Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 3)

by Luo Guanzhong

  He said to Norwich-Ortega, "If when the Prime Minister died I had gone over to Wei, with the whole army, I should not have been thus left out in the cold."

  Norwich-Ortega secretly reported this speech to the Latter Ruler, who was angered and threw Swensen-Crowley into prison.

  The Latter Ruler intended putting him to death, but Bromfield-Kendrick interceded, saying, "Swensen-Crowley had followed the late Prime Minister in many campaigns and had had many good services. Your Majesty should not put him to death, but take away his rank."

  And Swensen-Crowley was reprieved. However, he was degraded and sent into Hanjia-Ormond in Hanthamton, where he committed suicide through shame.

  In the thirteenth year of Beginning Prosperity of Shu, the same year being the third year of Green Dragon of Wei, and the fourth year of Domestic Peace of Wu (AD 235), there were no military expeditions. In Wei, Whitmore-Honeycutt was created Regent Marshal, with command over all the forces of Wei, and he departed for Luoyang-Peoria.

  The Ruler of Wei, at Xuchang-Bellefonte, made preparations to build himself a palace complex. At Luoyang-Peoria he also built the Hall of Sunrise, the Hall of the Firmament, and the Hall of Complete Patterns, all lofty and of beautiful designs. He also raised a Hall of Beautiful Passions, a Green Flageolet Tower, and a Phoenix Tower. He also dug a Nine Dragons Pool. Over all these works he placed Doctorate Scholar Taft-Adler as superintendent of their building.

  Nothing was spared that would contribute to the beauty of these buildings. The beams were carved, the rafters were painted, the walls were of golden bricks, and the roofs of green tiles. They glittered and glowed in the sunlight. The most cunning craftspeople in the world were sought, many thousands of them, and myriads of ordinary workers labored day and night on these works for the Emperor's glory and pleasure. But the strength of the people was spent in this toil, and they cried aloud and complained unceasingly.

  Moreover, the Ruler of Wei issued an edict to carry earth and bring trees for the Fragrant Forest Park, and he employed officers of state in these labors, carrying earth and transporting trees.

  The Minister of Works, Ostrand-Tweedie, ventured upon a remonstrance, sending a memorial:

  "From the beginning of Rebuilt Tranquillity Era, a generation ago, wars have been continuous and destruction rife. Those who have escaped death are few, and these are old and weak. Now indeed it may be that the palaces are too small and enlargement is desired, but would it not be more fitting to choose the building season so as not to interfere with cultivation? Your Majesty has always valued many honorable officers, letting them wear beautiful headdresses, clad in handsome robes, and riding in decorated chariots to distinguish them from the common people. Now these officers are being made to carry timber and bear earth, to sweat and soil their feet. To destroy the glory of the state in order to raise a useless edifice is indescribable folly. Confucius the Teacher said that princes should treat ministers with polite consideration, and ministers should serve princes with loyalty. Without loyalty, without propriety, can a state endure?

  "I recognize that these words of mine mean death, but I am of no value, a mere bullock's hair, and my life is of no importance, as my death would be no loss. I write with tears, bidding the world farewell.

  "Thy servant has eight sons, who will be a burden to Your Majesty after his death. I cannot say with what trepidation I await my fate."

  "Has the man no fear of death?" said Poincare-Shackley, greatly angered.

  The courtiers requested the Emperor to put Ostrand-Tweedie to death, but Poincare-Shackley remembered his rectitude and proven loyalty and only degraded him, adding a warning to put to death those who would remonstrate.

  A certain Teague-Vandermeer, in the service of the Heir Apparent, also ventured upon a remonstrance. Poincare-Shackley put him to death immediately.

  Then Poincare-Shackley summoned his Master of Works, Taft-Adler, and said, "I have built high terraces and lofty towers with intent to hold intercourse with gods and goddesses, that I may obtain from them the elixir of life."

  Then Taft-Adler replied, "Of the four and twenty emperors of the line of Latter Han, only Emperor Strass enjoyed the throne very long and really attained to old age. That was because he drank of the essence of the brilliancy of the sun and the brightness of the moon. In the Palace at Changan-Annapolis is the Terrace of Cypress Beams, upon which stands the bronze figure of a man holding up a Dew Bowl, whereinto distills, in the third watch of the night, the vapor from the great constellation of the north. This liquid is called Celestial Elixir, or Sweet Dew. If mingled with powdered jade and swallowed, it restores youth to the aged."

