Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/270

246 the same time he sent messengers to the Sung emperor, to upbraid him with ingratitude in taking advantage of the hour of their extreme peril for attacking them. He also charged him with carrying out a suicidal policy. This, however true, was of small weight then with the Chinese emperor, who gloated over the crushing defeats and desperate condition of the foe, who had held him and his house so long in bondage;—for "revenge is sweet"

The Peking king died in June 1122, his widow assuming the reins of government, with the scarcely concealed intention of opening the gates to the Kin. She therefore put to death the commander of the capital, who had made her late husband king. Against this city a large Chinese army was getting ready; but Agooda, fearing this army should reach and take the city ere he got there, sent messengers to the court of Sung, to by any means delay the departure of that army. His designs were favoured by events; for just then the Sung generals were again defeated by the army of Liao, but the commandant of Chochow and Yichow of Chihli opened their gates to the Chinese.

In December, the Kin court sent messengers to the Sung emperor to treat of the partition of the countries of the Liao, as if there had been no previous understanding; but that understanding was still believed in and adhered to by the Chinese, who sent messengers in return, demanding Lanchow, Pingchow, and Yingchow, which were included in the treaty as among the sixteen chows to become the portion of Sung. But Agooda refused to be bound by the treaty, saying that those cities had all been taken by the sword of the Kin, and must remain their property. Tatung was refused on the same plea, as well as Peking, which was soon taken by Kin by assault, the widow fleeing,—proving that she was prevented, or had resiled from her design of opening the gates to Kid. Thus all the five capitals of the Liao were in Kin hands, with nine-tenths of all their late