ing , ▁the ▁Nan j ing ▁Minister ▁of ▁War ▁could ▁lead ▁troops ▁and ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁play ▁a ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁the ▁southern ▁provinces . ▁At ▁this ▁time ▁the ▁eastern ▁se ab o ard ▁was ▁under ▁attack ▁by ▁the ▁pir ates ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" w ok ou ", ▁and ▁Z hang ▁J ing ' s ▁assignment ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁M ing ▁court ' s ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁on s la ug ht . ▁A ▁new ▁supre me ▁commander ▁position ▁was ▁eventually ▁created ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁this ▁area , ▁over see ing ▁an ▁un pre ced ented ▁six ▁coast al ▁provinces : ▁Sh and ong , ▁the ▁Southern ▁Metropolitan ▁Region , ▁Z he ji ang , ▁F uj ian , ▁Gu ang d ong , ▁and ▁Gu ang xi . ▁Z hang ▁J ing ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁this ▁position ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁June ▁ 1 5 5 4 . ▁To ▁focus ▁on ▁his ▁military ▁command , ▁Z hang ▁J ing ▁asked ▁to ▁be ▁rel ieved ▁of ▁his ▁minister ial ▁duties , ▁and ▁the ▁request ▁was ▁granted ▁on ▁ 8 ▁November . ▁ ▁To ▁dis l odge ▁the ▁pir ates ▁from ▁their ▁strong hold ▁of ▁Z hel in ▁( <0xE6> <0x9F> <0x98> 林 ) ▁sout heast ▁of ▁Shang hai , ▁Z hang ▁J ing ▁called ▁in ▁rein for c ements ▁from ▁Sh and ong , ▁Gu ang xi , ▁and ▁H ug u ang . ▁ 6 0 0 0 ▁rec ruits ▁from ▁Sh and