Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/52

28 CHAOSIEN. vehemently opposed by his ministera. One President presented a memorial, stating that the Yoongma/i (savages) of Liaotung formed but a small kingdom without cities; if, therefore, an enemy of superior numbers attacked them, they had only to retire inland, and the enemy would have to march through an empty country. He recalled the fate of Ho, and urged, as the Wei minister had done, the importance of attending to the nearer and greater dangers, when the remote would take care of themselves. The long paper, of which that was the substance, together with the longer discussions which followed, had the desired effect, and Liaotung was left unmolested. Woo, now laying aside his warlike intentions, summoned Jao, to speak kindly to the old man. But Jao was lying down and could not move— so reported the messenger. Woo then went himself to Jao's door, where he called out the old man's na^e repeatedly and loudly ; Jao at last replied, but said that he was too weak to get up, and it would be a crime to receive his Emperor except with the proper etiquette, which his weakness made it impossible for him to perform. The Emperor still refused to go, and Jao would not come out Believing that Jao was, as formerly, feigning illness. Woo had the door set on fire to frighten him out But the crackling of the burning wood, with the smell of it, had no influence on the sick man. The fire was therefore extinguished, and as the Emperor would not go, Jao's sons supported the old man, so that he could properly receive his sovereign. He felt he could not but do so, as Woo was unceasing in his self-reproaches for his former conduct towards the old minister. As soon as Jang Ur and his companions got to Hiangping of Liaotung, Yuen at once saw his way, by sacrificing them, to make his peace with WeL He set about his object early but cautiously. He first separated the men. He sent Dan, Chun, Dua, Kiang, with over sixty men, to Huentoo, 200 li east of Liaotung, on pretence of helping to govern and garrison that place. They were, by the Commandant, and doubtless under orders, boarded apart among the citizena Dan and Chun got