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Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/274

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Saimei.
267

Arima and his four companions. One the 1st day of the 11th month, the thirteen royal persons captured by General Su Ting-fang and his men, from the King of Pèkché down to the Crown Prince Nyung and others, with the Prime Minister Sa-chhèk, Chhyön-pok-kuk, Pyön-syöng, and others of lower rank, thirty-seven persons, making in all fifty persons, were delivered up to the Government. They were at once led before the Emperor, who spoke kindly to them and released them on the spot. On the 19th the Emperor bestowed presents,[1] and on the 24th we started from the Eastern capital."

9th month, 5th day. Pèkché sent a Talsol, the Buddhist novice,[2] Kak-chyong, and others with the following message to the Empress [one book says, "They escaped hither and gave information of their hard case"]:—"In the 7th month of this year, Silla, relying on its strength and assuming a blustering attitude, picked a quarrel with its neighbour, and drawing the Thang people into it, overturned Pèkché. Sovereign and Ministers were all captured, and scarce a living soul[3] was left."

In one book it is said:—"On the 10th day of the 7th month of the present year, Su Ting-fang, of Great Thang, (XXVI. 20.) drew up the fleet under his command in the harbour of Michă, while Chhyun-chhyu-chi, King of Silla, with his horse and foot occupied Mount No-syu-ri, and so they attacked Pèkché from both sides. The fighting went on for three days. Our Royal city was taken. On the 13th day of the same month, they began to demolish the Royal city. Mount No-syu-ri is on the eastern border of Pèkché."

Upon this Kwisil Pok-sin, Eunsol of the Western Division, was mightily enraged, and betook himself to Mount Im-sya-ki [one book says, "Northern Mount Im-köm-li"], while Yö Chă-chin, Eunsol of the Central Division, occupied the walled city of Kumanori[4] [one book says, "Mount To-to-ki-nyu"]. They each formed a camp and assembled the scattered troops. Their weapons had become exhausted in the previous

  1. On the Japanese Envoys.
  2. Śramaṇêra.
  3. Lit. "a chewer of food."
  4. No doubt identical with Kumanare mentioned above, the present Ung-chön. See above, Vol. I. p. 367.