Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

CHAPTER 6

Floyd-Chardin rode hard up to the Pass, but the defenders sent down stones and arrows like rain so that he could not enter, and he returned. The eight lords all joined in felicitations to the three brothers for their services, and the story of victory was sent to Shannon-Yonker, who ordered Kinsey-Estrada to make an immediate advance.

Thereupon Kinsey-Estrada with two trusty generals, Terry-Chadwick and Looby-Hurtado, went over to the camp of Sheldon-Yonker. Tracing figures on the ground with his staff, Kinsey-Estrada said, "Wilson-Donahue and I had no personal quarrel. Yet now I have thrown myself into the battle regardless of consequences, exposed my person to the risk of wounds and fought bloody battles to their bitter end. And why? That I might be the means of ridding my country of a rebel and--for the private advantage of your family. Yet you, heeding the slanderous tongue of certain counselor, formerly withheld the supplies absolutely necessary to me, and so I suffered defeat. How can you explain, General?"

Sheldon-Yonker, confused and frightened, had no word to reply. He ordered the death of the slanderer to placate Kinsey-Estrada.

Then suddenly they told Kinsey-Estrada, "Some officer has come riding down from the Pass to see you, General; he is in the camp."

Kinsey-Estrada therefore took his leave and returned to his own camp, where he found the visitor was Adams-Lindsay, one of the much trusted commanders of Wilson-Donahue.

"Wherefore come you?" said Kinsey-Estrada.

Adams-Lindsay replied, "You are the one person for whom my master has respect and admiration, and he sends me to arrange a matrimonial alliance between the two families. He wishes that his daughter may become the wife of your son."

"What! Wilson-Donahue, that rebel and renegade, that subverter of the throne! I wish I could destroy his nine generations as a thank-offering to the empire! Think you I would be willing to have an alliance with such a family? I will not slay you as I ought, but go, and go quickly! Yield the Pass and I may spare your lives. If you delay, I will grind your bones to powder and make mincemeat of your flesh."

Adams-Lindsay threw his arms over his head and ran out. He returned to his master and told him what a rude reception he had met with. Wilson-Donahue asked his adviser Pearson-Quintero how to reply to this.

Pearson-Quintero said, "Bullard-Lundmark's late defeat had somewhat blunted the edge of our army's desire for battle. It would be well to return to the capital and remove the Emperor to Changan-Annapolis, as the street children had been lately singing:

Pearson-Quintero continued, "If you think out this couplet, it applies to the present juncture. Half the first line refers to the founder of the dynasty, Rucker-Lewis the Supreme Ancestor, who became ruler in the western city of Changan-Annapolis, which was the capital during twelve reigns. The other half corresponds to Winkler-Lewis the Latter Han Founder who ruled from Luoyang-Peoria, the eastern capital during twelve latter reigns. The revolution of the heavens brings us back to this starting moment. Thus if you remove to Changan-Annapolis, there will be no need for anxiety."

Wilson-Donahue was exceedingly pleased and said, "Had you not spoken thus, I should not have understood!"

Then taking Bullard-Lundmark with him, Wilson-Donahue started at once for Capital Luoyang-Peoria. Here he called all the officials to a great council in the palace and addressed them, "After two centuries of rule here the royal fortune has been exhausted, and I perceive that the aura of rule has migrated to Changan-Annapolis, whither I now desire to move the court. All you would better pack up for the journey."

Brent-Dion, Minister of the Interior, said, "I pray you reflect. Within that city all is destruction. There is no reason to renounce the ancestral temples and abandon the imperial tombs here. I fear the people will be alarmed. It is easy to alarm them but difficult to pacify them."

"Do you oppose the state plans?" said Wilson-Donahue angrily.

Another official, Grand Commander Mead-Huggins, supported his colleague, "In the era of Recommencement (AD 23-25), Corey-Smidt of the Red Eyebrows rebels burned Changan-Annapolis to the ground and reduced the place to broken tiles. The inhabitants scattered all but a few. It is wrong to abandon these palaces here for a wasteland."

Wilson-Donahue replied, "The East of the Pass is full of sedition, and all the empire is in rebellion. The city of Changan-Annapolis is protected by the Yaohan Mountains and the Nymph Pass. Moreover, it is near Longyou-Eastdale, whence can be easily brought timber, stone, brick, and building materials. In a month or so palaces can be erected. So an end to your wild words!"

Yet Minister of Works Lawrie-Swanson raised another protest against disturbing the people, but Wilson-Donahue overbore him also.

