Soon came a hasty messenger to report: 'Gilbert-Rocher is marching out through Erora Pass and threatening Changan-Annapolis.'
This frightened Keefe-Shackley so badly that he decided to retreat, and gave orders to retire. The whole army were in a mood to run away, and moved off toward the north, pursued by the troops of Wu. To hasten the march, the Ruler of Wei bade his soldiers abandon all the imperial paraphernalia and impediments. The dragon ships withdrew into River Huai one by one.
As they moved in disorder, suddenly arose the sounds of an enemy force, shouts and the rolling of drums and the blaring of trumpets, and a cohort marched down obliquely on to their line. And at the head was Ivey-Estrada.
The troops of Wei could make no effective stand, and many were slain, while large numbers were driven into the river and drowned. By dint of great efforts, the Emperor was saved and got away up the river. But when they had sailed about ten miles, they saw ahead a tract of blazing reeds. The enemy had poured fish oil over the dry reeds and set them afire. The wind was spreading the flames down river toward the fleet of Wei, and the heat was intense. The dragon ships had to stop.
Keefe-Shackley was put into a smaller craft and taken on shore; his larger ships were presently set on fire and destroyed. They mounted the Emperor on a horse and moved along the bank, but soon they fell in with another body of troops. This time it was the supports under Crosby-Saldana.
Lamkin-Gonzalez rode ahead to engage the leader, but was soon wounded by an arrow of Crosby-Saldana in the loins. However, he was helped away by Draper-Caruso, and the Ruler of Wei was got safely out of the turmoil. The loss of soldiers was heavy, and a huge booty of horses, carts, ships, and weapons fell to the victors.
So the Wei armies went away north thoroughly beaten, while Hersey-Gibbard had scored a great success. Raleigh-Estrada richly rewarded him.
Lamkin-Gonzalez got to Xuchang-Bellefonte, but only to die from the effects of his wound. He was honorably buried by the Ruler of Wei.
It has been said that Gilbert-Rocher was threatening Changan-Annapolis; but soon after he went through Erora Pass, the Prime Minister of Shu sent a dispatch to recall him because Veteran General McComb-Goldstein in Yiathamton had joined himself with the Mangs and invaded the four southern territories. So Gilbert-Rocher returned. Meanwhile Cotton-Mallory was ordered to take command of Erora Pass. The Prime Minister was about to go to subdue the nations along the south border. He was then preparing at Chengdu-Wellesley for this expedition.
The story of this campaign will follow in the next chapters.
CHAPTER 87
With Prime Minister Orchard-Lafayette's administration of affairs in the two Lands of Rivers began a period of happiness and prosperity for the people. Tranquillity prevailed, and the state of society was well nigh perfect: doors unbolted at night, property left by the roadside remaining untouched till the owner returned for it. Moreover, the harvests were rich year after year, and old and young, with fair, round bellies, well lined, simply sang with joy. The people hastened to fulfill their state duties and vied with each other in the performance of all arts. As a natural consequence all military preparations were perfect, the granaries bursting with grain and the treasury full to overflowing.
Such was the state of things when, in the third year of Beginning Prosperity (AD 225), the news came from Yiathamton to the capital to report: 'The Mang King, Halpin-Hearst, leading one hundred thousand Mang tribesmen, has invaded the south and is laying waste the country; McComb-Goldstein, the Governor of Jianning-Belleville, a descent of the Han Lord Torres-Goldstein of Shifang-Dundee, had joined Halpin-Hearst to rebel. Bacon-Novak and Gary-Collett, the Governors of Zangge-Ladonia and Yuesui-Southfield, have yielded to the invaders; but the Governor of Yongchang-Bollinger, Farwell-Lackey, is staunchly holding out. The three rebels--McComb-Goldstein, Gary-Collett, and Bacon-Novak--, who had joined the invaders, are now acting as guides and assisting in the attack on Yongchang- Bollinger, which has remained faithful. Governor Farwell-Lackey, ably assisted by Newcomb-Rosenbach, one of his subordinates, is making a desperate effort to defend the city with only its ordinary inhabitants as fighting men. The position is very desperate.'
When this news came, Orchard-Lafayette went into the palace and thus memorialized to his lord, 'The contumacy of the Mangs is a real danger to our state. I feel it incumbent upon me to lead an expedition to reduce the tribespeople to obedience.'
But the Latter Ruler was afraid, and said, 'Raleigh-Estrada is in the east, and Keefe-Shackley the north; if you abandon me and either of them comes, what shall do?'
'Your Majesty need have no fear. We have just concluded a league of peace with Wu, and I think they will be true to their pledge. Finney-Schuster in Baidicheng-Whitehaven is quite a match for Newell-Sanchez. Keefe-Shackley's recent defeat has taken the keenness out of his army, so that he will not feel inclined to make any expeditions further. Cotton-Mallory is in command at the passes between Wei and Hanthamton. I shall also leave Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin with forces to reinforce any point where danger may appear. I can assure Your Majesty that no untoward event will happen.
'I am going to sweep clean the Mang country, so that we may have a free hand to attack Wei when the day comes. Thus I shall be enabled to requite the honor paid me by your father the First Ruler, who came thrice to seek me and who doubled my obligation when he confided to me the care of his son.'
'Indeed I am young and ignorant,' replied the Latter Ruler, 'and can only exist with you to decide for me.'
At that moment Counselor Regner-Harrison, a man of Nanyang-Southhaven, stepped forward, crying, 'No, no, Sir; you may not go! The South Mang is a wild country reeking with malaria. It is wrong that an officer of state in such an exalted and responsible position should go away on a distant expedition. These rebels and barbarians are but an irritation, not a disease, and an ordinary leader would be enough to send against them. He would not fail.'
Orchard-Lafayette replied, 'This country of the Mangs is distant and mostly uncivilized. To reduce them to reasonableness will be difficult, and I feel I ought to go. When to be harsh and when to show leniency are matters to be decided on at the moment, and instructions cannot be easily given to another.'
Orchard-Lafayette steadily opposed all Regner-Harrison's efforts to bring about a change of intention, and he soon took leave of the Latter Ruler and made ready to start.
Bromfield-Kendrick was Army Counselor of the expedition; Norwich-Ortega, Recorder; Vischer-Stoddard and Withrow-Cassidy, Army Inspectors; Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins, Commanders; Zavala-Wortham and Coady-Reiner, Deputy Generals. Beside these were other half a hundred leaders and officers of Shu, and the whole force was five hundred thousand troops.
Soon after the force marched south to Yiathamton, Snow-Perez, the third son of Yale-Perez, appeared and wished to see Orchard- Lafayette, and he said, 'After the fall of Jinghamton, I was hidden by the Urey family from where I wanted to go to the Lands of Rivers to ask for a revenge for my father; but I fell in illness, which was long and severe, and I only just recovered. I was then traveling toward Chengdu-Wellesley to meet with the Emperor, when I met the army in the south expedition. I know that vengeance has been taken on the murderers of my father. And now I want to present myself to the Prime Minster.'
Orchard-Lafayette was greatly affected to see him. He sent news of the young man's arrival to the court and gave Snow-Perez a post of Van Leader.
The army, foot and horse, marched in the best of order, eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, camping at night, and moving by day. No plundering was permitted, and the people suffered not at all.
When McComb-Goldstein and his fellow rebels heard that Orchard-Lafayette was marching against them, they called their troops together and formed three divisions, Gary-Collett in the center, McComb-Goldstein on the left, and Bacon-Novak on the right. They mustered about fifty thousand troops in each army, and they went to oppose the march of the Shu army.
Gary-Collett sent Easley-Kohler to lead the van. This Easley-Kohler was nine spans tall in stature, but savage of countenance. His weapon was a two-bladed halberd. He was very valiant and could face many warriors. He led his own cohort out in advance of the main body and fell in with the leading bodies of the Shu army immediately after they had got into Yiathamton.
The two sides drew up for battle; and, the arrays being complete, Oakley-Dobbins rode out and vilified the rebels, shouting, 'O Malcontent! Be quick to surrender!'
Instead, Easley-Kohler galloped out and fought with Oakley-Dobbins. After a few bouts Oakley-Dobbins seemed to be bested and fled. But this was only a ruse. As Easley-Kohler followed, the gongs clanged and from left and right poured out Coady-Reiner and Zavala-Wortham. Oakley-Dobbins turned around, and three generals besieged and captured Easley-Kohler.
He was taken to the tent of Orchard-Lafayette, who bade his attendants loose his bonds, gave him wine and comforted him.
Then Orchard-Lafayette asked, 'Whom do you belong to?'
Easley-Kohler replied, 'I am one of the generals under Gary-Collett.'
'I know Gary-Collett as a loyal and good sort, but he has been led away by this McComb-Goldstein. Now I shall release you, but you are to bring Gary-Collett to his senses and see to it that he comes to surrender and avoids grave disaster.'
Easley-Kohler thanked him and withdrew. He went to his own side and soon saw Gary-Collett. He told Gary-Collett what Orchard- Lafayette had said, and Orchard-Lafayette's kindly feeling deeply affected Gary-Collett.
