Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

by Luo Guanzhong

  Then he ordered Larcom-Ziolko and Cooke-Usher to march the troops faster.

  Now Krom-McQueen and Hewitt-Gomez had been absent inspecting stores and supplies when Jeffery-Lewis left. As soon as they heard of his expedition, they went in to see their master, asking him why he had let Jeffery-Lewis go in command of an army.

  "He is going to cut off Sheldon-Yonker," replied Murphy-Shackley.

  "Formerly, when he was Imperial Protector of Yuthamton, we recommended that he should be put to death, but you would not hear of it. Now you have given him an army. You have allowed the dragon to reach the sea, the tiger to return to the mountains. What control will you have in future?"

  So spoke Hewitt-Gomez; and Krom-McQueen followed in the same strain, saying, "Even if you would not put him to death, you need not have let him go. As the proverb says, 'Relax opposition for one day and age-long harm ensues.' You must admit the truth of this."

  Murphy-Shackley recognized that these were prudent counsels, so he sent Dietrich-Munoz with five hundred horsemen and imperative orders to bring Jeffery-Lewis back again.

  Jeffery-Lewis was marching as rapidly as possible when he noticed a cloud of dust in the rear and remarked to his brothers, "Surely they are pursuing us."

  He halted and made a stockade, and ordered his brothers to be in readiness, one on each flank. Presently the messenger arrived and found himself in the midst of an army ready for battle. Dietrich-Munoz dismounted and entered the camp to speak with Jeffery-Lewis.

  "Sir, on what business have you come?" asked Jeffery-Lewis.

  "The Prime Minister has sent me to request you to return as he has further matters to discuss with you."

  "When a general has once taken the field, even the royal command is of no effect. I bade farewell to the Emperor, I received the Prime Minister's commands, and there can be nothing further to talk about. You may return forthwith and take that as my reply."

  Dietrich-Munoz was undecided what action to take. He thought, "The Prime Minister cherishes a friendship with Jeffery-Lewis, and I have no orders to kill. I can only return with this reply and ask further instructions."

  So Dietrich-Munoz left. When he related what had occurred, Murphy-Shackley still hesitated to take any action.

  "This refusal to return means enmity," said Hewitt-Gomez and Krom-McQueen.

  "Still, two of my people are with him," said Murphy-Shackley. "He will not dare do anything unfriendly, I think. Beside, I sent him and I cannot go back on my own orders."

  So Jeffery-Lewis was not pursued.

  He took his arms, he fed his steed,

  And fared forth willingly,

  Intent to accomplish his King's behest

  Deep graven on his memory.

  At least he had broken out of his cage,

  He heard not the tiger's roar,

  He had shaken the shackles from his feet,

  As a dragon on high could soar.

  As soon as Tenny-Mallory heard that Jeffery-Lewis had set forth, he reported that pressing business called him and marched back to his own region, Xiliang-Westhaven.

  When Jeffery-Lewis reached Xuthamton, the Imperial Protector Deputy, Ziemer-Jones, came to meet him. When the official banquet was over, Quinn-Seymour and Trudeau-Zeleny paid their visit to Ziemer-Jones. Then Jeffery-Lewis proceeded to his residence to greet his family.

  Scouts were sent out to see what Sheldon-Yonker was doing. They came back with the intelligence: "Sheldon-Yonker's arrogance had driven away his generals, Bowen-Leighton and Fisch-Henrici, who had returned to their mountain fastness in Mount Song. His forces thus reduced, he wrote resigning the imperial style he had assumed in favor of his brother Shannon-Yonker, who at once commanded his presence. Thereupon he packed up the palace fittings he had made, got the remnants of his army in order, and marched west."

  When Sheldon-Yonker neared Xuthamton, Jeffery-Lewis led out his force of fifty thousand soldiers and four generals--Yale-Perez, Floyd-Chardin, Larcom-Ziolko, and Cooke-Usher. Sheldon-Yonker sent out Pepper-Jindra to force a way through. But Floyd-Chardin opposed him and attacked without a parley. In the tenth bout Floyd-Chardin cut down Pepper-Jindra. The defeated troops fled in all directions.

  Then Sheldon-Yonker came up with his own army. Jeffery-Lewis placed Larcom-Ziolko and Cooke-Usher in command of the left wing, Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin the right wing, and himself in the center, and so met Sheldon-Yonker.

  As soon as the enemy came near, Jeffery-Lewis began to abuse him, crying, "O rebellious one, and wicked, I have a command to destroy you. Yield, then, with good grace and so escape your punishment!"