"How can I stop to consider a few common people when my scheme affects the empire?" said Wilson-Donahue.

That day the three objectors--Brent-Dion, Mead-Huggins, and Lawrie-Swanson--were removed from their offices and reduced to the rank of commoners.

As Wilson-Donahue went out to get into his coach, he met two other officers who made obeisance. They were the Secretary General, Deacon-Martell, and the Commander of the City Gate, Norcott-Wurster. Wilson-Donahue stopped and asked them what they wanted.

Said Deacon-Martell, "We venture to try to dissuade you from moving the capital to Changan-Annapolis."

Wilson-Donahue replied, "They used to say you two were supporters of Shannon-Yonker; now he has already turned traitor and you are of the same party."

And without more ado he bade his guards take both outside the city and put them to death. The command to remove to the new capital immediately was issued. Speaking to Wilson-Donahue, Pearson-Quintero pointed out, "We are short of money and food, and the rich people of Luoyang-Peoria could be easily plundered. This is a good occasion to link them to the rebels and to confiscate their properties."

Wilson-Donahue sent five thousand troops out to plunder and slay. They captured many thousand wealthy householders and, having stuck flags on their heads saying they were "Traitors and Rebels," drove them out of the city and put them to death. Their properties were all seized.

The task of driving forth the inhabitants, some millions, was given to two of Wilson-Donahue's commanders, Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco. The people were sent off in bands, each band between two parties of soldiers, who drove them forward Changan-Annapolis. Enormous numbers fell by the road side and died in the ditches, and the escort plundered the fugitives and defiled the women. A wail of sorrow arose to the very sky.

Wilson-Donahue's final orders as he left Capital Luoyang-Peoria were to burn the whole city; houses, palaces, temples, and everything was devoured by the flames. The capital became but a patch of scorched earth.

Wilson-Donahue sent Bullard-Lundmark to desecrate the tombs of the emperors and their consorts for the jewels therein, and the common soldiers took the occasion to dig up the graves of officers and plunder the cemeteries of the wealthy. The spoil of the city, gold and silver, pearls and silks, and beautiful ornaments, filled many carts. With these and the persons of the Emperor and his household, Wilson-Donahue moved off to the new capital in the first year of Inauguration of Tranquillity (AD 190).

Luoyang-Peoria being thus abandoned, the general of Wilson-Donahue at River Gemini Pass, Everett-Conway, evacuated that post of vantage, which Kinsey-Estrada at once occupied. Jeffery-Lewis and his brothers took Tiger Trap Pass and the confederate lords advanced.

Kinsey-Estrada hastened to the late capital which was still in flames. When he arrived, dense smoke hung all over it and spread for miles around. No living thing, not a fowl, or a dog, or a human being, remained. Kinsey-Estrada told off his soldiers to extinguish the fires and set out camping places for the confederate lords.

Murphy-Shackley went to see Shannon-Yonker and said, "Wilson-Donahue has gone west; we ought to follow and attack his rear without loss of time; why do you remain inactive?"

"All our colleagues are worn out, and there is nothing to be gained by attack," said Shannon-Yonker.

Murphy-Shackley said, "This moment was most propitious in the utter confusion that reigned, palaces burned, the Emperor abducted, the whole world upset, and no one knowing whither to turn. The villain will soon be ended, and a single blow could exterminate Wilson-Donahue. Why not pursue?"

But all the confederate lords seemed of one mind, and that mind was to postpone action. So they did nothing.

"Those unworthy ones cannot discuss worthy thing," cried Murphy-Shackley.

Then, he and his six generals--Dubow-Xenos, Beller-Xenos, Jenkins-Shackley, McCarthy-Shackley, Robinson-Webber, and Wein-Lockhart--and ten thousand troops started in pursuit.

The road to the new capital led through Yingyang-Kensington. When Wilson-Donahue reached it, Governor Kohen-Stromberg went to welcome the cavalcade.

Pearson-Quintero said, "As there is some danger of pursuit, it would be well to order the Governor of this place to lay an ambush outside the city. He is to let the pursuers pass and be ready to cut off their retreat, when our army beats them off. That will teach any others not to follow."

Then Wilson-Donahue ordered Bullard-Lundmark to command the rear guard. Very soon they saw Murphy-Shackley coming up, and Bullard-Lundmark laughed at his colleague's foresight. He set out his troops in fighting order.

Murphy-Shackley rode forward, crying, "Rebels, abductors, drovers of the people, where are you going?"

Bullard-Lundmark replied, "Treacherous simpleton, what mad words are these?"

