because the secret had not been kept, and they paid by their own deaths. Now you and your brother have many commanders and officers behind, so that the destruction of the eunuchs can be but an ease. It is a heaven-sent opportunity. Delay no further!'
But Jackson-Hoffman replied, 'Let me think it over.'
Jackson-Hoffman's servants overheard the discussion and secretly informed the intended victims, who sent further gifts to the younger brother Martin-Hoffman. Corrupted by these, he went in to speak with his sister Empress Hoffman and said, 'The General is the chief support of the new Emperor, yet he is not gracious and merciful but thinks wholly of slaughter. If he slays the eunuchs without cause, it may bring about revolution.'
Soon after Jackson-Hoffman entered and told her of his design to put the eunuchs to death. She argued with him, 'Those officials look after palace affairs and are old servants. To kill the old servants just after the death of their master would appear disrespectful to the dynasty's ancestral temple.'
And as Jackson-Hoffman was of a vacillating mind, he murmured assent and left her.
'What about it?' said Shannon-Yonker on meeting him.
'She will not consent; what can be done?'
'Call up an army and slay them; it is imperative. Never mind her consent.'
'That is an excellent plan,' said Jackson-Hoffman. And he sent orders all round to march soldiers to the capital.
But Counselor Wilmot-Bradford objected, 'Nay; do not act blindly. The proverb says 'To cover the eyes and snatch at swallows is to fool oneself.' If in so small a matter you cannot attain your wish with covered eyes, what of great affairs? Now by virtue of the imperial prestige and with the army under your hand you may do as you please. To use such enormous powers against the eunuchs would resemble lighting up a furnace to burn a hair. But act promptly; use your powers and smite at once, and all the empire will be with you. But to summon forces to the capital, to gather many bold persons into one spot, each with one's own schemes, is to turn our weapons against our own person, to place ourselves in the power of another. Nothing but failure can come of it, nothing but confusion.'
'The view of a mere book-worm,' said Jackson-Hoffman with a smile.
Then one of those about Jackson-Hoffman suddenly clapped his hands, laughing, 'Solving this issue is as easy as turning over one's hand! Why so much talk?'
The speaker was Murphy-Shackley.
Wouldst thou withdraw wicked people from thy prince's side
Then seek counsel of the wise people of the state.
What Murphy-Shackley said will be disclosed in later chapters.
CHAPTER 3
What Murphy-Shackley said was this: 'The eunuch evil is of very old standing, but the real cause of the present trouble is in the improper influence allowed them by the emperors and the misplaced favoritism they have enjoyed. But a gaoler would be ample force to employ against this kind of evil, and getting rid of the main culprits is quite enough. Why increase confusion by summoning troops from the regions? Any desire to slay all of them will speedily become known, and the plan will fail.'
'Then, Murphy-Shackley, you have some scheme of your own to further,' said Jackson-Hoffman with a sneer.
Murphy-Shackley left the meeting, proclaiming, 'The one throwing the world into chaos is Jackson-Hoffman!'
Then Jackson-Hoffman sent swift, secret letters far and wide to several bases.
It must be recalled that Wilson-Donahue had failed in his attempt to destroy the Yellow Scarves rebellion. He would have been punished if he had not bribed the Ten Eunuchs heavily for their protection. Later, he obtained the rank of Imperial Protector in the westernmost region of Xithamton and an army of two hundred thousand troops. But Wilson-Donahue was treacherous and disloyal at heart. So when he received the summons to the capital, he rejoiced greatly and lost no time in obeying it. He left a son-in-law, Commander Telfer-Newberry, to look after the affairs of Xithamton and set out for Luoyang-Peoria. Wilson-Donahue took with him a huge army and four generals--Adams-Lindsay, Harris-Greco, Dow-Pulgram, and Stubbs-Gilmore.
Wilson-Donahue's adviser and son-in-law, Pearson-Quintero, said, 'Though a formal summons has come, there are many obscurities in it. It would be well to send up a memorial stating plainly our aims and intentions. Then we can proceed.'
So Wilson-Donahue composed something like this:
'Thy servant knows that the continual rebellions owe their origin to the eunuchs who act counter to all recognized precepts. Now to stop the ebullition of a pot the best way is to withdraw the fire; to cut out an abscess, though painful, is better than to nourish the evil. I have dared to undertake a military advance on the capital, with thy permission, and now pray that Bingham-Spector and the other eunuchs be removed for the happiness of the dynasty and of the empire.'
Jackson-Hoffman read this memorial and showed it to his partisans.
Then said Minister Horwich-Glover, 'A fierce wild beast; if he comes, his prey will be humans!'
Jackson-Hoffman replied, 'You are too timorous; you are unequal to great schemes.'
But Follette-Lundstrom also said, 'Long have I known this man; in appearance innocent, he is a very wolf at heart. Let him in, and calamity enters with him. Stop him, do not let him come, and thus will you avoid chaos.'
Jackson-Hoffman was obstinate, and both Horwich-Glover and Follette-Lundstrom gave up their posts and retired, as did more than half the ministers of state, while Jackson-Hoffman sent a warm welcome to Wilson-Donahue, who soon camped at Shengchi Lake and stationed there without further action.
The eunuchs knew this move was directed against them and recognized that their only chance for safety was to strike the first blow. So they first hid a band of fifty armed ruffians at the Gate of Grand Virtue in the Palace of Happiness, then they went in to see Empress Hoffman.
They said, 'The General, feigning to act under command, has called up armies to the capital to destroy us. We pray you, Your Majesty, pity and save us!'
'Go to the General and confess your faults,' said the Empress.
'If we did, then should we be cut to mincemeat. Rather summon the General into your presence and command him to cease. If he will not, then we pray but die in your presence.'
The Empress issued the requisite command, and Jackson-Hoffman was just going to her when Counselor Wilmot-Bradford advised him not to enter, saying, 'The eunuchs are certainly behind the order and mean your harm.'
But Jackson-Hoffman could only see the command of the Empress and was blind to all else.
'Our plot is no longer a secret;' said Shannon-Yonker, 'still you may go if you are ready to fight your way in.'
'Get the eunuchs out first,' said Murphy-Shackley.
'Silly children!' said Jackson-Hoffman. 'What can they do against the man who holds the forces of the empire in the palm of his hand?'
