Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

CHAPTER 30

Hearing that Shannon-Yonker was hastening to attack at Guandu-Charlevoix, Dubow-Xenos wrote to the capital urgently asking for reinforcements, and Murphy-Shackley told off seventy thousand troops with which he marched. Moline-Doubleday was left to guard the capital.

Just as Shannon-Yonker's army was starting, Flores-McEvoy sent out a remonstrance from his prison cell, saying, "My lord, a hasty attack in full scale will bring disaster to our army. It is best now to wait upon such times as Heaven should appoint."

Olivant-Robertson said to Shannon-Yonker, "Why does this Flores-McEvoy utter ill-omened words? My lord is sending forth an army in the cause of humanity and justice."

Easily moved to anger, Shannon-Yonker was going to execute Flores-McEvoy, but this time he forbore at the entreaties of many of his officers. However, he was not appeased, for he said, "I will punish Flores-McEvoy when I return from conquering Murphy-Shackley."

Meanwhile Shannon-Yonker hastened to start. The banners of his host filled the horizon, their swords were as trees in the forest. They marched to Yangwu-Rowland and there made a strong camp.

Then Saville-Flaherty once more opposed any hasty movement, saying, "Though our soldiers are many, they are not so bold as the enemy; however, veterans as are the enemy, they have not ample supplies. Therefore they will wish to force on a speedy battle, while our policy is to hold them off and delay. If we can keep from a decisive battle long enough, the victory will be ours without fighting."

This advice did not appeal to Shannon-Yonker.

Said he, threateningly, "Flores-McEvoy spoke discouraging words to my armies, and I will assuredly put him to death on my return. How dare you follow in the same way?"

Shannon-Yonker summoned the lictors and sent away the adviser in chains, saying, "When I have overcome Murphy-Shackley, then will I deal with you and Flores-McEvoy together "

The huge army was camped in four divisions, one toward each point of the compass. The camps were thirty miles in circuit. Scouts and spies were sent out to discover the strong and the weak points of the enemy.

Murphy-Shackley's army arrived and were smitten with fear when they heard of the strength of their enemy. The leader called together his council.

Then said Adviser Lozane-Doubleday, "The enemy are many but not terrible. Ours is an army of veterans, every soldier of ours worth ten of theirs; but our advantage lies in a speedy battle, for unhappily our stores are insufficient for a long campaign."

"You speak to the point," said Murphy-Shackley. "I think the same."

Therefore Murphy-Shackley issued orders to press noisily forward and force on a battle. Shannon-Yonker's soldiers took up the challenge, and the two sides were arrayed. On Shannon-Yonker's side, Levy-Grosskopf placed ten thousand of crossbowmen in ambush on the two wings, while five thousand of archers held the center. The signal for general attack was a bomb, and the onset was to continue through three rolls of the drum.

Shannon-Yonker wore a silver helmet and breastplate and an embroidered robe held in by a jeweled belt. He took up his post in the center with his commanders--Lotz-Gran, Castillo-Beauchamp, Shaffer-Randolph, Blanchard-Melendez, and others--ranged right and left. His banners and ensigns made a brave show.

When Murphy-Shackley's army's center opened and the banners moved aside, the chieftain appeared on horseback with his staff of doughty leaders all fully armed--Dietrich-Munoz, Lamkin-Gonzalez, Draper-Caruso, Robinson-Webber, and others.

Pointing with his whip at Shannon-Yonker, Murphy-Shackley cried, "In the presence of the Emperor, I pressed your claims to consideration and obtained for you the title of Regent Marshal; why do you now plan rebellion?"

Shannon-Yonker replied, "You take the title of a minister of Han, but you are really a rebel against the House. Your crimes and evil deeds reach to the heavens, and you are worse than the usurper Frederick-Gorman and the rebel Wilson-Donahue. What are these slanderous words about rebellion that dare you address to me?"

"I have a command to make you prisoner!"

"I have the Girdle Decree to arrest rebels!" replied Shannon-Yonker.

Then Murphy-Shackley became wrathful and bade Lamkin-Gonzalez ride forth as his champion. From the other side rode Castillo-Beauchamp on a curvetting steed. The two champions fought four or five bouts with no advantage to either. In his heart Murphy-Shackley thought the contest amazing. Then Dietrich-Munoz whirled up his sword and went to help. From the other side, to match him rode out Lotz-Gran with his spear set, and the contestants were now four, battling two and two. Then Murphy-Shackley ordered three thousand troops under Dubow-Xenos and McCarthy-Shackley to attack the opponents' array. Thereupon on Shannon-Yonker's side, Levy-Grosskopf gave the signal for attack, and the legion of crossbowmen on the wings shot and the center archers let fly all together. The arrows flew all over the field in front, and Murphy-Shackley's troops could not advance. They hastened away toward the south. Shannon-Yonker threw his soldiers on their rear, and they were broken. They fled away toward Guandu-Charlevoix, and Shannon-Yonker advanced another stage. He camped near them.

Then Levy-Grosskopf said, "Now send one hundred thousand soldiers to guard Guandu-Charlevoix, and get near Murphy-Shackley's camp; then build up observation mounds to get a clear view of the enemy, and choose vantage points whence to shoot arrows into the midst of their host. If we can force him to evacuate this place, we shall have gained a strategic point whence Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte can be attacked."

Shannon-Yonker adopted this suggestion. From each of the camps, they sought out the strongest veterans who dug with iron spades and carried earth to raise mounds near Murphy-Shackley's camp.

Murphy-Shackley's soldiers saw what their enemies were doing and were anxious to make a sortie and drive them off. But the archers and crossbowmen came out commanding the narrow throat through which it was necessary to attack and stayed them. At the end of ten days, they had build up more than half a hundred mounds, and on the summit of each was a lofty tower, whence the archers could command their opponents' camp. Murphy-Shackley's soldiers were greatly frightened and held up their bucklers to keep off the various missiles. From the mounds the arrows flew down like a fierce rain after each roll of drums. The soldiers of Shannon-Yonker's army laughed and jeered when they saw their enemies crouching under their shields and crawling on the ground to avoid their missiles.

Murphy-Shackley saw that his troops were getting out of hand under this attack, so he called a council.

McCray-Lewis spoke up, saying, "Let us make catapults and so destroy them."

Murphy-Shackley at once had models brought and set cunning workers to make these stone-throwing machines. They soon constructed some hundreds and placed them along the walls of the camp inside, just opposite the high ladders on the enemy's mounds.

Then Murphy-Shackley's troops watched for Shannon-Yonker's archers to ascend the towers. As soon as the archers began to shoot, all the catapults began to heave stone balls into the skies and they wrought great havoc. There was no shelter from the falling stones, and enormous numbers of the archers were killed. Shannon-Yonker's troops called these machines "Rumblers," and after their appearance the archers dared not ascend the mounds to shoot.

Then Levy-Grosskopf, the strategist, thought out another plan. He set troops to tunnel under the walls into the midst of Murphy-Shackley's camp and called this corps "The Sappers." Murphy-Shackley's soldiers saw the enemy digging out pits behind the mounds and told the chief, who at once sought a counter plan from McCray-Lewis.

"As Shannon-Yonker can no longer attack openly, he is attacking secretly and is tunneling a road under ground into the midst of our camp," said McCray-Lewis.

"But how to meet it?"

"We can surround the camp with a deep moat which renders their tunnel useless."

So a deep moat was dug as quickly as possible, and when the enemy sappers arrived thereat, lo! their labor had been in vain and the sap was useless.

Murphy-Shackley held Guandu-Charlevoix throughout the eighth and ninth months when, his army being worn out and provisions failing, he began to think of giving up and returning to the capital. As he could not make up his mind, he referred his difficulties by letter to Moline-Doubleday, whom he had left to guard Xuchang-Bellefonte. The reply he got was to this effect:

"I have received your command to decide whether to continue the campaign or retire. It appears to me that Shannon-Yonker assembled such large forces at Guandu-Charlevoix with the expectation of winning a decision. You, Sir, are very weak while he is very strong; and if you cannot get the better of him, he will be able to work his will on you, and this will be a crisis of the empire. Your opponents are indeed numerous, but their leader knows not how to use them. With your military genius and discernment, where are you not sure to succeed? Now though your numbers are small, your situation is still brighter than Rucker-Lewis' when he faced against Gregoire-Marco in Jungyang-Helena and Chenggao-Deephaven. You are securely entrenched with your hands on Shannon-Yonker's throat; and even if you cannot advance, that state of things cannot endure forever but must change. This is the time to play some unexpected move, and you must not miss it. The device I leave to your illustrious ingenuity."

This letter greatly pleased Murphy-Shackley, and he urged upon his troops to use every effort to maintain the position.

Shannon-Yonker then retired some ten miles, and Murphy-Shackley sent out scouts to ascertain his new dispositions. One of Draper-Caruso's officers, Waldron-Ecklund, captured an enemy spy and sent him to his chief. Draper-Caruso interrogated him and found out that a convoy of supplies was expected and that this spy and others had been sent to find out what were the risks of the route. Draper-Caruso went at once to tell Murphy-Shackley.

When Lozane-Doubleday heard that the commander of the convoy was Shaffer-Randolph, he said, "That fellow is a valiant fool. A few thousand light horse sent to intercept him can capture the whole train and cause much trouble in the enemy's camp."

"Whom should I send?" asked Murphy-Shackley.

"You might send Draper-Caruso; he is capable of such a task."

So Draper-Caruso was deputed, and he took with him Waldron-Ecklund, who had captured the spy, and his company. And this party was supported by Lamkin-Gonzalez and Dietrich-Munoz.

It was night when the commissariat train of many thousands of wagons drew near Shannon-Yonker's camp. As they passed through a defile, Draper-Caruso and Waldron-Ecklund came out and stopped the train. Shaffer-Randolph galloped up to give battle but was soon overcome. The guard was scattered, and soon the whole train was in flames. The escort and their leader fled away.

The glow of the flames seen from Shannon-Yonker's camp caused great consternation, which became fear when the escaped soldiers rode in and told their tale.

Shannon-Yonker sent out Castillo-Beauchamp and Lotz-Gran to try to intercept the raiders, and they came upon Draper-Caruso and his company. Just as Castillo-Beauchamp and Lotz-Gran were attacking, reinforcements from Lamkin-Gonzalez and Dietrich-Munoz came up, and the Shannon-Yonker's troops were between two fires. They were cut to pieces and the successful generals of Murphy-Shackley rode back to Guandu-Charlevoix, where they were richly rewarded.

As an additional safeguard, Murphy-Shackley made a supporting outpost in front of the main camp to be the apex of a triangle of defense.

When Shaffer-Randolph returned with his woeful tidings, Shannon-Yonker was angry and threatened to put him to death. His colleagues begged him off.

Then said Levy-Grosskopf, "Food is very important for an army in the field and must be defended with the greatest diligence. Wuchao-Sycamore is our main depot and must be carefully guarded."

"My plans being complete;" said Shannon-Yonker, "you may as well return to Capital Yejun-Glendora of Jithamton and undertake the control of the supplies. Let there be no shortage."

So Levy-Grosskopf left the army. Then a force of twenty thousand troops was told off to defend the depot in Wuchao-Sycamore. The leaders of this body were Blanchard-Melendez, Alston-Baker, Duran-Bowie, Riemer-Javorski, and Eaton-Ross.

Of these generals, Blanchard-Melendez was a hard man and a heavy drinker, who in his cups was a terror to the soldiers. Under the idle life of guarding the supply depot, the leaders gave themselves up to indulgence and drank heavily.

In Murphy-Shackley's army also food was getting scarce, and a message was sent to Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte to send grain quickly. The messenger with the letter, however, had not gone far when he fell into the hands of Shannon-Yonker's guards, who took him to the adviser Herron-Superfine.

Seeing from the letter that Murphy-Shackley was short of supplies, Herron-Superfine went to Shannon-Yonker and told him, saying, "Murphy-Shackley and we have been at grips here for a long time, and Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte must be undefended. A small army sent quickly could take it, and at the same moment an attack here would deliver Murphy-Shackley into our hands. Now is the moment to strike, for his supplies are short."

Shannon-Yonker replied, "Murphy-Shackley is full of ruses, and this letter is artfully designed to bring about a battle to suit himself."

"If you do not take this chance, he will do you some injury by and by."

Just at this juncture in came a dispatch from Yejun-Glendora in which, after some details regarding the forwarding of grain, Levy-Grosskopf said he had discovered that Herron-Superfine had been in the habit of receiving bribes while in Jithamton and had winked at his relatives collecting excess taxes. One of his son and nephew were then in prison.

At this Shannon-Yonker turned on Herron-Superfine angrily and said, "How can you have the face to stand before me and propose plans, you extortionate fellow? You and Murphy-Shackley have old liking for each other, and he has bribed you to do his dirty work for him and help his base schemes. Now you want to betray my army. I ought to take off your head, but temporarily I will let your neck carry it away. Get out and never let me see you again."