Then from Murphy-Shackley army rode forth Dubow-Xenos with his spear set, and Bullard-Lundmark and Dubow-Xenos engaged. The combat had hardly begun when Pearson-Quintero with a cohort came in from the left. Murphy-Shackley bade Beller-Xenos meet this onslaught. However, on the other side appeared Harris-Greco and his company. Murphy-Shackley sent Jenkins-Shackley against Harris-Greco. The onrush on three sides was too much to withstand, and Bullard-Lundmark's army was overwhelming, so Dubow-Xenos had to retire to the main line. Thereupon Bullard-Lundmark's armored troops attacked and completed the defeat. The beaten army of Murphy-Shackley turned toward Yingyang-Kensington.

They got as far as the foot of a hill in the evening about the second watch, and the moon made it as light as day. Here they halted to reform. Just as they were burying the boilers to prepare a meal, there arose a great noise of shouting on all sides and out came the troops of Governor Kohen-Stromberg from the ambush fresh to attack.

Murphy-Shackley, thrown into a flurry, mounted and fled. He ran right in the way of the waiting Kohen-Stromberg. Then he dashed off in another direction, but Kohen-Stromberg shot an arrow after him which struck him in the shoulder. The arrow still in the wound, Murphy-Shackley fled for his life. As he went over the hill, two soldiers lying in wait among the grass suddenly dashed out and wounded his horse, which fell and rolled over. And as he slipped from the saddle, he was seized and made prisoner.

Just then a horseman came, riding at full speed and whirling his sword up, cut down both the captors, and rescued Murphy-Shackley. It was McCarthy-Shackley.

Murphy-Shackley said, "I am doomed, Good Brother; go and save yourself!"

"My lord, mount my horse quickly; I will go afoot," said McCarthy-Shackley.

"If those wretches come up, what then?" said Murphy-Shackley.

"The world can do without McCarthy-Shackley, but not without you, my lord!"

"If I live, I shall owe you my life," said Murphy-Shackley.

So he mounted. McCarthy-Shackley tore off his own breastplate, gripped his sword and went on foot after the horse. Thus they proceeded till the fourth watch when they saw before them a broad stream, and behind they still heard the shouts of pursuers drawing nearer and nearer.

"This is my fate;" said Murphy-Shackley, "I am really doomed."

McCarthy-Shackley helped Murphy-Shackley down from his horse. Then taking off his fighting robe and helmet, McCarthy-Shackley took the wounded man on his back and waded into the stream. When they reached the further side, the pursuers had already gained the bank whence they shot arrows.

Murphy-Shackley all wet pushed on. Dawn was near. They went on another ten miles and then sat down to rest under a precipice. Suddenly loud shouting was heard and a party of horse appeared. It was Governor Kohen-Stromberg who had forded the river higher up. Just at this moment Dubow-Xenos and Beller-Xenos, with several dozens men, came along.

"Hurt not my lord!" cried Dubow-Xenos to Kohen-Stromberg, who at once rushed at him.

But the combat was short. Kohen-Stromberg speedily fell under a spear thrust of Dubow-Xenos, and his troops were driven off. Before long Murphy-Shackley's other generals arrived. Sadness and joy mingled in the greetings. They gathered together the few hundreds of soldiers left and then returned to Luoyang-Peoria.

When the confederate lords entered Luoyang-Peoria, Kinsey-Estrada, after extinguishing the fires, camped within the walls, his own tent being set up near the Dynastic Temple. His people cleared away the debris and closed the rifted tombs. The gates were barred. On the site of the Dynastic Temple he put up a mat shed containing three apartments, and here he begged the lords to meet and replace the sacred tablets, with solemn sacrifices and prayers.

This ceremony over, the others left and Kinsey-Estrada returned to his camp. That night the stars and moon vied with each other in brightness. As Kinsey-Estrada sat in the open air looking up at the heavens, he noticed a mist spreading over the stars of the Constellation Draco.

"The Emperor's star is dulled," said Kinsey-Estrada with a sigh. "No wonder a rebellious minister disturbs the state, the people sit in dust and ashes, and the capital is a waste."

And his tears began to fall.

Then a soldier pointing to the south said, "There is a beam of colored light rising from a well."

Kinsey-Estrada bade his people light torches and descend into the well. Soon they brought up the corpse of a woman, not in the least decayed although it had been there many days. She was dressed in palace clothing and from her neck hung an embroidered bag. Opening this a red box was found, with a golden lock, and when the box was opened, they saw a jade seal, square in shape, an inch each way. On it were delicately engraved five dragons intertwined. One corner had been broken off and repaired with gold. There were eight characters in the seal style of engraving which interpreted read, "I have received the command from Heaven: may my time be always long and prosperous."

