Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/203

 A FATAL COMET. 179 them into confusion, and defeated them. Nansoo, Moodi, Tsangyen, all chow cities, fell. But the Chinese army having run short of provisions on the banks of the Yaloo, were in terror ; which seems to imply that they had received severe checks, if they had not been actually defeated. One advantage gained by a detachment over the Qaoli, restored their confidence. In the spring of 668, Hiie defeated the Gaoli troops at Ginshan, and sent on 3,000 men against the city of Fooyu. But the various o£Scer8 refused to march, because the men were insufficient Hiie, however, — saying that victory did not depend on numbers, — ^led the van, with which he broke the Gaoli, taking a myriad men; whereupon Fooyii felL The forty cities in Chuenjoong (between the rivers), sent officers to tender submission. A messenger was sent to Loyang to report this, who, in reply to his majesty's words, said that Gaoli must fall now, as there was so much division since Gaisoowun was gone; that the people were, besides, ill at ease because of a succession of bad harvests. The messenger replied to his majesty's questions that Hiie Tingwei was undoubtedly the chief strategist A comet was seen at the same time in the " Five chariot '' * star ; which as it was in the north-east, indicated the extinction of Gaoli. But the emperor said that in spite of the comet, he would save the people of Gaoli, though chastising their rebellious chiefs. In the summer, Nanjien sent 50,000 men to retake Fooyii ; but they were slain, captured, or scattered at Hiiho river ; and Liji pressed on their heels, taking Dahing, combining the various Chinese contingents into one army, which broke the Gaoli army holding the barricades on the Yaloo, pursuing them for 200 li, and taking Chwunyi chung. The Gaoli forsook their cities, which were found emptied. Holi led the van of the army to Pingyang, which was soon besieged. The king, thinking that the time had now come to cease hostilities, sent out Nanshan and 98 principal men with a white flag to surrender. Liji received them with proper ceremony. north of Bi oonstellAtion and tost of Taurus.
 * The chariots of the five emperon and the five soldiers of the reigning house,