But  when  he  requested  the  Mongols  to
comply  with  the  more  important  part  of  the
convention,  by  which  the  Sung  forces  had
joined  the  Mongols  before  Tsaichau,  and  to
evacuate  the  province  of  Honan,  he  experi-
enced a  rude  awakening  from  his  dream  that
the  overthrow  of  the  Kins  would  redound  to
his  advantage,  and  he  soon  realized  what
value  the  Mongols  attached  to  his  alliance.
The  military  capacity  of  Mongkong  inspired
the  Sung  ruler  with  confidence,  and  he  called
upon  the  Mongols  to  execute  their  promises,
or  to  prepare  for  war.  The  Mongol  garri-
sons made  no  movement  of  retreat,  and  the
utmost  that  Litsong  was  offered  was  a  por-
tion of  Honan,  if  it  could  be  practically
divided.  The  proposition  was  probably
meant  ironically,  but  at  all  events  Litsong
rejected  it,  and  sent  Mongkong  to  take  by
force  possesion  of  the  disputed  province.
The  Mongol  forces  on  the  spot  were  fewer
than  the  Chinese,  and  they  met  with  some
reverses.  But  the  hope  of  the  Sungs  that
the  fortune  of  war  would  declare  in  their
favor  was  soon  destroyed  by  the  vast   pre-


THE   GIANT   CHANG.
69


60


CHINA:    PAST   AND    PRESENT.
parations  of  the  Mongols,  who,  at  a  special
kuriltai,  held  at  Karakoram,  declared  that
the  conquest  of  China  was  to  be  completed.
Then  Litsong's  confidence  left  him,  and  he
sent  an  appeal  for  peace  to  the  Mongols,
giving  up  all  claim  to  Honan,  and  only  ask-
ing to  be  left  in  undisturbed  possession  of
his  original  dominions.  It  was  too  late.
The  Mongols  had  passed  their  decree  that
the  Sungs  were  to  be  treated  like  the  Kins,
and  that  the  last  Chinese  government  was  to
be  destroyed.
An  Army  of  Half  a  Million.