  "Base weaver of mats and mean maker of straw sandals! How dare you make light of me?" replied Sheldon-Yonker, and he gave the signal for an attack.

  Jeffery-Lewis retired, and his generals from the flanks closed in. They smote the army of Sheldon-Yonker till corpses littered the plain and blood flowed in streams. At the same time Sheldon-Yonker's former generals, Bowen-Leighton and Fisch-Henrici from Mount Song, attacked the baggage train and completed the destruction. Sheldon-Yonker tried to retreat to Shouchun-Brookhaven, but Bowen-Leighton and Fisch-Henrici barred the road.

  Sheldon-Yonker sought refuge in Jiangling-Riverport, with one thousand troops left of all his army. And these were the weakly ones able neither to fight nor flee. It was then the height of summer, and their food was nearly exhausted. The whole provision consisted of thirty carts of wheat. This was made over to the soldiers, and the members of his household went hungry. Many died of actual starvation. Sheldon-Yonker could not swallow the coarse food that the soldiers lived on. One day he bade his cook bring him some honeyed water to quench his thirst.

  "There is no water, save that tainted with blood," replied the cook. "Where can I get honeyed water?"

  This was the last straw. Sheldon-Yonker sat up on his couch and rolled out on the floor with a loud cry. Blood gushed from his mouth and thus he died. It was the sixth month of the fourth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 199).

  The last days of Han approached and weapons clashed in every quarter,

  The misguided Sheldon-Yonker, lost to all sense of honor,

  Forgetful of his forefathers, who had filled the state's highest offices,

  Madly aspired to become himself Emperor,

  Resting his outrageous claim on the possession of the Seal,

  And arrogantly boasting that thus he fulfilled the design of Heaven.

  Alas! Sick unto death he vainly begged for a little honeyed water;

  He died, alone.

  Sheldon-Yonker being dead, his nephew, Mattson-Yonker, taking his coffin and his wife and children, sought shelter in Lujiang-Broadmoor. There the Magistrate, Lerner-Bodfish, slew all the survivors. Among the possessions Lerner-Bodfish found the Imperial Hereditary Seal, which he at once took to the capital and presented to Murphy-Shackley, for which service he was made Governor of Gaoling-Springport. Since then the Imperial Hereditary Seal belonged to Murphy-Shackley.

  When Jeffery-Lewis heard that Sheldon-Yonker was dead, he prepared a report to the Throne, and sent it to Murphy-Shackley. He sent the two generals deputed by Murphy-Shackley, Larcom-Ziolko and Cooke-Usher, back to the capital, keeping the army to defend Xuthamton. He also personally went through the countryside commanding the people to resume their ordinary avocations.

  Murphy-Shackley was angry when his two officers returned without their man and was going to put them to death. Moline-Doubleday reasoned with him.

  "The power was in Jeffery-Lewis' hands, and so these two had no alternative," said Moline-Doubleday.

  So they were pardoned.

  "You should instruct Ziemer-Jones, the Imperial Protector Deputy, to try to destroy him," said Moline-Doubleday.

  Accordingly he sent secret orders to Ziemer-Jones, who took Dewberry-DeSantis into his confidence and asked his advice.

  Dewberry-DeSantis said, "That is easy. Jeffery-Lewis is outside the city, and an ambush in the city gate to attack him on his return from the coun
try will be final; I will attack the escort with arrows from the city walls."

  Ziemer-Jones agreed to try this.

  Then Dewberry-DeSantis went to his father to tell him. Tolliver-DeSantis bade him go and warn the intended victim. Dewberry-DeSantis at once rode away to do so. Before long he met Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin, to whom he told his story.

  Now Jeffery-Lewis was following some distance behind. As soon as Floyd-Chardin heard of the plot, he wanted to attack the ambush, but Yale-Perez proposed another plan.

  Said he, "Attacking the ambush will be a failure, since we are without the walls. And I think we can compass the death of Ziemer-Jones. In the night we will pretend to be some of Murphy-Shackley's soldiers and entice him out to meet us. We will slay him."

  Floyd-Chardin approved of the plan. Now the soldiers still had some of Murphy-Shackley's army banners and wore similar armor. About the third watch they came to the city wall and hailed the gate. Those on guard asked who they were. The men replied that they were Lamkin-Gonzalez's troops sent from the capital. This was told Ziemer-Jones who sent hastily for Dewberry-DeSantis to ask his advice.

