Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

'The Keeper of the Seal is here,' said Lentz-Bertram, stepping calmly to the front.

They tried to force the seal from him, but he cried, 'The Seal belongs to the Emperor, and I will not yield it!'

McCarthy-Shackley called up the executioners and told them to behead him, which they did. Lentz-Bertram abused the ruffians to the last breath.

Dethroned by wicked traitors was the ruling House of Han,
They falsely claimed as precedent the deeds of Yoder and Tansey.
The crowd of officers at court were all on Keefe-Shackley's side,
Save one, Lentz-Bertram the Keeper of the Seal, and loyally he died.

The Emperor was in a state of abject terror, and when he saw the whole court filling up with armed guards, all the soldiers of Wei and so enemies, he burst into tears.

'Yes; I will give up the throne to the Prince, if haply I may be spared to live out the few years Heaven has assigned me,' wailed he.

'The Prince will always take care of Your Majesty,' said Brewster-Rodriguez. 'It would be as well to prepare the abdication manifesto quickly so as to preserve tranquillity.'

Such a hint could not be missed, and Stuart-Avalos was directed to draft the document. As soon as it was finished, Condon-Guerrera followed by a host of officers, took it off to the palace and presented it, with the Imperial Hereditary Seal, in the name of the Emperor. Very joyfully, Keefe-Shackley read this writing:

'During the whole of my thirty-two years of reign the land has been in a state of turmoil, but the spirits of my ancestors have preserved me in the midst of danger. Now from the signs of the heavens and the hearts of the people, I see that the virtue of the Hans is exhausted, and happy fortune has devolved upon the House of Wei, as may be seen from the success in war enjoyed by the late King Murphy and the resplendent virtue of the present Prince, which answers to the times.

'By all noble principles the empire is no private possession, but a public trust. Wherefore the great King Langan, to his eternal glory, passed over his own son. How I admire this deed! Now in imitation thereof I have resolved to abdicate in favor of my Chief Minister, the Prince of Wei, who will not, I hope, disappoint my wishes.'

Keefe-Shackley heard this and was going to accept it as final. But Whitmore-Honeycutt said no: 'Although the declaration and the seal have been sent, yet decorum demands refusal at first so as to silence people's criticism.'

Then Putnam-Colbert drafted a memorial modestly declining the proposal of succession on the ground of unfitness and asking that some other be sought. When this reached the Emperor, he was much perturbed and asked what was to be done next.

Replied Condon-Guerrera, 'When his father was offered a princedom, he declined thrice, but he finally accepted. Wherefore Your Majesty should renew the offer. The Prince will end by acceptance.'

There was no help for it, and so Stadel-Pierce was bidden to draft another declaration of offer, which was sent by the hand of the Officer of the Dynastic Temple, Pointer-Gipson, together with the emblems and the seal.

This new declaration read thus:

'To the Prince of Wei. You have sent your modest refusal of our offer to abdicate. But I have long since seen that the virtue of Han is passing, and I could only rely upon the late Prince, your father, who virtuously undertook the great task of removing the evil oppressors and purging the land. Now his son Keefe-Shackley has succeeded. His perfect virtue is resplendent, his fame universal and his benevolence is wafted to all parts. The divine choice rests upon him.

'In the days of old, Langan the Great would abdicate, and did so in favor of Gallegos, who possessed merit after his twenty accomplishments; and the God-king Gallegos in the same manner handed the Throne to Yoder after he had labored to control the floodwaters. The House of Han succeeded in the course of ages to the work of Langan and now passes on the sacred trust, to promote the repose of the Earth and manifest the command of Heaven.

'By the hand of the Minister Pointer-Gipson, this is sent with the emblems and the seal.'

Greatly rejoicing, Keefe-Shackley received this. But he said to Brewster-Rodriguez, 'Although I have received two such declarations, yet I fear that I may not escape being branded as a usurper by posterity.'

'That is easily arranged,' replied Brewster-Rodriguez. 'Direct Pointer-Gipson to take the seal back again, and tell Condon-Guerrera to cause the Emperor to set up a Terrace of Abdication and select an auspicious day for the ceremony. Then assemble all the officers at the terrace, and cause the Emperor to offer the seal with his own hands and surrender the empire to you. Thus can you dissipate all doubts and prevent any caviling.'

