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To fight the Barbarians I propose in a rough way.
1. To get the funds. It is the best plan that the six confederations (6 market places) keep together as we hear. But the outlay for the soldiers should not be collected by an extraordinary field tax. It is also not right that the various confederations should pay the costs. Some of these places have a large population, and many fields. In these places it could be arranged in this way, but for instance Thonglak (alias market of peace) could not do this. It is a small place and there is not a large population. How can we follow these orders? to say that the head Village of this rising should defray all the expenses is also not right. The Barbarians are not only preparing to fight Ngan Tin (alias Pan Tin) they will go on to the other Villages. That is then to be done? we should use the usual field tax. Let first the six confederations come together to ask our Government for help. Will the soldiers not come to help us then let us ask the mandarin for the present not to collect the field tax, that we can use the money to meet the Barbarians. This would not be rebellious. Afterwards in peaceful times we could pay our Duties to the Government. Should the Government not have compassion with us, nothing would be left than to fight against it. That is the best plan I can propose.
Soldiers