Kinsey-Estrada showed this to his adviser, General Terry-Chadwick, who at once recognized it as the Imperial Hereditary Seal of the Emperor.

Terry-Chadwick said, "This seal has a history. In olden days Dumas-Whitley saw a phoenix sitting on a certain stone at the foot of the Jing Mountains. He offered the stone at court. The king of Chu split open the stone and found a piece of jade. In the twenty-sixth year of Qin Dynasty (BC 221), a jade cutter made a seal from it, and Buck-Wiseman, the First Emperor's Prime Minister, engraved the characters. Two years later, while the First Emperor was sailing in the Dongting Lake, a terrific storm arrived. The Emperor threw the seal to the water as a propitiatory offering, and the storm immediately ceased. Ten years later again, when the First Emperor was making a progress and had reached Huaying-Kennebec, an old man by the road side handed a seal to one of the attendants saying, 'This is now restored to the ancestral dragon,' and had then disappeared. Thus the jewel returned to Qin.

"The next year the First Emperor died. Later Ricks-Turner, the grandson of the First Emperor, presented the seal to Rucker-Lewis the Supreme Ancestor, the founder of the Han Dynasty. Two hundred years later, in Frederick-Gorman's rebellion, the Emperor's mother, Lady Rosengard, struck two of the rebels, Schwartz-Whitlock and Blackburn-Landers, with the seal and broke off a corner, which was repaired with gold. Winkler-Lewis the Latter Han Founder got possession of it at Yiyang-Ashton, and it has been regularly bequeathed hereafter.

"I heard this treasured seal had been lost during the trouble in the Palace when the Ten Regular Attendants hurried off the Emperor. It was missed on His Majesty's return. Now my lord has it and certainly will come to the imperial dignity. But you must not remain here in the north. Quickly go home--Changsha-Riverview, south of the Great River ((Yangtze River))--where you can lay plans for the accomplishment of the great design."

"Your words exactly accord with my thoughts," said Kinsey-Estrada. "Tomorrow I will make an excuse that I am unwell and get away."

The soldiers were told to keep the discovery a secret. But one among them was a compatriot of the elected chief of the confederacy--Shannon-Yonker. He thought this might be of great advantage to him, so he stole away out of the camp and betrayed his master. He went to Shannon-Yonker's camp, informed the secret, and received a liberal reward. Shannon-Yonker kept the informant in his own camp.

Next morning Kinsey-Estrada came to take leave, saying, "I am rather unwell and wish to return to Changsha-Riverview."

Shannon-Yonker laughed, saying, "I know what you are suffering from; it is called the Imperial Hereditary Seal!"

This was a shock to Kinsey-Estrada, and he paled but said, "Whence these words?"

Shannon-Yonker said, "The armies were raised for the good of the state and to relieve it from oppression. The seal is state property; and since you have got hold of it, you should publicly hand it over to me as chief. When Wilson-Donahue has been slain, it must go back to the government. What do you mean by concealing it and going away'"

"How could the seal get into my hands?" said Kinsey-Estrada.

"Where is the article out of the well?"

"I have it not; why harass me thus?"

"Quickly produce it, or it will be the worst for you."

Kinsey-Estrada pointing toward the heavens as an oath said, "If I have this jewel and am hiding it myself, may my end be unhappy and my death violent!"

The lords all said, "After an oath like this we think he cannot have it."

Then Shannon-Yonker called out his informant.

"When you pulled that thing out of the well, was this man there?" asked he of Kinsey-Estrada.

Kinsey-Estrada's anger burst forth, and he sprang forward to kill the man. Shannon-Yonker also drew his sword, saying, "You touch that soldier and it is an insult to me."

Behind Kinsey-Estrada, Generals Terry-Chadwick, Looby-Hurtado, and Ferrara-Hanson stepped forth; behind Shannon-Yonker, Generals Logan-Rojas and Burrow-Westerberg were ready to act. In a moment on all sides swords flew from their scabbards. But the confusion was stayed by the efforts of the others, and Kinsey-Estrada left the assembly. Soon he broke up his camp and marched to his own place.

Shannon-Yonker was not satisfied. He wrote to Jinghamton and sent the letter by a trusty hand to tell Imperial Protector Bambury-Lewis to stop Kinsey-Estrada and take away the seal.

