Memo 1SZ-08-02

To Admiral Tian, 

''The alertness of your crew and ships, and your promptness in bringing the Xiuzhou Command to war-readiness, is laudable. Certainly a leader of an army should do what you did. ''

''Yet we do not recognise Helan as a hostile nation to ourselves, and currently we have no interest in entering a conflict with them. In a time when we are surrounded by enemies, those who can threaten the Esibani can be our friends. ''

As such, we command the following: 

Firstly, that the fleet is to remain ready and await the Helan, in case conflict is forced upon us;

''Secondly, that the crew of the captured Helan ship is to be released from imprisonment, and treated as guests. ''

''Thirdly, that we are to engage in parley with the Helan arrivals. Our terms are that they will be treated as guests of the Empire, on condition that they stow their cannon, allow Wei officers on board, and accept an escort from Wei ships to the anchorage of Liangzhou, on the mouth of the Inner Sea. ''

''Fourthly, that a part of the Helan crew - preferably their commander, or some officers - is to be kept prepared to accompany any mission that will meet the Helan arrivals. He is to advise on the procedures for signalling to the Helan that we will parley, and not fight. ''

''Fifthly, to apprise us of the results of parley at once. ''