My Lord,
We have captured Arughtai and all of his surviving army, numbering well over fifty thousand men, in a ravine outside the Xinghe Fortress.
I have taken the liberty of failing to kill all of the trapped prisoners. Instead, we have removed their thumbs and index fingers on both hands, so that they can never wield a sword, gun or bow and arrow against the Empire again.
I know this does not follow the strict words of your order to kill them all. At the time Your Majesty gave the order, it was not clear how vast the number of captured men was. In the mayhem of an active theatre of war, I have made a decision which I hope will be beneficial to Your Majesty and your reign.
By cutting off these four digits, we have removed the threat these soldiers posed, but allowed them to return to their wives, mothers and families, thus demonstrating to the People your humanity and magnanimity.
I have kept Arughtai as a prisoner, to be brought to kneel before you.
