Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/126

 102 nCPEBIAL TEN. Ten moji were always boasting of the defeat of Wun as their own unaided work ; and expressed their regret for the amount of territory which they had to sacrifice as the price of Chin aid. They were right as to the actual fighting, but they forgot the moral power which the league had given them ; and Jien was much offended at the Ten taunt& He made this the excuse, as soon as he was ready, for sending off an army of 30,000 men, under Mung, to Loyang. But in his eastward march this general was repulsed. More bitter to him than his defeat, however, was the presence of the living Woo at his master's court, and he could have suffered anything to have him out of the way. On his return to the capital, he invited Woo to a feasty plied him with spirits to intoxication, and then reviled him in mocking language. Angry words passed between them ; and when Woo cooled down, he determined to escape to his own country. On pretence of going out to hunt, he made off; but was overtaken, and brought back. Jien, naturally enough, upbraided him with ingratitude ; but instead of taking his life as Mung desired, he banished him to Shachung, 600 li north-east of Loongchung. The banished man must have gone there on parole ; for Chin had no authority over any place within hundreds of miles of that remote city, which was in the north of liaotung. Mung soon after gained a victory over the Ten ; and probably to appease him for keeping Woo alive, he was created a Marquis (How), and other honorary titles were conferred upon him ; all of which he declined. His first victory over Ten men was, however, considered of such consequence, that he had the command of 60,000 men given him. The effect produced on the court of Ten, by this investment of command, may be judged of from the fact that one of the Ten imperial family, Moyoong Ling, thought it his best plan to bribe a few thousand soldiers, with whom to make off for Shachung. He never got there, however ; for he was pursued, his men slain or scattered, he taken, afterwards put to death, and his body sent to Loongchung. These and other symptoms so alarmed Wei, that he at last