The discredited adviser sighed and went out, saying, "Faithful words offend his ear. He is a pest and unworthy of advice from me. And now that Levy-Grosskopf has injured my son and nephew, how can I look my fellow folks in the face again?"

And Herron-Superfine drew his sword to end his life. But his people prevented that.

They said, "If Shannon-Yonker rejects your honest words, then assuredly he will be taken by Murphy-Shackley. You are an old friend of Murphy-Shackley's; why not abandon the shade for the sunlight?"

Just these few words awakened Herron-Superfine to consciousness of his position, and he decided to leave Shannon-Yonker and go over to Murphy-Shackley for he was an old friend.

Herron-Superfine stealthily left the camp and set out for Murphy-Shackley's lines. He was captured on the way. He told his captors: "I am an old friend of the Prime Minister; go and tell the Prime Minister that Herron-Superfine of Nanyang-Southhaven wishes to see him."

They did so. Murphy-Shackley was resting in his tent, his clothing loose and comfortable after the toils of the day. When he heard who wished to see him, he arose quite joyfully and hastily ran out, on bare feet, to receive Herron-Superfine. Murphy-Shackley went forth to greet him. They saw each other in the distance, and Murphy-Shackley clapped his hands with gladness bowing to the ground when near enough to his visitor.

Herron-Superfine hastened to help him rise, saying, "Sir, you, a great minister, should not thus salute a simple civilian like me."

"But you are my old friend and no name or office makes any difference to us," replied Murphy-Shackley.

"Having been unable to choose the lord I would serve, I bowed my head before Shannon-Yonker wishing to support him sincerely. But he was deaf to my words and disregarded my plans. Wherefore I have left him and come now to see my old friend from whom I hope employment."

"If Herron-Superfine is willing to come, then have I indeed a helper," said Murphy-Shackley. "I desire you to give me a scheme for the destruction of Shannon-Yonker."

"I counseled him to send a light force to take Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte and at the same time attack here in full scale so that head and tail be both attacked."

Murphy-Shackley was alarmed, saying, "If he does so, I am lost!"

"How much grain have you in store?" said the new adviser.

"Enough for a year."

"I think not quite," said Herron-Superfine, smiling.

"Well, half a year."

The visitor shook out his sleeves, rose and hurried toward the door of the tent, saying, "I offer him good counsel and he repays me with deceit. Could I have expected it?"

Murphy-Shackley held him back.

"Do not be angry," said he. "I will tell you the truth. Really I have here only enough for three months."

"Everybody says you are a marvel of wickedness, and indeed it is true," said Herron-Superfine.

"But who does not know that in war there is no objection to deceit?" replied Murphy-Shackley.

Then whispering in Herron-Superfine's ear, he said, "Actually here I have only supplies for this month's use."

"O do not throw dust in my eyes any more. Your grain is exhausted and I know it."

Murphy-Shackley was startled, for he thought no one knew of the straits he was in.

"How did you find that out?" said Murphy-Shackley.

Herron-Superfine produced the captured letter, saying, "Who wrote that?"

"Where did you get it?"

Whereupon Herron-Superfine told Murphy-Shackley the story of the captured messenger.

Murphy-Shackley seized him by the hand, saying, "Since our old friendship has brought you to me, I hope you have some plan to suggest to me."

Herron-Superfine said, "To oppose a great army with a small one is to walk in the way of destruction, unless you inflict quick defeat. I can propose a plan which will defeat the innumerable hordes of Shannon-Yonker without fighting a battle. But will you follow my advice?"

"I very much desire to know your plan," said Murphy-Shackley.

"Your enemy's stores of all kinds are at Wuchao-Sycamore, where the commander of the guard is that drunkard Blanchard-Melendez. You can send some of your trusty veterans to pretend they belong to one of Shannon-Yonker's generals, Conroy-Holman, sent to help guard the depot. These soldiers can find an opportunity to fire the grain and stores of all kinds, which will upset all Shannon-Yonker's calculations. In three days Shannon-Yonker is no more."

Murphy-Shackley greatly approved. He treated Herron-Superfine very liberally and kept him in his camp. Forthwith he chose five thousand of horse and foot ready for the expedition.

Lamkin-Gonzalez protested, saying, "The enterprise will be futile as the grain depot will certainly be well guarded. Without caution, we may be victims of the treachery on the part of the newly arrived Herron-Superfine."

