Page:Frank Owen - The Scarlett Hill, 1941.djvu/360

RV 355 (VICTORY) Thinking of home, I walk in the moonlight all through the night; Remembering my brothers, I look up to the clouds and sleep by daylight. I have heard at Loyang our men are now taking advantage of victory, And the General moves quickly to the attack on Yu Yen."

The Imperial Court, presided over by Emperor Su Tsung, whose personal name was Li Ting, son of Ming Huang, returned to Changan to find a burned and pillaged city from which most of the poets and artists had fled with their kin.

But they were not dismayed, for China was free once more, and the glorious reign of T'ang Emperors went forward with renewed impetus. Li Ting was entirely in the hands of his Empress and of the eunuch Li Fu-kuo who fortunately had been loyal to the established order.

Li Ting's first act, was to implore his father Ming Huang to return from his retreat at Chengtu.

Ming Huang returned, aged, feeble, little concerned with affairs of state. He believed that Yang Kuei-fei was still alive.

"That cannot be," said Li Ting, "for though we all are bowed with grief we know that her body is buried beside the road at Ma Wei."

The aged Ming Huang clutched his son's arm, "No, RV 355 (355)