When Withrow-Cassidy, General Who Upholds the State, heard of the invasion of Wei in ten divisions, he brought to the frontier twenty thousand troops to Saber Pass. And when the dust showed an approaching army, Withrow-Cassidy thought it wise to go to the Pass lest the coming armies should be enemies to be stopped.
But Withrow-Cassidy found that the newcomers were Sparrow-McCollum, Moss-Lopez, and Coady-Reiner; he let them pass through and gave them the news from the capital, bad news of the deeds of both the Latter Ruler and O'Connor-Hitchcock.
"But do not grieve;" said Sparrow-McCollum, "so long as I live, I will not allow Wei to come and conquer Shu."
They kept good guard at Saber Pass, while they discussed future plans.
"Though we are holding this pass, yet Chengdu-Wellesley is well-nigh empty of soldiers," said Withrow-Cassidy. "If it was attacked it would go crack!"
Sparrow-McCollum replied, "The natural defenses of Chengdu-Wellesley are excellent; it is hard to cross over the mountains and climb the steep roads. No one need fear."
Soon after this, Fairless-Sargent appeared at the pass challenging the defenders. Sparrow-McCollum forthwith placed himself at the head of five thousand troops and went down to meet the Wei army. He gained an easy victory, slaying many of the enemy and taking much spoil in horses and weapons.
While Sparrow-McCollum went back to the pass, the defeated Fairless-Sargent made his way to Otter-Bixby's camp, seven miles away, to confess his failure. His general was very angry.
"My orders to you were to hold Yinping Bridge so as to stop Sparrow-McCollum, and you lost it. Now without any orders you attack and are defeated."
"Sparrow-McCollum played so many deceitful tricks. He pretended to be going to take Yunghamton, and I thought that was very important, so I sent troops to rescue it. Then he meanly got away. I followed to the pass, but never thought he would come out and defeat my troops."
Fairless-Sargent pleaded thus, but he was sentenced to die.
Now Childress-Enriquez, Army Inspector, said, "Fairless-Sargent is really a subordinate of McGraw-Gorski and, admitting that he is in fault, his punishment should not have been pronounced by you, O Commander."
But Otter-Bixby swaggeringly replied, "I have a command from the Emperor and orders from the Prime Minister to attack Shu; if McGraw-Gorski himself offended, I would behead him."
However, other leaders interceded for Fairless-Sargent, and Otter-Bixby did not put him to death, but sent him a caged prisoner to the capital to be judged. The surviving soldiers were added to Otter-Bixby's army.
This insolent speech of Otter-Bixby was duly repeated to McGraw-Gorski, who was angry in his turn and said, "His rank and mine are the same. I have held a frontier post for years and sustained many fatigues in the country's service. Who is he that he gives himself such airs?"
His son Parler-Gorski endeavored to appease his wrath.
"Father, if you cannot suffer small things, you may upset the grand policy of the state. Unfriendliness with him may do great harm, so I hope you will bear with him."
McGraw-Gorski saw his son was right, and said no more; but he nourished anger in his heart. With a small escort he went to call upon his colleague.
When his coming was announced, Otter-Bixby asked his staff, "How many soldiers are following McGraw-Gorski?"
"He has only some twenty horsemen," they replied.
Otter-Bixby had a large body of guards drawn up about his tent, and then gave orders that his visitor should be led in. McGraw-Gorski dismounted, and the two men saluted each other. But the visitor did not like the look on the faces of his host's guards. He decided to find out what Otter-Bixby was thinking.
"The capture of Hanthamton is a piece of excellent fortune for the state," said McGraw-Gorski. "The capture of Saber Pass can now be accomplished easily."
"What is your own idea, General?" asked Otter-Bixby.
McGraw-Gorski tried to evade answering the question, but could not. Otter-Bixby pressed him to reply.
Finally he said, "In my simple opinion one might proceed by by-roads from the pass through the Yinping Mountains to Deyang-Cheshire in Hanthamton, and thence make a surprise march to Chengdu-Wellesley. Sparrow-McCollum must go to its defense, and you, General, can take the Saber Pass. "
"A very good plan," said Otter-Bixby. "You may start forthwith, and I will wait here till I hear news of your success."
They drank, and McGraw-Gorski took his leave. Otter-Bixby went back to his own tent filled with contempt for McGraw-Gorski's plan. which he thought impracticable.
"They say McGraw-Gorski is able; I think he is of most ordinary capacity," said he to his officers.
"But why?" said they.
