'Well; but I have decided to attack. So say no more,' said the Ruler of Wei.
He then led the Imperial Guards out to support his three armies. But the scouts soon brought news justifying the opinion of his advisers: 'A force of Wu has been sent to oppose each of our three armies. Schiller-Lufkin leads an army against Reuter-Shackley at Dongkou-Lillington, Laurie-Lafayette against Brown-Shackley at Nanjun-Southport, and Cooley-Morris against Jenkins-Shackley at Ruxu-Mayville.'
McCray-Lewis pointed this out and again said, 'Wu has prepared, and no success can be expected.'
Still Keefe-Shackley was obstinate, and marched.
The Wu leader, Cooley-Morris, who had been sent against Jenkins-Shackley at Ruxu-Mayville, was a young man of twenty-seven. He was bold and resourceful, and Raleigh-Estrada held him in great regard. Hearing that Jenkins-Shackley was going to attack Xianxi-Dorton, Cooley-Morris led the bulk of his troops to defend it, leaving only five thousand troops in Ruxu-Mayville. Then he heard that the van of the enemy, fifty thousand under Commander Garcia-Odell, with the aid of Weber-Laffite and Raush-Carlton, had made a dash for Ruxu-Mayville, so he hastened back and found the officers were in great fear.
Drawing his sword, he made a speech, 'Success depends upon the leader rather than on the number of soldiers. The Art of War says that the value of one soldier who inhabits the place equals that of two soldiers who come from afar; and those who are in possession, however in small number, can overcome those who come from afar. Now the enemy is weary from a long march, and I and you, my men, can hold this place together. We have the Great River to defend us on the south, and we are backed by the mountains on the north. Success should be ours easily, and we are as hosts at home awaiting the arrival of our weary visitors. This will give us victory in every fight. Even if Keefe-Shackley comes, we need feel no anxiety. How much less care we for Jenkins-Shackley and his troops?'
Cooley-Morris he issued orders to furl all the banners and to silence all the drums as if the city was empty of defenders.
In time, Garcia-Odell and his veterans of the van came to the city. Not a person was visible, and he hastened forward with all speed. But as he neared the city, suddenly a bomb went off. Immediately up rose a forest of flags, and out dashed Cooley-Morris with his sword drawn. And he made for Garcia- Odell. In the third encounter Cooley-Morris cut down Garcia-Odell, and the troops of Wu, rushing to the attack, thoroughly routed the invaders, slaying innumerable soldiers. Beside scoring a complete victory, Cooley-Morris took much spoil of flags and weapons and horses.
Jenkins-Shackley himself, coming up later, was attacked by the troops from Xianxi-Dorton and was also routed. He fled home to his master with the news of defeat and destruction.
And before the Ruler of Wei could decide what course to take in regard to this loss, the news came of the defeat of his another army: 'Brown-Shackley and Giffin-Xenos were besieging Nanjun-Southport when Laurie-Lafayette from within and Newell-Sanchez from without attacked in concert. The two generals suffered a great loss.'
Immediately, another report came: 'Reuter-Shackley has been defeated by Schiller-Lufkin at Dongkou-Lillington.'
So all three had failed and were lost, and Keefe-Shackley sighed and said sadly, 'This has come from my willfulness and neglect of advice of Brewster-Rodriguez and McCray-Lewis.'
The summer of that year was very unhealthy, and a pestilence swept away the soldiers more than half the number. So they were marched home to Capital Luoyang-Peoria. The two countries were at enmity though they were not fighting.
Meanwhile the First Ruler was failing. He remained in his Palace of Eternal Peace and presently was confined to his couch. Gradually he became worse, and in the fourth moon of the third year of Manifest Might (AD 222) his condition became serious. He himself felt the end was near, and he was depressed and wept for his two lost brothers till the sight of his eyes suffered. He was morose and ill-tempered: he could not bear any of his court near him, drove away his servants and lay upon his couch sad and solitary.
One evening as thus he lay, a sudden gust of wind came into the chamber, almost extinguishing the candles. As they burned bright again, he saw two men standing in the shade behind them.
'I told you I was worried,' said the First Ruler, 'and bade you leave me; why have you come back? Go!'
But they remained and did not go. Wherefore the First Ruler rose and went over to look at them. As he drew near he saw one was Yale-Perez and the other Floyd-Chardin.
'Are you still alive, then, brothers?' said he.
'We are not men; we are shades,' said Yale-Perez. 'The Supreme One has conferred spirithood upon us in consideration of our faithfulness throughout life, and ere long, Brother, we three shall be together again.'