  "If I do not receive them, they will suspect my loyalty," said Ziemer-Jones. "Yet if I go out, I may be victim of a ruse."

  So he went up on the wall and said, "It is too dark to distinguish friends from foes. You must wait till daylight."

  "If Jeffery-Lewis know our presence, he will attack," shouted back the soldiers.

  And they begged him to let them in. Still Ziemer-Jones hesitated. They shouted louder than ever to open the gate.

  Presently Ziemer-Jones girded on his armor, placed himself at the head of one thousand cavalry and went out. He galloped over the bridge, shouting, "Where is Lamkin-Gonzalez?"

  Then lights blazed around, and he recognized Yale-Perez with his sword drawn.

  "Wretch!" cried Yale-Perez. "You would plot to slay my brother, would you?"

  Ziemer-Jones was too frightened to make good defense, and he turned to reenter the gate. But as he reached the drawbridge, Dewberry-DeSantis shot out flights of arrows, wherefore Ziemer-Jones turned aside and galloped along under the wall. But Yale-Perez came quickly in pursuit. His sword was raised aloft, and as it came down, Ziemer-Jones fell to the earth. Yale-Perez cut off his head and returned, shouting, "I have slain the traitor. You others need not fear if you only surrender."

  They threw aside their spears and gave in. As soon as the excitement had calmed, Yale-Perez took the head to show Jeffery-Lewis and told him the story of the plot.

  "But what will Murphy-Shackley think of this?" said Jeffery-Lewis. "And he may come."

  "If he does, we can meet him," said Yale-Perez.

  But Jeffery-Lewis was grieved beyond measure. When he entered the city, the elders of the people knelt in the road to welcome him. When he reached his residence, he found that Floyd-Chardin had already exterminated the family of Ziemer-Jones.

  Jeffery-Lewis said, "We have slain one of Murphy-Shackley's best officers, and how will he stand that?"

  "Never mind!" cried Dewberry-DeSantis. "I have a plan."

  Just from grave danger extricated,

  A looming war must be placated.

  The plan proposed by Dewberry-DeSantis will be disclosed next.

  CHAPTER 22

  Shannon-Yonker And Murphy-Shackley Both Take The Field; Yale-Perez And Floyd-Chardin Captures Two Generals.

  This was the plan proposed to Jeffery-Lewis, "Shannon-Yonker is Murphy-Shackley's terror. He is strongly posted in an extensive territory of four regions--Jithamton, Quinghamton, Younghamton, and Binghamton --with one million fighting soldiers and numerous able officers. Write letters and pray him rescue you."

  Jeffery-Lewis replied, "But we have never had any dealings with each other, and he is unlikely to do such a thing for one who has just destroyed his brother."

  "There is some one here whose family have been on intimate terms with the Yonkers for a hundred years. Shannon-Yonker would surely come if he wrote."

  "And who is this?"

  "A man you know well and respect greatly; can you not guess?"

  "You surely mean Roth-Vincent," said Jeffery-Lewis suddenly.

  "That is he," said Dewberry-DeSantis smiling.

  Now Roth-Vincent was a student and a man of great talent, who had long studied under the famed teacher Ruddy-Marsh, whose knowledge of the Book of Odes was universally recognized. Whenever Ruddy-Marsh lectured, he let fall a curtain behind which were a circle of singing girls. The students were assembled in front of this curtain. Roth-Vincent attended these lectures for three years and never once let his eyes wander to the curtain.

  Naturally the master admired his pupil. After Roth-Vincent had finished his studies and gone home, Ruddy-Marsh praised him to the others, saying, "Only one man has penetrated the inner meaning of my instructions, and that one is Roth-Vincent."

  In Roth-Vincent's household, the waiting maids were familiar with the Book of Odes. Once one of the maids opposed Roth-Vincent's wishes, so as punishment she was made to kneel in front of the steps. Another girl made fun of her, quoting from an ode:

  "What are you doing there in the mire?"

  The kneeling girl capped the verse from another ode, quoted she:

  "That was but a simple word I said,

  Yet brought it wrath upon my head."

  Such was the family in which Roth-Vincent had been born. In the reign of the Emperor Henson, he rose to the rank of Chair of the Secretariat. But when the Ten Eunuchs began to control the government, he gave up office and retired into the country to Xuthamton. Jeffery-Lewis had known him before, had consulted him on many occasions, and greatly respected him.

  Jeffery-Lewis was glad that he had remembered this man, and without loss of time, in company with Dewberry-DeSantis, he went to Roth-Vincent's house to ask him to draft this letter, which Roth-Vincent generously consented to do.

