Letter in reply to Sartai答沙打里書
右啓前月某日。忽奉鈞旨。備認體候動止萬順。欣喜倍萬。所諭皇帝處廻去文字事。一一祇稟。已具表章。尋發遣使介前去。伏惟炤悉。我國如前書所載。雖畏懼大國。入處山海之間。其所以仰奉上朝。尙爾一心。以是今聞大軍之入境。卽遣使優。謹行迎問之禮。繼蒙辱貺鈞旨。申遣使人。齎不腆酒菓禮物。勞問左右。則小國之無他。亦於此可知也。苟以一心事之。不關地之彼此。冀幕府不必以遷徙爲咎。待之如舊。則實小國萬世之福也。所遣詣皇帝處一行使人。先就幕下。聽取處分。其使人之進退行止禍福生死。皆在幕府之掌握。伏望曲加扶護。善爲指揮。兼差幕下使人。導達於皇帝闕下。永護小邦。則予亦敢不感至銘骨耶。其大官人投拜事。小國業已畏懼。入此幽僻之中。則雖大官人。心志耗喪。日益以拙。月益以鈍。未遽趨造左右聽命。慞惶顚倒。罔知所裁。惟大度寬之。無任希恩望惠之至。不宣。再拜謹啓。
I report. On a certain day last month I suddenly received your lofty instructions. Learning in full that your person and bearing are everywhere at ease, my joy is ten thousand times over. As to the matter you instructed, of the letter to be sent back to the Emperor, I have reverently carried out each point and already prepared the memorial, and have at once sent envoys to set out. Prostrate I hope you will look down upon it.
Our country, as was written in the letter sent earlier, though it has come in among the hills and the sea in fear of the great country, is still of one mind in looking up to and upholding the Imperial court. Therefore, hearing this time that the great army had entered our borders, we at once sent envoys to perform with reverence the rite of welcome and inquiry. When you then condescended to send down your instructions, we again sent men bearing poor wine and fruit and gifts to comfort and inquire after your retinue; that the small country has no other intent may be known even from this.
If we serve truly with one mind, it does not matter whether the ground be on this side or that. We hope that the headquarters will not count the moving of the capital a fault, and that if you treat us as before, it will truly be the small country's happiness for ten thousand generations.
The envoys of the one mission going to the Emperor have been made to go first to your tent to hear your disposition. Their advancing and withdrawing, their going and staying, their calamity and their good fortune, their life and their death, are all within the hand of your headquarters. Prostrate we hope that you will look after them in every particular and direct them well, and that you will send a man of your tent along with them to lead them and report at the Emperor's palace, and so keep the small country long. If you do so, how should the gratitude not be graven in my bones?
As to presenting ourselves in submission to the Great Officer: since the small country has already in fear come into this remote and cornered place, though we would go forward, our heart and will have withered, by the day more clumsy and by the month more dull, so that we cannot run straight to your retinue and hear your command. In dread and confusion we do not know what to do. Only look upon us leniently with your great magnanimity. I cannot contain the utmost of my hope for your favour. Here I break off. Bowing twice, I reverently report.