Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/136

 112 IMPERIAL YEN. Changan, along with his ministers, now his accusera Chin Wang asked what should be done ; and the latter said there was only one way of dealing with the case. The parricide was therefore broken to death, and the kingdom of Dai divided into two Provinces, — ^East of the (Yellow) River under the rule of Liw Kooyin, and West of the River under Weichun. The mother of the child Gwei turned up, and craved the protection of Kooyin, who was a faithful official The boy was much admired, and favourable prognostications were made of his future. But a Yen man murdered Kooyin, and ran away with his horses. A younger brother succeeded Kooyin in the government, and three years after, in 387, Juba Gwei was enthroned as Dai Wang, when the Yen power was again rising and throwing its shadow over the north. Moyoong Liw Hien was commander of an army in the north ; and as it was in disorder in that year, Gwei believed it was best to attack it, lest, after a time, it came down upon him. He did, and defeated it, driving Hien to take refuge with the West Yen. The god of war now summoned Dai Wang into the arena of competing emperors, who were cutting and hacking all China within and without That he did, assuming the imperial style of Wei. But he was not to be permitted to march further south while Chooi lived ; for Lin, the Jao Wang, and one of Chooi's commanders, drove him back again into his northern quarters. With the defeat of West Yen, Chooi was now face to face with Wei, whose kingdom, taking advantage of the civil strife among the Yen, had spread itself over the north of Shansi, and west of Chihli. For two years Chooi slowly fought his way, from victory to victory, up to the walls of Ye ; but one defeat there so thoroughly upset him, that he had to retire to Joongshan, where he died, and his body was buried in Loongchung. Wei next defeated Liaosi Wang at Yangchu of Taiyuen; and in the flight, several thousand men were scattered, while the Yen com- mander, his wife and children, feU into the hands of WeL In 397, Wei pressed the siege of Ye so closely, that the Yen men, in their fear, sought from the feeble Chin a help which never