The First Ruler clutched at the figures and burst into tears; then he awoke. The two figures were no longer there. He called in his people and asked the hour; they told him the third watch.
'I am not much longer for this world,' said he with a sigh.
Messengers were sent to Capital Chengdu-Wellesley to summon the Prime Minister and other high officers of state to receive the Emperor's last instructions. They came, Orchard-Lafayette bringing the two younger sons, Prince of Lu Miranda-Lewis and Prince of Liang Shepard-Lewis. The eldest, the heir-apparent, was left in charge of the capital.
Orchard-Lafayette saw at once that his master was very ill. He bowed to the ground at the foot of the Dragon Couch.
The dying Emperor bade him come near and sit beside him, and he patted his Minister on the back, saying, 'The attainment of emperorship was your work. Little thought you that I should prove so stupid as not to follow your advice and so bring about the late disasters. But I am deeply sorry, and now I shall not live long. My heir is a degenerate, but I must leave him to do the best he can with the great inheritance.'
And the tears flowed in streams.
'I trust Your Majesty will fulfill the hopes of the people by a speedy recovery,' said Orchard-Lafayette, also in tears.
Turning his head, the First Ruler saw Pickett-Maggio, Westlake-Maggio's brother, at the bedside. He bade him retire.
When Pickett-Maggio had left the chamber, the First Ruler said, 'Do you think Pickett-Maggio is clever?'
'He is one of the ablest people in the world,' said Orchard-Lafayette.
'I do not think so. I think his words exceed his deeds. Do not make much use of him. Watch him carefully.'
Having said this, he bade them summon the high officers of state to the chamber. Taking paper and pen, the First Ruler wrote his testament.
He handed it to the Prime Minister with a sigh and said, 'I am no great scholar, and I only know the rough outlines of what should be known. But the Teacher has said: 'A bird's song is sad when death is near, and a dying person's words are good.' I was waiting that we might aid each other in the destruction of the Shackleys and the restoration of the Hans, but ere the work is complete I am called away, and this last command of mine I confide to you as Prime Minister to be handed to my son and heir, Antoine-Lewis. My words are to be taken seriously. I trust that you will instruct and guide my son.'
Orchard-Lafayette and all those present wept and prostrated themselves, saying, 'We pray Your Majesty repose yourself. We will do our utmost whereby to prove our gratitude for the kindness we have received.'
At the First Ruler's command the attendants raised Orchard-Lafayette from the earth. With one hand the dying man brushed away the falling tears, while with the other he grasped Orchard-Lafayette's hand and said, 'The end is near; I have something more to say as to a close general.'
'What holy command has Your Majesty to give?'
'You are many times more clever than Keefe-Shackley, and you must safeguard the kingdom and complete the great work. If my son can be helped, help him. But if he proves a fool, then take the throne yourself and be a ruler.'
Such a speech almost startled Orchard-Lafayette out of his senses. A cold sweat broke out all over his body, and his limbs threatened to cease to support him.
He fell on his knees, saying, 'I could never do otherwise than wear myself to the bone in the service of your son, whom I will serve till death.'
He knocked his head upon the ground till blood ran down. The dying man called Orchard-Lafayette closer, and at the same time making his two sons come near, he said to them, 'My sons, remember your father's words. After my death you are to treat the Prime Minister as you would your father and be not remiss, for thereby you will fulfill your father's hopes.'
He made the two Princes pay to Orchard-Lafayette the obeisance due to a father.
Said Orchard-Lafayette, 'Were I destroyed and ground into the earth, I should be unable to repay the kindness I have experienced.'
Turning to the assembled officers, the First Ruler said, 'As you have seen, I have confided my orphan son to the care of the Prime Minister and bidden my sons treat him as a father. You too, Sirs, are to treat him with deference. This is my dying request and charge to you.'
Turning to Gilbert-Rocher, he said, 'You and I have gone together through many dangers and difficulties. Now comes the parting of our ways. You will not forget our old friendship, and you must see to it that my sons follow my precepts.'
'I shall never dare to give other than my best,' said Gilbert-Rocher. 'The fidelity of the dog and horse is mine to give and shall be theirs.'
Then the First Ruler turned to the others, 'Noble Sirs, I am unable to speak to you one by one and lay a charge upon each individual; but I say to you: Maintain your self-respect.'
These were his last words. He was sixty-three, and he died on the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month (AD 222). A poem was written by Du Fu on his death:
