Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/175

 A KINO-SLAYER 151 which ive feel very much impelled to call an exaggerated one. The king may have been a man whom the people were not sony to be rid of. At any rate, future events, which we shall have to record, prove that there was no such general ill-feeling towards Ihe king-slayer. The Chinese historian has a purpose to serve in thus blackening the character of G^soowun. The horribly unhuman face, ascribed to him by the historical novels of the Tang dynasty, is proof rather of Chinese hatred than of Corean fear. A messeger was sent into Qaoli, who advised that a Chinese army be at once posted in Whaiyuen jv/ti,'* to be ready for any possible move on the part of Gaoli ; ia reference to which the emperor said it could not be endured that Gaisoowun, who had murdered his king, should continue to act as absolute lord over the land ; but the crushed down condition of Shantung meantime presented an insuperable obstacle to active measures against him. The emperor had evidently learned from experience, though he was eager to follow in the steps of Emperor Yang. One minister advised that Mogo on the north, and Kitan on the west^ of Gaoli should be incited against the latter ; but another objected that Gaisoowun was well aware of the greatness of his crime, and fearing the vengence of a great power, was doubtless prepared ; better therefore wait on till China could herself send an army against him. To this the emperor agreed, and sent a messenger conferring the title of Liaotung Wang on King Dsang, thus virtuaUy ratifymg the deed of Gaisoowun. When expressing his gratitude, Dsang sent the state records to have the emperor's exact words written therein. Three months after, Sinlo sent an embassy to the Chinese court, praying for help ; for that Gaoli and Baiji, were forming a treaty to plunder her land, and that Baiji had already taken forty dtiea An ambassador was therefore at once sent on to Gaoli to demand that Sinlo be left unmolested, as she was a faithful kingdom, and any wrong to her would be punished by instant the north-east of Chihli. Note, p. 154.
 * Thi8 again shows that Whaiyuen must be sought not on the Whangho, but to