Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/107

FAITHFULNESS. 83 Chinese ideas regarding faithfulness to one's prince and obedience to parents, as acted out by the common-class people, who are not enthusiastic enough to be ready to sacrifice themselves, nor base enough to sell themselves to the highest bidder ; but who strive to carry out duty as far as self-interest will permit them: the majority of educated Chinese, it need scarcely be added, being of this description. Yijoong was one of the brave men who had done their best to set Stone Tiger on the throne of China. His life was valued chiefly because he could, by his deeds in the field, prove his gratitude to the master who had been so generous to him and his. He had, with eager bravery, done what he could to stem the overwhelming flood of Yen's power, and to save his country. He was unsuccessful. His country was gone, and, with it, the main object of his life. In the same spring, when the capital of his country became Yen property, he took unwell, and lay down on his dying bed. He summoned his forty-two sons to his bedside, and, after recapitulating the favours bestowed by Stone Tiger, and confessing his inability to repay them, he ordered his sons to make their way, with their army, to the aid of the Tsin Emperor in the south, who was not only threatened by Chin and Yen from his west and north, but was struggling with formidable rebellions in his own lands; one rebel, with 40,000 men, being at that moment master of the road to the large and important city of Woochang. Yijoong died soon after giving this charge ; and after his dutiful sons saw him decently buried and properly mourned for, they moved south- wards at the head of 60,000 families They besieged and took the cities of Yangping, Yuenchung, and Faping ; then camped at the ford of Oaonao, near Tsiyangkim, on the Yellow River, where they were fiercely attacked by the forces of Chva (Shensi), and 30,000 of them were slain in the terrible battle. The survivors, under Hiang, one of the brothers, marched southwards to Soongyang; and had to fight another serious battle at Matien, where they bootlessly threw themselves on death, and the commander was compelled to send his fifth brother to the Tsin Emperor to profess his goodwill, and to leave hostages as