ith desperate courage, but it was evident that they could not long hold
out against such odds. Fortunately for them, at this critical moment a
strong Manchu corps reached the field, and at once made a furious charge
upon the nearly victorious troops. This diversion caused a complete
change in the situation. Li's troops, filled with terror at the vigorous
and unexpected assault, broke and fled, pursued by their foes with such
bloodthirsty fury that thirty thousand of them were slain. Li escaped
with a few hundred horsemen from the disastrous field which was to prove
the turning-point in his career.

The delayed Manchus soon after appeared in numbers, and Wou lost no time
in following up his signal success. Peking was quickly reached, and
there, on the eastern ramparts, the victor was greeted with the
spectacle of his father's head on the wall, Li having thus wreaked what
vengeance he could upon his foe. It was an unwise act of ferocity, since
it rendered impossible any future reconciliation with his opponent.

Li made no effort to defend the city, but fled precipitately with all
the plunder he could convey. Wou, marching round its walls, pressed hard
upon his track, attacking his rear-guard in charge of the bulky
baggage-train, and defeating it with the slaughter of ten thousand
troops. Li continued to retreat, collecting the garrisons he had left in
various cities as he fled, until, feeling strong enough to hazard
another battle, he took his stand near the city of Chingtung. Wou did
not hesitate to attack. Eighty thousand Manchus had joined him, and
abundant Chinese levies had raised his forces to two hundred thousand
men. The battle was fierce and obstinate, Li fighting with his old skill
and courage, and night closed without giving either party the victory.
But under cover of the darkness the rebel leader, having lost forty
thousand men, including some of his ablest officers, deemed it necessary
to resume his retreat.

The remainder of Li's career may be briefly told. Wou followed him with
unyielding persistency, fighting at every opportunity and being always
the victor in these encounters. This rapid flight, these repeated
defeats, at length so discouraged the rebel troops that on Li's making a
final stand they refused to fight, and insisted on coming to terms with
their pursuer. Finding that all was at an end, Li fled to the
neighboring mountain region with a small body of men, and there returned
to the robber sta