354 KUJITN. was nominatedi who, however, did not prevent the &H of Taiyuen, whose brave defender had at last to yield to the long continued, constant, and fierce attacks of Meiho. No sooner was Taiyuen fallen (Oct 1126) than Meiho drove the Chinese army north of the river southwards, pursuing it and taking Loyang,* the western capital This caused the imbecile and vacillating Chinese court to issue a mourning proclamation, inviting soldiers from all quarters to save the country ; and to deliberate as futilely as before, on the propriety of throwing the three chows as a sop to this ferocious Cerberus. But the same minority strongly protested against such cession, because that was the birth place of the dynasty ; and for the wiser reason that it would be unavailing, for the Kin would not stay their southward course one day. The emperor decided he would not cut off the northern cities, his ** naked children. But he had to change his mind again ; for Meiho pressed on, desiring to dictate his terms at the gate of the capital. The emperor was in a state of terror when Meiho approached the capital ; but on learning that all the Kin desired was a treaty and the cutting off of some land, he went out to their camp and had their chiefs into his palace, feasting and drinking together with them ! Orders were twice sent to the cities north of the river to open their gates to Kin, but the citizens refused A diversion was made by commander Kang Wang, brother of the emperor, who took SO forts of Kin in the north, in the beginning of 1127, but in February he felt himself compelled to retreat He therefore ordered the various divisions to combine and to fall back on the capital One of the divisions refused to join the rest, but set out for the south of the river Wei at Weikwun foo of Honan. The scouts of the division soon reported the enemy ahead, and in camp. The whole division was soon engaged, but defeated ; and, while retreating eastwards, it was discovered that the camps of the enemy environed them on all sides, — advance being as difficult as retreat was impossible. The commanding officer then issued a bulletin, stating that march or retreat was alike impossible, and that they
- Near the present Kaifung of Honan.