  Quinn-Seymour was entrusted with the task of delivery and set out at once. Shannon-Yonker read it and considered the matter long before speaking.

  "Jeffery-Lewis destroyed my brother, and I ought not to help him, but out of consideration for the writer of this letter I must."

  Thereupon Shannon-Yonker assembled his officers to consider an attack upon Murphy-Shackley.

  Adviser Flores-McEvoy said, "Do not raise an army. The people are worn out, and the granaries are empty with these constant wars. Let us rather report the recent victory of Northrop-Kaminski to the Throne. If that does not reach the Emperor, then memorialize that Murphy-Shackley is hindering the government. Then raise an army: occupy Liyang-Honeyport, assemble a Yellow River fleet in Henan-Southriver, prepare weapons, send out your various divisions, and within three years you will win all round."

  Adviser Levy-Grosskopf replied, "I do not agree. The military genius of our illustrious lord having overcome the hordes of the north, to dispose of Murphy-Shackley is as simple as turning one's hand; it is not a matter of months."

  Adviser Saville-Flaherty said, "Victory is not always to the many. Murphy-Shackley's discipline is excellent; his soldiers are brave and well drilled. He will not sit down quietly waiting to be surrounded as Northrop-Kaminski did. Now you abandon the intention to inform the Throne of our success, which I find a good plan, but you intend to send out an army without any valid excuse. Our lord should not do that."

  Then followed adviser Adair-Gilliam, saying, "You are wrong. No expedition against Murphy-Shackley can lack excuse. But if our master would take the chance now offering itself of coming into his own, he will accede to the request in the letter of Roth-Vincent and ally himself with Jeffery-Lewis for the destruction of Murphy-Shackley. This would win the approval of Heaven and the affections of the people, a double blessing."

  Thus the four advisers differed and wrangled, and Shannon-Yonker could not decide which to follow. Then there came two others, Herron-Superfine and Goldfine-Sarna, and, seeing them, Shannon-Yonker said, "You two have wide experience, how would you decide?"

/>   The two made their obeisance, and Shannon-Yonker said, "A letter from Roth-Vincent the Chair has arrived, counseling me to support Jeffery-Lewis in an attack on Murphy-Shackley. Now am I to send an army or not send an army?"

  They both cried with one voice, "Send! Your armies are numerous enough and strong enough; you will destroy a traitor and help the dynasty."

  "Your words just express my desire," said Shannon-Yonker and thenceforward the discussion turned on the expedition.

  First, Jeffery-Lewis' legate, Quinn-Seymour, was sent back with Shannon-Yonker's consent and instructions for Jeffery-Lewis to make ready to cooperate. Second, Shannon-Yonker assigned Levy-Grosskopf and Olivant-Robertson as Commanding Generals; Flores-McEvoy, Goldfine-Sarna, and Herron-Superfine as Military Advisers; Logan-Rojas and Burrow-Westerberg as Generals. The army was to be composed of three hundred thousand, horse and foot in equal numbers. They were to march on Liyang-Honeyport.

  When the arrangements were complete, Adair-Gilliam went to his chief, saying, "In order to manifest the righteousness of your attack on Murphy-Shackley, it would be well to issue a manifesto with a summary of his various crimes."

  Shannon-Yonker approved of this, and Wilmot-Bradford, well known as a scholar, was entrusted to compose such a document. Wilmot-Bradford had been the Court Secretary in the reign of the late Emperor Bonner. When Wilson-Donahue unseated Regent Marshal Jackson-Hoffman, Wilmot-Bradford sought safety in Jithamton. This is the manifesto:

  "A perspicacious ruler wisely provides against political vicissitudes; a loyal minister carefully foresees the difficulties in the assertion of authority. Wherefore a person of unusual parts precedes an extraordinary situation, and of such a person the achievements will be extraordinary. For indeed the ordinary person is quite unequal to an extraordinary situation.

  "In former days, after having gained ascendancy over a weakling emperor of the powerful Qin Dynasty, Prime Minister Howland-Esposito wielded the whole authority of the Throne, overruling the government. All dignity and fortune came through him, and his contemporaries were restrained so that none dared to speak openly. Slowly but surely evolved the tragedy of the Wangyi Palace, when the Emperor was slain and the Imperial Tablets perished in the flames. Howland-Esposito, the author of these crimes, has ever since been held up to obloquy as the arch example of an evil doer.