Li Tz{u}-ch`eng further possessed himself of the persons of Wu San-kuei’s father and affianced bride, the latter of whom, a very beautiful girl, he intended to keep for himself.  He next sent off a letter to Wu San-kuei, offering an alliance against the Manchus, which was fortified by another letter from Wu San-kuei’s father, urging his son to fall in which Li’s wishes, especially as his own life would be dependent upon the success of the missions.  Wu San-kuei had already started on his way to relieve the capital when he heard of the events above recorded; and it seems probable that he would have yielded to circumstances and persuasion but for the fact that Li had seized the girl he intended to marry.  This decided him; he retraced his steps, shaved his head after the required style, and joined the Manchus.

It was not very long before Li Tz{u}-ch`eng’s army was in full pursuit, with the twofold object of destroying Wu San-kuei and recovering Chinese territory already occupied by the Manchus.  In the battle which ensued, all these hopes were dashed; Li sustained a crushing defeat, and fled to Peking.  There he put to death the Ming princes who were in his hands, and completely exterminated Wu San-kuei’s family, with the exception of the girl above mentioned, whom he carried off after having looted and burnt the palace and other public buildings.  Now was the opportunity of the Manchus; and with the connivance and loyal aid of Wu San-kuei, the Great Ch`ing Dynasty was established.

Li Tz{u}-ch`eng, who had officially mounted the Dragon Throne as Emperor of China nine days after his capture of Peking, was now hotly pursued by Wu San-kuei, who had the good fortune to recover from the rebels the girl, who had been taken with them in their flight, and whom he then married.  Li Tz{u}-ch`eng retreated westwards; and after two vain attempts to check his pursuers, his army began to melt away.  Driven south, he held Wu-ch`ang for a time; but ultimately he fled down the Yang-tsze, and was slain by local militia in Hupeh.

Li was a born soldier.  Even hostile writers admit that his army was wonderfully well disciplined, and that he put a stop to the hideous atrocities which had made his name a terror in the empire, just so soon as he found that he could accomplish his ends by milder means.  His men were obliged to march light, very little baggage being allowed; his horses were most carefully looked after.  He himself was by nature calm and cold, and his manner of life was frugal and abstemious.

CHAPTER III—­SHUN CHIH