Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/110

 86 IMPERIAL YEN. prevent him from crossing. Kan's yomiger brother, a wise and brave youth, declaring his belief that, as Qo was so able a man, the people, if he were allowed to approach, would open the gates of the city to him, proposed to take the step which Qo feared. He offered himself to march to the river bank and prevent the crossing, while Ean should firmly hold the city. Ean would not agree to that plan ; and as his brother persisted in urgmg it, Kan got angry and slew him. The way was therefore open to Gro, who crossed the river in February 356. Kan, with 30,000 men, marched out 100 li from Qwanggoo, his capital, to oppose him, but was defeated, and had to retire. Go sent messengers after the retreating army to state that as many as submitted would be received into his own ranks; and several thousands joined him. Kan therefore hurried into the city, which was soon besieged, while all the other cities under his rule opened their gates to the summons of Qo. Seeing no way of escape, Kan threw himself on the Tsin Emperor, who sent a General into the southern frontier of Ten's lands, and took two cities, but did not do sufficient damage to divert Go to the south. In November, Gro was recommended by his officers to carry the city by escalade. He agreed that this would be the proper plan, if he could make sure of preserving all his men, and said he had long known of a plan which would inevitably have taken the city, but at the loss of too many of his own men. This reply soon spread over his camp, and gave imiversal satisfaction. The garrison was now compelled to eat human flesh, and Kan made a bold and desperate sally with a large force, which, however, was repulsed ; and, meantime, Go had bodies of men posted outside each gate. In his retreat, Kan had to cut through these, and he Had to enter the city with the loss of the greater number of his men, who were slain or taken. He was compelled to open his gates in December ; and was sent with 3,000 Hienbi families to Ki The original inhabitants and strangers in Qwanggoo were weU treated, and Kan was employed as a commander elsewhere ; but he seems again to have given dissatisfaction ; for, in the following spring, he and 3,000 of his