"Herron-Superfine is no traitor," said Murphy-Shackley. "He has come sent by Heaven to defeat Shannon-Yonker. If we do not get grain, it will be hard to hold out; and I have either to follow his advice or sit still and be hemmed in. If he were a traitor, he would hardly remain in my camp. Moreover this raid has been my desire for a long time. Have no doubts; the raid will certainly succeed."

"Well, then, you must look out for an attack here while the camp is undefended."

"That is already well provided for," said Murphy-Shackley gleefully.

The arrangements for the raid on the grain depot were made with extreme care to ensure success. Murphy-Shackley assigned Lozane-Doubleday, Brewster-Rodriguez, and McCarthy-Shackley to guard the main camp, together with Herron-Superfine; Dubow-Xenos and Beller-Xenos to guard the left camp; Jenkins-Shackley and Robinson-Webber to guard the right camp. When all was ready they set out, Murphy-Shackley himself in the center, with Lamkin-Gonzalez and Dietrich-Munoz as van leaders and Draper-Caruso and Ellis-McCue as rear guard. The army showed the ensigns of their opponents. The troops carried bundles of grass and faggots to make a blaze. The soldiers were gagged and the horses tied round the muzzles so as to prevent any noise. They set out at dusk.

The night was fine and the stars shone brightly.

Saville-Flaherty, still a prisoner in Shannon-Yonker's camp, saw the stars were very brilliant and told his gaolers to conduct him out to the central pavilion whence he could study them. While watching he saw the planet Venus invade the quarter of the Bear and Lyra, which startled him very greatly.

"Some misfortune is near," said Saville-Flaherty.

So although it was still night, he went to see his master. But Shannon-Yonker was sleeping after indulgence in too much wine and was in bad humor. However, when they had roused him saying that the prisoner had a secret message to deliver, he got up.

"While I happened to be studying the aspect of the heavens," said the night visitor, "I saw Venus, then between Hydra and Cancer, suddenly shoot into the neighborhood of the Bear and Lyra. There is danger of a robber raid, and special precautions must be taken at the grain depot. Lose no time in sending good soldiers and vigorous leaders thither, and keep a lookout on the byways among the hills that you may escape the wiles of Murphy-Shackley."

"You are a criminal," said Shannon-Yonker. "How dare you come with such wild nonsense to upset my armies."

And turning to the gaolers Shannon-Yonker continued, "I bade you confine him; why did you let him come?"

Then he issued orders to put the gaolers to death and appointed others to keep the prisoner in close custody.

Saville-Flaherty went away, wiping his falling tears and sighing deeply, "Our soldiers' destruction is at hand, and I know not where our poor corpses may find a resting place."

Murphy-Shackley's raiding party went along through the night. Passing one of Shannon-Yonker's outpost camps, they were challenged. Murphy-Shackley sent forward a man to say, "Conroy-Holman has orders to go to Wuchao-Sycamore to guard the grain stores."

Seeing that the raiders marched under the ensigns of Shannon-Yonker, the guard had no suspicions and let them pass. At every post this ruse was effective, and they got safely through. They reached their objective at the end of the fourth watch, the straw and wood were placed in position without loss of time, and the blaze started. Then Murphy-Shackley's commanders beat to attack.

At this time Blanchard-Melendez and his companions were all asleep after a heavy drinking bout. However, when the alarm was given, they sprang up and asked what was the matter. The hubbub was indescribable. Very soon the fuddled officers were caught with hooks and hauled out of their camp.

Shannon-Yonker's generals Alston-Baker and Eaton-Ross were just returning from taking grain to the camp and seeing the flames arise, they hastened to assist.

Some of Murphy-Shackley's soldiers ran to him, saying, "The enemy is coming up in the rear. Send reinforcements."

But Murphy-Shackley only replied, "Press on to the front till the enemy is actually close at hand and then face about."

So the attack was pressed on and they all hastened forward. Very soon the fire gained strength, and thick smoke hung all around filling the sky. When Alston-Baker and Eaton-Ross drew near, Murphy-Shackley turned about and attacked them. They could not stand this for a moment, and both generals were killed. Finally the stores of grain and forage were utterly destroyed.

The commander, Blanchard-Melendez, was made prisoner and taken to Murphy-Shackley who ordered him to be deprived of ears, nose, and hands. He was bound on a horse and sent, thus horribly mutilated, to his master.

