Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/185

 BATTLE OF ANSHIT. 161 the emperor began to wear the ''cap of manhood/'* he had taken the lead in the fight, and all his plans and attacks had been: saccessful; that now, therefore, they were come to hear his decisions, and to cany out his plans. After a pleased laugh, he said that General Wooji would have meantime to go with a few hundred men to the higher points, to discover good places for ambush and ascertain the lines of Gaoli and Mogo, which must be over forty li in length. The impetuous Taotai Wang volunteered his opinion that, as so laige an army was collected here, Pingyang must have been left comparatively empty. He would therefore guarantee the speedy capture of Pingyang if he had but 5000 good horse ; and the Corean capital once taken, this large army would surrender without a blow. The emperor dissented at the time, but afterwards acknowledged that this was the best pkn, and would have been successful The emperor after this council sent a messenger to Yenshow, stating that he had come so far to punish a regicide, that if he had taken cities on the way, it was because they refused to give him provender ; and if they (Coreans) would now submit, all that was already taken would be given back. Yenshow believed this manifest falsehood, and became lax in his watch in consequence. By night the emperor gave orders that Shuji should march with 15,000 men and draw up in battle order at Siling (west pass) ; Wooji with 11,000 choice soldiers to second him from the north of the hill by the valley of Giayu ; while the emperor himself would march at the head of 4000 cavalry and infantry, and with beating of drum, blowing of horns, and flying banners, ascend the north hiU; andallthearmy wastobeready tomove as soon as the roll of tiie drums and the blow of the horns were heard. He aLso ordered a small official to prepare a tent, to receive those surrendering ; so sure was he of success. If these forces consisted only of those 30,000 men, the imperial army had already suffered frightftil losses ; or the historian is misstating the forces disposable, to fiDuriher glorify the emperor. The latter we believe.
 * Before ninetew yean of age.