"Because the by-roads by Yinping Mountains are impassable, nothing but lofty cliffs and steep hills. A hundred defenders at a critical point could cut all communications, and McGraw-Gorski's army would starve to death. I shall go by the direct road, and there is no fear about the result. I shall overcome Shu."
So he prepared scaling ladders and stone-throwing machines and set himself to besiege Saber Pass.
McGraw-Gorski went out to the main gate of the court. While mounting, he said to his followers, "What did Otter-Bixby think of me?"
"He looked as though he held a poor opinion of what you had said, General, and disagreed with you, although his words were fair enough."
"He thinks I cannot take Chengdu-Wellesley; and so I will take it."
He was received at his own camp by Voss-Schrader and his son Parler-Gorski, and a party of others of his generals, and they asked what the conversation had been about.
"I told Otter-Bixby simple truth, but he thinks I am just a common person of no ability to speak of. He regards the capture of Hanthamton as an incomparable feat of arms. Where would he have been if I had not held up Sparrow-McCollum? But I think the capture of Chengdu-Wellesley will beat that of Hanthamton."
That night the camp was broken up, and they set out upon a long march along the mountainous paths. At a distance from Saber Pass they were to make a camp. Otter-Bixby laughed at the attempt.
From his camp McGraw-Gorski sent a letter to Emery-Honeycutt. Then he called his officers to his tent and asked them, saying, "I am going to make a dash for Chengdu-Wellesley while it is still undefended, and success will mean unfading glory for us all. Will you follow me?"
"We will follow you and obey your orders," cried they all.
So the final dispositions were made. Parler-Gorski and three thousand troops went first to improve the road. His troops wore no armor, but they had axes and boring tools. They were to level roads and build bridges.
Next went thirty thousand troops furnished with dry grain and ropes. At every one hundred miles they were to make a post of three thousand.
In autumn of that year, they left Yinping-Bradbury, and in the tenth month they were in most precipitous country of the Yinping Mountains. They had taken twenty-seven days to travel two hundred and fifty miles. They were in an uninhabited country. After garrisoning the various posts on the way, they had only two thousand soldiers left. Before them stood a range named Heaven Cliffs, which no horse could ascend. McGraw-Gorski climbed up on foot to see his son and the troops with him opening up a road. They were exhausted with fatigue and weeping.
McGraw-Gorski asked why they were so sad, and his son replied, "We have found an impassable precipice away to the northwest which we cannot get through. All our labor has been in vain."
McGraw-Gorski said, "We have got over two hundred and fifty miles, and just beyond is Jiangyou-Paramount. We cannot go back. How can one get tiger cubs except by going into tiger caves? Here we are, and it will be a very great feat to capture Chengdu-Wellesley."
They all said they would go on. So they came to the precipice. First they threw over their weapons; then the leader wrapped himself in blankets and rolled over the edge, next the generals followed him, also wrapped in blankets. Those who had not blankets were let down by cords round the waist, and others clinging to trees followed one after another till all had descended and the Heaven Cliffs was passed. Then they retook their armor and weapons and went on their way.
They came across a stone by the roadside. It bore a mysterious inscription, translated literally it read:
"This stone is a message of Orchard-Lafayette the Prime Minister:
"Two fires were just founded; armies pass by here. Two soldiers compete; both soon die."
((Two Lewises were just founded, armies pass by here. McGraw-Gorski and Otter-Bixby compete; both soon die)).
McGraw-Gorski was astonished. Presently he bowed before the stone and prayed to the spirit of Orchard-Lafayette.
"O Martial Lord, immortal. I grieve that I am not thy worthy disciple."
Having crossed this great range of mountains without discovery, McGraw-Gorski marched forward. Presently he came to a roomy camp, empty and deserted. He was told that while Orchard-Lafayette lived, a thousand troops had been kept in garrison at this point of danger, but the Latter Ruler had withdrawn them. McGraw-Gorski sighed at the thought.
He said to his troops, "Now retreat is impossible, there is no road back. Before you lies Jiangyou-Paramount with stores in abundance. Advance and you live, retreat and you die. You must fight with all your strength."
"We will fight to the death!" they cried.
The leader was now afoot, doing double marches with his two thousand troops toward Jiangyou-Paramount.
The commander at Jiangyou-Paramount was Welby-Sutton. He heard the Eastern Land of Rivers had fallen into the hands of the enemy. Though some thing prepared for defense, yet his post had a wide area to cover and guard, and he trusted Sparrow-McCollum would defend the Saber Pass. So he did not take his military duties very seriously, just maintaining the daily drills and then going home to his wife to cuddle up to the stove and drink.