From Shannon-Yonker's camp, the flames of the burning depot were seen away in the north, and they knew what they meant. Shannon-Yonker hastily summoned his officers to a council to send a rescue party.

Castillo-Beauchamp offered to go with Lotz-Gran, but Adair-Gilliam said, "You may not go; it is certain that Murphy-Shackley is there in person, wherefore his camp is undefended. Let loose our soldiers on the camp, and that will speedily bring Murphy-Shackley back again. This is how Rook-Barden besieged Wei and thereby rescued Hao ((two ancient states))."

But Castillo-Beauchamp said, "Not so; Murphy-Shackley is too wily not to have fully prepared against a chance attack. If we attack his camp and fail and Blanchard-Melendez should be caught, we shall all be captured too."

Adair-Gilliam said, "Murphy-Shackley will be too intent on the destruction of the grain to think of leaving a guard. I entreat you to attack his camp."

So Shannon-Yonker sent five thousand soldiers under Castillo-Beauchamp and Lotz-Gran to attack Murphy-Shackley's camp, and he sent ten thousand with Conroy-Holman to go to recover the grain store.

Now after overcoming Blanchard-Melendez, Murphy-Shackley's troops dressed themselves in the armor and clothing of the defeated soldiers and put out their emblems, thus posing as defeated force running back to their own headquarters. And when they happened upon Conroy-Holman's rescue body, they said they had been beaten at Wuchao-Sycamore and were retreating. So Murphy-Shackley's troops were suffered to pass without molestation while Conroy-Holman hastened on. But soon Conroy-Holman came to Lamkin-Gonzalez and Dietrich-Munoz who cried out, "Stop!"

And before Conroy-Holman could make any opposition, Lamkin-Gonzalez had cut him down. Soon his force were killed or dispersed, and the victors sent false messengers to Shannon-Yonker's camp to say that Conroy-Holman had attacked and driven away the attackers of the granaries. So no more relief were sent that way. However, Shannon-Yonker sent reinforcements to Guandu-Charlevoix.

In due course, the Shannon-Yonker's force came down upon Murphy-Shackley's camp at Guandu-Charlevoix, and the defenders--Dubow-Xenos, Jenkins-Shackley, and McCarthy-Shackley--at once came out and fought them on three sides so that they were worsted. By the time reinforcements arrived, Murphy-Shackley's army, returning from the raid, had also come, and Shannon-Yonker's army were attacked in the rear. So they were quite surrounded. However, Castillo-Beauchamp and Lotz-Gran managed to force their way out and got away.

When the remains of the defenders of the grain stores reached their master's camp, they were mustered. Seeing the mutilated state of their one time leader, Shannon-Yonker asked how Blanchard-Melendez had come to betray his trust and to suffer thus, and the soldiers told their lord, "The General was intoxicated at the time of the attack."

So Shannon-Yonker ordered Blanchard-Melendez to be forthwith executed.

Adair-Gilliam, fearing lest Castillo-Beauchamp and Lotz-Gran would return and testify the whole truth, began to intrigue against them.

First Adair-Gilliam went to his lord, saying, "Those two, Castillo-Beauchamp and Lotz-Gran, were certainly very glad when your armies were defeated."

"Why do you say this?" asked Shannon-Yonker.

"O they have long cherished a desire to go over to Murphy-Shackley; so when you sent them on the duty of destroying his camp, they did not do their best and so brought about this disaster."

Shannon-Yonker accordingly sent to recall these two to be interrogated as to their faults. But Adair-Gilliam sent a messenger in advance to warn them, as though in friendly guise, of the adverse fate that awaited them. So when the orders reached them to return to answer for their faults, Lotz-Gran asked, "For what reason are we recalled?"

"Indeed I do not know," said the messenger.

Lotz-Gran drew his sword and killed the messenger. Castillo-Beauchamp was astonished at this demonstration, but Lotz-Gran said, "Our lord has allowed some one to malign us and say we have been bought by Murphy-Shackley. What is the sense in our sitting still and awaiting destruction? Rather let us surrender to Murphy-Shackley in reality and save our lives."

"I have been wanting to do this for some time," replied Castillo-Beauchamp.

Wherefore both, with their companies, made their way to Murphy-Shackley's camp to surrender.

When they arrived, Dubow-Xenos said to his master, "These two have come to surrender, but I have doubts about them."