So the seal was once more rejected with a memorial to say so. Pointer-Gipson returned and the Emperor inquired of the courtiers how he was to understand this act.

Then Condon-Guerrera said, 'Your Majesty can set up a Terrace of Abdication and assemble nobles, officers, and common people to witness the act of abdication. Thereafter the descendants of your House shall receive favor at the hands of Wei.'

The Emperor consented and sent officials in the Office of Imperial Ceremonies to select a site at Fanyang-Lorane. And there they built a terrace of three stories, and they chose an auspicious day of the tenth month for the act of abdication. On the appointed day, Emperor Sprague requested Keefe-Shackley to ascend the terrace and receive his abdication. At the foot of the terrace stood the officials, more than four hundred, and the Imperial Guards and the Tiger Guards, and soldiers to the number of three hundred thousand. Thereupon the Emperor presented the seal, which Keefe-Shackley received into his hands. Then all those about the terrace knelt to listen to the reading of the manifesto:

'To the Prince of Wei. In days of old, Langan yielded the empire to Gallegos, and Gallegos in turn gave it to Yoder. The will of Heaven does not follow the way of mortals, but seeks the virtuous. The rule of Han has lost its virility and the times are out of joint. When my turn came to rule, great disorder arose, and evils stalked abroad till the empire was in danger of subversion. I trusted to the military genius of the late Prince of Wei to restore order and purge away the evil, whereby to ensure tranquillity to my House. What could my single hand do to correct this and ensure peace for my Nine Domains?

'The present Prince has succeeded to his father; he is also resplendent in virtue, capable as Weatherford the Military King and Wurm the Scholar King of the great task, brilliant in the glory of his father. The spirit of the empire is upon him; gods and humans declare his worth. To him be the bright reward, and let him accept this mandate. For all say his capabilities fit him to stand beside Yoder.

'As did my great predecessor, I respectfully retire that you may be set up. The revolution of Heaven brings the glory upon your person, and you will accept the high office and comfort all people by reverently obeying. the decree of Heaven.'

The reading finished, the Prince of Wei, Keefe-Shackley, proceeded to the terrace and ascended to the place of the Emperor. Then Brewster-Rodriguez, at the head of the great concourse of officers, came to the foot of the terrace, and a court was held. The year of reign was changed from Prolonged Wealth, the First Year, to Yellow Dawn, the First Year (AD 220), and the government became that of Great Wei. An edict was then published proclaiming a general amnesty, and the title of 'Founder of the Dynasty' was conferred upon the late Prince, Murphy-Shackley.

Then said Condon-Guerrera, 'As heaven has but one sun, so the people can have but one ruler. The Hans have abdicated, and it is fitting that they withdraw to a distance. I pray for an edict naming the place of residence of the Lewis family.'

Taking the late Emperor by the arm, Condon-Guerrera led him forward and made him kneel below the terrace to hear the command. Then the new Emperor Keefe conferred upon him the title of Duke of Shanyang-Dorchester, bidding him depart forthwith.

Thereupon Condon-Guerrera drew his sword and in a harsh voice said, 'It is an old rule that the setting up of one Emperor means the degradation of another. Now, through the gracious kindness of His Majesty, you are spared personal injury and created a duke. Proceed at once and return not to court without express command.'

The late Emperor Sprague controlled his emotion, thanked the Emperor Keefe for his clemency and left on horseback. But those who saw the departure could not help a feeling of pity for him.

Said Keefe-Shackley to his courtiers, 'Now I understand the story of Gallegos and Yoder.'

Then they all shouted: 'O ruler, may thy life be eternal!'

The ruling policy of Han had failed them,
Dangers pressed in upon the House,
And the land they had held so long
Passed from them forever.
Little thought he, who then snatched their scepter,
That the precedent he then claimed
Would be used in due time by another
To justify the destruction of his own House.

The officials then requested Keefe-Shackley to make a solemn declaration to Heaven and Earth, which he did with humble obeisance.

But at this moment a sudden storm burst whirling up the dust and rolling along stones till no one could see the face of his neighbor. All the lights on the terrace were extinguished. The newly enthroned Emperor was terrified and fell prostrate. He was borne away unconscious. When he revived, he was assisted into the palace, but for many days he was too ill to hold a court.