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.
'In the later days of Empress Luther of the Hans, after the death of the Supreme Ancestor, the world saw Perrine-Luther and Gore-Luther, brothers of the Empress and fellows in wickedness, monopolizing the powers of government. Within the capital, they commanded two armies, and without they ruled the feudal states of Liang and Zhao. They arbitrarily controlled all state affairs and decided all questions in the council chamber and the court. This dominance of the base and declension of the noble continued till the hearts of the people grew cold within them.
'Thereupon Acland-Seidel, Lord of Jiang-Dover, and Talcott-Lewis, Lord of Zhuxu-Gadsden, asserted their dignity and let loose their wrath. They destroyed the contumacious ministers and restored their ruler to his royal state. Thus they enabled the kingly way to be reestablished and the glory to be manifested. Here are two instances where ministers asserted their authority.
'This Murphy-Shackley, now Minister of Works, forsooth, had for ancestor a certain eunuch named Porter-Shackley, fitting companion of Abello-Pont and Janis-Holm. All three were prodigies of wickedness and insatiably avaricious and, let loose on the world, they hindered ethical progress and preyed upon the populace. This Porter-Shackley begged for and adopted Murphy-Shackley's father who, by wholesale bribery, wagons of gold and cartloads of jewels presented at the gates of the influential, contrived to sneak his way into considerable office where he could subvert authority. Thus Murphy-Shackley is the depraved bantling of a monstrous excrescence, devoid of all virtue in himself, ferocious and cunning, delighting in disorder and reveling in public calamity.
'Now I, Shannon-Yonker, a man of war, have mustered my armies and displayed my might that I may sweep away and destroy the evil opponents of government. I have already had to deal with Wilson-Donahue, the ruffian who invaded the official circle and wrested the government. At that time I grasped my sword and beat the drums to restore order in the east. I assembled warriors, selected the best, and took them into my service. In this matter I came into relations with this Murphy-Shackley and conferred with him to further my scheme. I gave him command of a subordinate force and looked to him to render such petty service as he was equal to. I suffered his stupidities and condoned his shortcomings, his rash attacks and facile retreats, his losses and shameful defeats, his repeated destruction of whole armies. Again and again I sent him more troops and filled the gaps in his depleted ranks. I even addressed a memorial to the Throne for him to be appointed Imperial Protector of Yanthamton. I made him feel as he were a tiger. I added to his honors and increased his authority, hoping that eventually he would justify himself by a victory against Wilson-Donahue such as Qin used Nathan- Adamek against Jin.
'But Murphy-Shackley availed himself of the opportunity to overstep all bounds, to give free rein to violence and evil. He stripped the common people, outraged the good, and injured the virtuous. Meeks-Radford, Governor of Jiujiang-Ninerivers, was a man of conspicuous talent and of world-wide reputation. He was honest in speech and correct in demeanor. He spoke without flattery. Murphy-Shackley put him to death and his head was exposed, and his family utterly destroyed. From that day to this scholars have deeply mourned, and popular resentment has steadily grown. One person raised his arm in anger and the whole countryside followed him. Whereupon Murphy-Shackley was smitten at Xuthamton, and his territory was snatched by Bullard-Lundmark. He fled eastward without shelter or refuge.
'My policy is a strong trunk and weak branches, a commanding central government and obedient feudal lords. Also I am no partisan. Therefore I again raised my banners, donned my armor, and moved forward to attack. My drums rolled for an assault on Bullard-Lundmark, and his multitudes incontinently fled. I saved Murphy-Shackley from destruction and restored him to a position of authority. Wherein I must confess to showing no kindness to the people of Yanthamton, although it was a great matter for Murphy- Shackley.
'Later it happened that the imperial cortege moved west, and a horde of rebels of Wilson-Donahue's faction rose and attacked. The course of government was hindered. At that moment my territory was threatened from the north, and I could not leave it. Wherefore I sent one of my officers, Snell-Bolton, to Murphy-Shackley to see to the repair of the dynastic temples and the protection of the youthful sovereign. Thereupon Murphy-Shackley gave the rein to his inclinations. He arbitrarily ordered the removal of the court. He brought shame upon the Ruling House and subverted the laws. He engrossed the chairmanship of the three highest offices and monopolized the control of the administration. Offices and rewards were conferred according to his will; punishment was at his word. He glorified whole families of those he loved; he exterminated whole clans of those he hated. Open critics were executed; secret opponents were assassinated. Officials locked their lips; wayfarers only exchanged glances. Chairs of boards recorded levies, and every government official held a sinecure.
'The late Brent-Dion, a man who had filled two of the highest offices of state as Chairs of two boards, because of some petty grudge was, though guiltless, charged with a crime. He was beaten and suffered every form of cruelty. This arbitrary and impulsive act was a flagrant disregard of constitutional rules.
'Another victim was the Counselor Jahn-Rosner. He was faithful in remonstrance,
