humbly beg that my head may pay the penalty, and that I be permitted to die for him. Then, from the far-off hind of spirits, myself brandishing spear and shield, I will lead forth an army of fierce hobgoblins to do battle in your Majesty's behalf, and thus make some return for this act of Imperial grace."
" The force of language," says the commentator, " can no farther go." Yet this memorial, " the plaintive tones of which," he adds, " appeal direct to the heart," was never allowed to reach the Emperor. Twelve years later, the Minister impeached by Yang Chi-sheng was dismissed for scandalous abuse of power, and had all his property confiscated. Being reduced to beggary, he received from the Emperor a handsome silver bowl in which to collect alms ; but so universally hated was he that no one would either give him anything or venture to buy the bowl, and he died of starvation while still in the possession of wealth.
A curiously similar case, with a happier ending, was that of SHEN Su, who, in the discharge of his duties as Censor, also denounced the same Minister, before whose name the word "traitorous" is now always inserted. Shen Su was thrown into prison, and remained there for fifteen years. He was released in consequence of the following memorial by his wife, of which the commentator says, " for every drop of ink a drop of blood " :
" May it please your Majesty, My husband was a Censor attached to the Board of Rites. For his folly in recklessly advising your Majesty, he deserved indeed a thousand deaths ; yet under the Imperial clemency he was doomed only to await his sentence in prison.
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