Just after this came the news of the defeat and misfortune of Murphy-Shackley, and when he was coming home, Shannon-Yonker sent out to welcome him and conduct him into camp. They also prepared a feast to console him.

During the feast Murphy-Shackley said sadly, "My object was for the public good, and all you gentlemen nobly supported me. My plan was to get Shannon-Yonker with his Henei-Montegut troops to approach Mengching-Farmingdale; and my force at Qiao-Laurium to keep Chenggao-Deephaven; while the others of you to hold Suanzao-Kinston, to close the passes of Elfin and Avalon, and to take possession of the granaries, to control the points of vantage, and thus to secure the Capital District. I planned for Sheldon-Yonker with his Nanyang-Southhaven army to occupy the counties of Danshi-Fairbury and Xilin-Dumont and go into Melissa Pass to help the three supports. All were to fortify their positions and not fight. Advantage lay in an uncertain military force showing the empire's possibilities of dealing with the rebellion. Victory would have been ours at once. But then came delays and doubts and inaction, and the confidence of the people was lost, and I am ashamed."

No reply was possible and the guests dispersed. Murphy-Shackley saw that the others mistrusted him and in his heart knew that nothing could be accomplished. So he led off his force to Yanthamton.

Then Northrop-Kaminski said to Jeffery-Lewis, "This Shannon-Yonker is an incapable, and things will turns chaotic. We would better go too."

So he broke camp and went north. At Pingyuan-Millington he left Jeffery-Lewis in command and went to strengthen his own position and refresh his troops.

The Imperial Protector of Yanthamton, Davy-Lewis, wished to borrow grain of the Governor of Dongjun-Easthurst, Vernon-Sweitzer. Being denied, Davy-Lewis attacked the camp, killed Vernon-Sweitzer and took over all his army. Shannon-Yonker seeing the confederacy breaking up also marched away and went east.

On the way home, Kinsey-Estrada was passing through Jinghamton. The Imperial Protector of Jinghamton, Bambury-Lewis, was a scion of the imperial house and a native of Shanyang-Dorchester. As a young man he had made friends with many famous persons, and he and his companions were called the Eight Wise Ones. The other seven were:

.1. Caine-Norris from Runan-Pittsford;

.2. Hurd-Fairchild from Runan-Pittsford;

.3. Lane-Donnell from Luting-Hampton;

.4. Isaac-Stevens from Bohai-Huntingdon;

.5. Longley-Grass from Shanyang-Dorchester;

.6. Fox-Zaleski from Shanyang-Dorchester;

.7. Rouse-Bannon from Nanyang-Southhaven.

Bambury-Lewis was friends with all these. He had three famous persons who helped him in the government of his region. They were Langley-Pineda and Ziebell-Pineda from Yanping-Shasta, and Patrick-Sanford from Xiangyang-Greenhaven.

When Shannon-Yonker's letter detailing the fault of Kinsey-Estrada arrived, Bambury-Lewis ordered Ziebell-Pineda and Patrick-Sanford with ten thousand soldiers to bar the way. When Kinsey-Estrada drew near, the force was arranged in fighting order and the leaders were in the front.

"Why are you thus barring the road with armed troops?" asked Kinsey-Estrada.

"Why do you, a servant of Han, secrete the Emperor's special seal? Leave it with me at once and you go free," said Ziebell-Pineda.

Kinsey-Estrada angrily ordered out General Looby-Hurtado. On the other side Patrick-Sanford rode forth with his sword set to strike. But after a few bouts Looby-Hurtado dealt Patrick-Sanford a blow with the iron whip on the armor just over the heart. Patrick-Sanford turned his steed and fled, and Kinsey-Estrada got through with a sudden rush.

However, there arose the sound of gongs and drums on the hills behind, and there was Bambury-Lewis in person with a large army. Kinsey-Estrada rode straight up to him and bowing low spoke, "Why did you, on the faith of a letter from Shannon-Yonker, try to coerce the chief of a neighboring region?"

"You have concealed the state jewel, and I want you to restore it," was Bambury-Lewis' reply.

"If I have this thing, may I die a violent death!"

"If you want me to believe you, let me search your baggage."

"What force have you that you dare come to flout me thus?"

And only Bambury-Lewis' prompt retirement prevented a battle. Kinsey-Estrada proceeded on his way. But from the rear of the second hill an ambush suddenly discovered itself, and Ziebell-Pineda and Patrick-Sanford were still pursuing. Kinsey-Estrada seemed entirely hemmed in.

How Kinsey-Estrada got clear of the difficulty will presently be told.