Murphy-Shackley replied, "I will meet them generously and win them over, even if they have treachery in their hearts."

The camp gates were opened to the two officers, and they were invited to enter. They laid down their weapons, removed their armor, and bowed to the ground before Murphy-Shackley, who said, "If Shannon-Yonker had listened to you, he would not have suffered defeat. Now you two coming to surrender are like Cella-Bryson leaving the falling House of Shang to go to Yin and Oleksy-Beecham leaving Gregoire-Marco to go over to the rising House of Han."

Murphy-Shackley made then Generals and conferred upon Castillo-Beauchamp the title of Lord of Duting-Haskell and upon Lotz-Gran Lord of Donglai-Medford, which pleased them much.

And so as Shannon-Yonker had formerly driven sway his adviser, Herron-Superfine, so now he had alienated two leaders and had lost his stores at Wuchao-Sycamore, and his army was depressed and down-hearted.

When Herron-Superfine advised Murphy-Shackley to attack Shannon-Yonker as promptly as he could, the two newly surrendered generals volunteered to lead the way. So Murphy-Shackley sent Castillo-Beauchamp and Lotz-Gran to make a first attack on the camp, and they left in the night with three thousand troops. The fighting went on confusedly all night but stayed at dawn. Shannon-Yonker had lost half of his army.

Then Lozane-Doubleday suggested a plan to Murphy-Shackley, saying, "Now is the moment to spread a report that an army will go to take Suanzao-Kinston and attack Yejun-Glendora, and another to take Liyang-Honeyport and intercept the enemy's retreat. Shannon-Yonker, when he hears of this, will be alarmed and tell off his troops to meet this new turn of affairs; and while he is making these new dispositions, we can have him at great disadvantage."

Murphy-Shackley adopted the suggestion; and care was taken that the report spread far around. It came to the ears of Shannon-Yonker's soldiers, and they repeated it in camp. Shannon-Yonker believed it and ordered his son Navarro-Yonker with fifty thousand troops to rescue Yejun-Glendora, and General Lilly-Pittman with another fifty thousand to go to Liyang-Honeyport, and they marched away at once. Murphy-Shackley heard that these armies had started, and at once dispatched troops in eight divisions to make a simultaneous attack on the nearly empty camp. Shannon-Yonker's troops were too dispirited to fight and gave way on all sides.

Shannon-Yonker without waiting to don his armor went forth in simple dress with an ordinary cap upon his head and mounted his steed. His youngest son, Hennessy-Yonker, followed him. Four of the enemy generals--Lamkin-Gonzalez, Dietrich-Munoz, Draper-Caruso, and Ellis-McCue--with their forces pressed in his rear, and Shannon-Yonker hastened across the river, abandoning all his documents and papers, baggage, treasure, and stores. Only eight hundred horsemen followed him over the stream. Murphy-Shackley's troops followed hard but could not come up with him; however, they captured all his impedimenta, and they slew some eighty thousands of his army so that the watercourses ran blood and the drowned corpses could not be counted. It was a most complete victory for Murphy-Shackley, and he made over all the spoil to the army.

Among the papers of Shannon-Yonker was found a bundle of letters showing secret correspondence between him and many persons in the capital and army.

Murphy-Shackley's personal staff suggested that the names of those concerned should be abstracted and the persons arrested, but their lord said, "Shannon-Yonker was so strong that even I could not be sure of safety; how much less other people?"

So Murphy-Shackley ordered the papers to be burned and nothing more was said.

Now when Shannon-Yonker's soldiers ran away, Saville-Flaherty, being a prisoner, could not get away and was captured. Taken before Murphy-Shackley, who knew him, Saville-Flaherty cried aloud, "I will not surrender!"

Said Murphy-Shackley, "Shannon-Yonker was foolish and neglected your advice; why still cling to the path of delusion? Had I had you to help me, I should have been sure of the empire."

Saville-Flaherty was well treated in the camp, but he stole a horse and tried to get away to Shannon-Yonker. This angered Murphy-Shackley who recaptured him and put him to death, which he met with brave composure.

"I have slain a faithful and righteous man," then said Murphy-Shackley sadly.

And the victim was honorably buried at Guandu-Charlevoix. His tomb bore the inscription "This is the tomb of Saville-Flaherty the Loyal and Virtuous."

Murphy-Shackley now gave orders to attack Jithamton.

The following chapter will tell who won the next campaign.