of bandit dens. The various mountain settlements literally "caves" (dong) of Mayang are linked together for raids and conflicts; the devastation seen in the Zhiluo region over the years actually originates from here.

Hengzhou and Yongzhou are remote but wealthy, while Baoqing is simple and peaceful. The various indigenous tribes of the river valleys Xi-dong|A collective term for the "Creek and Cave" ethnic groups, primarily the Miao and Yao, living in the mountainous river valleys of southern China were originally managed through the "Loose Rein" policy Jimi|A system of frontier governance where the central government granted titles to local chieftains, allowing them to rule their own people according to local custom provided they remained loyal to the Emperor using Han laws, which made them relatively easy to pacify and manage.

However, the native chieftains of Yongshun and Baojing Two powerful Tusi (tribal headman) domains in modern-day western Hunan have enjoyed wealth and power for generations. Whenever they commit crimes during their internal power struggles, they immediately use their past military service as a pretext to buy their way out of punishment. The Imperial Court often orders troop levies from these very chieftains, which leaves the common people in those distant lands trapped under their overbearing hands.

These chieftains habitually offend and then "redeem" themselves through service; if the state treats these threats with such indulgence for long, it will surely cause great trouble in the future. It is recommended that a fixed decree be established: any offense must be punished immediately. Do not allow them to be released so lightly—that would be the superior course of action. Those who truly care for the destitute should think of how to rescue them and bring about lasting peace and security.