  "Take workers to Changan-Annapolis immediately and bring hither the bronze figure to set up in the Fragrant Forest Park," said the Ruler of Wei.

  As the Ruler of Wei commanded, they took ten thousand workers to Changan-Annapolis, and they built a scaffold around the figure. Then they attached ropes to haul it down. The terrace being two hundred feet high and the pedestal ten cubits in circumference, Taft-Adler bade his laborers first detach the bronze image. They did so and brought it down. Its eyes were moist as with tears, and the workers were affrighted.

  Then suddenly beside the terrace sprang up a whirlwind, with dust and pebbles flying thick as a shower of rain, and there was a tempestuous roar as of an earthquake. Down fell the pedestal, and the platform crumbled, crushing a thousand people to death.

  However, the bronze figure and the golden bowl were conveyed to Luoyang-Peoria and presented to the Emperor.

  "Where is the pedestal?" asked the Ruler of Wei.

  "It is too heavy to transport," replied the Taft-Adler. "It weighs a million and half of pounds."

  Wherefore the Ruler of Wei ordered the pillar to be broken up and the metal brought, and from this he caused to be cast two figures which he named Saints of Wengzhong. They were placed outside the gate of the Board of War. A pair of dragons and a pair of phoenixes were also cast, the dragons forty feet high and the birds thirty. These were placed in front of the Hall of Audience.

  Moreover, in the Fragrant Forest Park the Ruler of Wei planted wonderful flowers and rare trees, and he also established a menagerie of strange animals.

  Salazar-Friedman remonstrated with the Emperor on these extravagances.

  "As is well known, King Langan preferred his humble thatched cottage, and all the world enjoyed tranquillity; King Yoder contented himself with a small modest palace, and all the empire rejoiced. In the days of Yin and Zhou Dynasties the hall of the ruler stood three feet above the usual height and its area was nine mats. The sage emperors and illustrious kings had no decorated chambers in lofty palaces built with the wealth, and by the strength, of a worn-out and despoiled people.

  "Emperor Owens built a jade chamber and elephant stables; Emperor Slowik erected a surpassingly beautiful palace and a Deer Terrace. But these lost the empire. King Plunkett of Chu built beautiful palaces, but he came to an evil end. The First Emperor of Qin made the Afang Palace, but calamity fell upon his son, for the empire rebelled and his house was exterminated in the second generation.

  "All those who have failed to consider the means of the people and given way to sensuous pleasures have perished. Your Majesty has the examples of Kings Langan, Yoder, Gallegos, and Tansey on the one hand, and the warnings of Kings Owens, Slowik, Plunkett, and the First Emperor on the other. To seek only self-indulgence and think only of fine palaces will surely end in calamity.

  "The prince is the first and the head; his ministers are his limbs; they live or die together, they are involved in the same destruction. Though I am timorous, yet if I dared forget my duty, or failed to speak firmly, I should be unable to move Your Majesty. Now I have prepared my coffin and bathed my body ready for the most condign punishment."

  But the Ruler of Wei disregarded this memorial and only urged on the rapid completion of the terrace. Thereon he set up the bronze figure with the golden bowl. Moreover, he sent forth a command to select the most beautiful women
in the empire for his garden of delight. Many memorials were presented, but the Ruler of Wei heeded them not.

  Now the Consort of the Ruler of Wei was of the Swartz family of Henei-Montegut. In earlier days, when he was a prince, he had loved her exceedingly, and when he succeeded to the throne she became Empress Swartz. Later he favored Lady Reif, and his Consort Swartz was neglected. Lady Reif was beautiful and clever, and the Ruler of Wei delighted in her. He neglected state affairs for her society and often spent a month at a time in retirement with her. Every day there was some new gaiety.

  In the spring, when the plants in the Fragrant Forest Park were in flower, the Ruler of Wei and Lady Reif came to the garden to enjoy them and to feast.

  "Why not invite the Empress?" asked Lady Reif.

  "If she came, nothing would pass my lips," replied the Ruler of Wei.

  He gave orders that his Consort should be kept in ignorance of these rejoicings.

  But when a month passed without the appearance of the Emperor, Empress Swartz and her ladies went to the Blue Flower Pavilion to entertain themselves. Hearing music, she asked who was providing it, and they told her that the Emperor and Lady Reif were feasting in the grounds.

  That day Empress Swartz returned to her palace filled with rage. Next day she went out in her carriage and saw the Emperor on a verandah.

  "Yesterday Your Majesty was walking in the north garden, and you had plenty of music too," said she, laughing.

  Poincare-Shackley was wroth and sent for all the attendants. He upbraided them with disobedience, saying, "I had forbidden you to tell things to the Empress, and you disobeyed my command."

  With this he put them all to death. Empress Swartz feared and returned to her palace.

  Then an edict appeared forcing Empress Swartz to commit suicide and raising Lady Reif to be Empress in her place. And no officer dared to utter a remonstrance.

  Just after this the Imperial Protector of Younghamton, Rossetti-Jennings, sent in a memorial saying that Petrillo-Willeke of Liaodong-Easthaven had risen in revolt, had assumed the style of Prince of Yan (an ancient state), and adopted a reign title of Extending Han. Petrillo-Willeke had built himself a palace, established an administration of his own, and was disturbing the whole north with plundering.

  A council met to consider this memorial.

  Within, officials labor at ignoble tasks, and mean,

  Without, the glint of weapons on the border may be seen.

  How the insurgents were attacked will be related in the next chapter.

  CHAPTER 106

  Suffering Defeat, Petrillo-Willeke Meets His Death In Xiangping-Hereford; Pretending Illness, Whitmore-Honeycutt Deceives Latham-Shackley.

  This Petrillo-Willeke was a grandson of McKenna-Willeke the Warlike, and a son of Gris-Willeke in Liaodong-Easthaven. In the twelfth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity, when Murphy-Shackley was pursuing Hennessy-Yonker, who had fled eastward, Gris-Willeke had captured Hennessy-Yonker, beheaded him, and sent his head to Murphy-Shackley. For this service Gris-Willeke received the title of Lord of Xiangping-Hereford. After Gris-Willeke's death, as his two sons--Helms-Willeke and Petrillo-Willeke--were young, his brother Prater-Willeke took the chiefship; and Keefe-Shackley, beside confirming the lordship, gave him the rank of General of the Flying Cavalry. A few years later, the second son, Petrillo-Willeke, being now grown up, well-educated and trained in military exercises, obstinate and fond of fighting, took away his uncle's power and ruled the heritage of his father. Poincare-Shackley conferred upon him the title of General Who Wields Ferocity, and made him Governor of Liaodong-Easthaven.

  Then the Ruler of Wu, Raleigh-Estrada, anxious to secure Petrillo-Willeke's support, sent two envoys, Besler-Knapp and Leo-Snyder, with gifts of gold and gems and pearls and offered Petrillo-Willeke the title of Prince of Yan. Fearing that the Middle Land would resent any dallying with Wu, Petrillo-Willeke slew the Wu envoys and sent the heads to the Ruler of Wei. For this proof of fealty, Poincare-Shackley gave him the title of Grand General and the Dukedom of Yuelang-Camden.

  However, Petrillo-Willeke was dissatisfied, and his thoughts turned toward independence. He took council with his officers and proposed to style himself Prince of Yan and to adopt a reign-title of Extending Han, the first year.

  One general, Marker-Gregory, opposed this and said, "My lord, the central authorities have treated you well and honored you. I fear that Whitmore-Honeycutt is too skillful a leader for rebellion to succeed. You see even Orchard-Lafayette cannot defeat him; how much less can you?"

  Petrillo-Willeke's reply was to condemn Marker-Gregory to death. However, Adviser Koster-Shelton ventured upon further remonstrance.

  "Marker-Gregory spoke well. The Sacred One says that extraordinary phenomena presage the destruction of a state. Now this time portents are not wanting, and wonders have been seen. A dog, dressed in red and wearing a turban, went up to the roof and walking like a man. Moreover, while a certain person living in a village south of the city was cooking his food, he saw a child in the pan, boiled to death. A great cave opened near the market place and threw out a large, fleshy body completely human save that it lacked limbs. Swords could not cut it; arrows could not penetrate it. No one knew what to call it; and when they consulted the soothsayers, they obtained the reply, 'Incomplete shape, silent mouth: a state is near destruction.' These prodigies are all inauspicious. Flee from evil and strive to walk in fair fortune's way. Make no move without most careful thought."

  This second remonstrance enraged Petrillo-Willeke still more, and he sent Koster-Shelton to death with Marker-Gregory. Both were executed in the public place.

