Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/120

96 IMPERIAL YEN. delusion that it would lengthen life ; and opium has for centuries been in use in the pharmacy of Corea, and applied in much the same cases as it is used now with us. And if the Tsin Emperor stupefied himself out of business power, the drtmken lord of Chin had at last brought his kingdom into almost that same state of anarchy, which the Tsin Emperor was lamenting as the normal condition of things in China. This anarchy had indeed continued to exist for sixty years, — ever since Stone Tiger began his independent career. A revolt had sprung up in the Chin pajace, which was put down only by the promptitude and bravery of Tiensi, who was rewarded with an immediate promotion. A certain official, Jang, sought the death of Tiensi as well as of the lady who was recently elevated to be "Empress'^ of Chin. Tiensi was again too quick for the traitors, and had all the agents of Jang put to deatL Jang himself was in terror, and o£Fered to retire in favour of Tiensi, who refused to have anything to do with him. Jang then employed a General to instigate Tiensi to revolt for independence and imperial power. But Tiensi ordered the same General to the house of Jang, and the latter was murdered that night Both the states of Tsin and Chin were pure Chinese, and though Yen men had learned civilization from their Chinese subjects of Chihli and Honan, China was then certainly no desirable place of residence ! On the death of Go, Chin messengers were sent, nominally, to deplore the loss of Go, but recdly to discover the exact condition of a&irs. The report given by these messengers of Ping's character and conduct delighted the Court of Chin, and an immediate levy of troops was ordered. During these years Tiensi had to face and to crush several insurrectionary movements in Chin. But just as the above levy was being drawn out, Wei Wang, of the city of Shenchung in Shensi, revolted from Chin, and prayed for Yen help. This frightened Chin ; and Jien, who had by this time succeeded to the Chin throne, reinforced the army at Hwayin, to the west of Shen, in a pass as strong and difficult as the famoas Toonggwan. In his eagerness to strike Yen, during the feebleness in which it was left