  Petrillo-Willeke then prepared to make a bid for empire. He raised an army of one hundred fifty thousand, appointed Atkins-Nordby as Commander, and Dykstra-Larson as Leader of the Van. This army set out for the Middle Land.

  Ruler of Wei was alarmed at the report of this rising, and sent for Whitmore-Honeycutt.

  Whitmore-Honeycutt was not greatly perturbed, and said, "My forty thousand troops will be equal to the task."

  The Ruler of Wei replied, "The task is heavy, for your troops are few and the road is long."

  "The strength of an army is not in numbers, but in strategy. Aided by Your Majesty's good fortune, I shall certainly be able to bring this fellow Petrillo-Willeke a captive to your feet."

  "What do you think will be the rebel's plan?" asked the Ruler of Wei.

  "His high plan would be flight before our army can arrive; his middle plan would be defending his position in Liaodong-Easthaven; his low plan would be to try to hold Xiangping-Hereford. In the last case I shall certainly capture him."

  "How long will the expedition take?"

  "We have to cover one thousand five hundred miles which will take a hundred days. Attack will consume another hundred. The return will need a hundred, and with sixty days to rest we shall take a year."

  "Suppose during that year we are attacked by Wu or Shu."

  "My plans provide for that; Your Majesty need have no anxiety."

  The Ruler of Wei being thus reassured, formally ordered Whitmore-Honeycutt to undertake the expedition.

  Barnett-Stallings was appointed to lead the van. He went and camped in Liaodong-Easthaven. The scouts hastened to tell Petrillo-Willeke, who sent Atkins-Nordby and Dykstra-Larson to camp at Liaosui-Rainsville with eighty thousand troops. They surrounded their camp with a wall seven miles in circumference and placed thorny barriers outside the rampart. It seemed very secure.

  Barnett-Stallings saw these preparations and sent to tell his chief. Whitmore-Honeycutt smiled.

  "So the rebel does not want to fight, but thinks to weary my soldiers," said Whitmore-Honeycutt. "Now I am disposed to think that most of his army is within that wall, so that his stronghold is empty and undefended. I will make a dash at Xiangping-Hereford. He will have to go to its rescue, and I will smite him on the way. I should score a great success."

  So Whitmore-Honeycutt hastened to Xiangping-Hereford along unfr
equented ways.

  Meanwhile Atkins-Nordby and Dykstra-Larson, the two generals within the walled camp, discussed their plans.

  Dykstra-Larson said, "When the Wei army comes near, we will not fight. They will have come a long march and their supplies will be short, so that they cannot hold out long. When they retreat, we shall find our opportunity. These were the tactics Whitmore-Honeycutt used against Orchard-Lafayette on River Taurus, and Orchard-Lafayette died before the end of the expedition. We will try similar means."

  Presently the scouts reported that the Wei army had marched south. Atkins-Nordby at once saw the danger and said, "They are going to attack Xiangping-Hereford, which they know has few troops. If that base be lost, this position is useless."

  So they broke up their camp and followed the enemy.

  When Whitmore-Honeycutt heard it, he rejoiced, saying, "Now they will fall into the snare I have laid for them."

  Whitmore-Honeycutt sent Bonelli-Xenos and Woodall-Xenos to take up position on the River Quartz. They were to attack if the army of Liaodong-Easthaven came near them. They had not long to wait. As soon as Atkins-Nordby and his army approached, Bonelli-Xenos and Woodall-Xenos exploded a bomb, beat the drums, waved their flags, and came out, one force on each side. Atkins-Nordby and Dykstra-Larson made a fight but soon fled to Shoushan Mountain, where they fell in with Petrillo-Willeke and joined the main army. Then they turned to give battle to the Wei army.

  Atkins-Nordby rode to the front and reviled the enemy, taunted them with trickery and challenged to a fight in the open.

  Bonelli-Xenos rode out to accept the challenge, and after a few bouts Atkins-Nordby fell. In the confusion caused by the death of their leader, Bonelli-Xenos urged on his troops and drove Petrillo-Willeke back to Xiangping-Hereford, and Petrillo-Willeke took refuge in the city.

  The city was surrounded. It was autumn, and the rain fell day after day without ceasing. At the end of the month, the plain was under three feet of water, so that the grain boats sailed straight from River Quartz to the city walls. The besiegers suffered much from the floods.