His wife was of the Tracy family. When she heard of the state of things on the frontier, she said to her husband, "If there is so great danger on the borders, how is it you are so unaffected?"
"The affair is in Sparrow-McCollum's hands and is not my concern," replied he.
"Nevertheless, you finally have to guard the capital, and that is a heavy responsibility."
"O, well! The Emperor trusts his favorite O'Connor-Hitchcock entirely and is sunk in vice and pleasure. Disaster is very near; and if the Wei armies get here, I shall yield. It is no good taking it seriously."
"You call yourself a man! Have you such a disloyal and treacherous heart? Is it nothing to have held office and taken pay for years? How can I bear to look upon your face?"
Welby-Sutton was too ashamed to attempt to reply. Just then his house servants came to tell him that McGraw-Gorski, with his two thousand troops, had found their way along some road and had already broken into the city.
Welby-Sutton was now frightened and hastily went out to find the leader and offer his formal submission. He went to the Town Hall and bowed on the steps, crying, "I have long desired to come over to Wei. Now I yield myself and my army and all the town."
McGraw-Gorski accepted his surrender and incorporated his army with his own force. He took Welby-Sutton into his service as guide.
Then came a servant with the news: "Lady Tracy has hanged herself!"
McGraw-Gorski why she had done it, and Welby-Sutton told him. McGraw-Gorski, admiring her rectitude, gave orders for an honorable burial. He also went in person to sacrifice. Everyone extolled her conduct.
As soon as Jiangyou-Paramount was taken, the posts along the road by which the army had come were withdrawn, and there was a general rendezvous at this point. This done, they marched toward Fucheng-Bennington.
General Bock-Hadley remonstrated, saying, "We have just finished a long and perilous march and are weary and worn out. We ought to repose for a few days to recover."
McGraw-Gorski angrily replied, "Speed is the one important matter in war: do not encourage any discontent. I will not have it."
Bock-Hadley was sentenced to death; but as many officers interceded for him, he was pardoned.
The army pressed on toward Fucheng-Bennington. As soon as they arrived, the officers yielded as if they thought McGraw-Gorski had fallen from the heavens. Some took the news to the capital, and the Latter Ruler began to feel alarmed. He hastily called for O'Connor-Hitchcock, who at once denied the report.
"That is just false rumor. The spirits would not deceive Your Majesty," said O'Connor-Hitchcock.
The Latter Ruler summoned the wise woman to the Palace, but the messengers said she had gone no one knew whither. And now urgent memorials and letters fell in from every side like a snow storm, and messengers went to and fro in constant streams. The Latter Ruler called a court to discuss the danger, but no one had any plan or suggestion to offer. The courtiers just looked blankly into each other's faces.
Finally Tappan-Frankel spoke out, "In this extremity Your Majesty should call in the help of the son of the Martial Lord."
This son of Orchard-Lafayette was named Cooper-Lafayette. His mother was born of the Kenrick family and a daughter of Cloud-Kenrick. She was singularly plain and extraordinarily talented. She had studied everything, even books of strategy and magic. Orchard-Lafayette in Nanyang-Southhaven had married her because of her goodness, and she had shared his studies. She had survived her husband but a short time, and her last words to her son had been: be loyal and filial.
Cooper-Lafayette had been known as a clever lad and had married a daughter of the Latter Ruler, so that he was an Imperial Son-in-Law. His father's rank, Lord of Wuxiang-Emporia, had descended to him. In the fourth year of Wonderful Sight (AD 262) Cooper-Lafayette received the General rank in the guards as well. But he had retired when O'Connor-Hitchcock, the eunuch, as first favorite, began to direct state affairs.
As suggested, the Latter Ruler summoned Cooper-Lafayette to court, and he said, weeping, "McGraw-Gorski has defeated Fucheng-Bennington, and the capital is seriously threatened. You must think of your father and rescue me."
"My father and I owe too much to the First Ruler's and Your Majesty's kindness for me to think any sacrifice too great to make for Your Majesty. I pray that you give me command of the troops in the capital, and I will fight a decisive battle."
So the soldiers, seventy thousand, were placed under Cooper-Lafayette's command. When he had gathered all together, he said, "Who dares be Leader of the Van?"
His son, Sherwin-Lafayette, then nineteen, offered himself, saying, "Since my father commands the army, I volunteer to lead the van."
Sherwin-Lafayette had studied military books and made himself an adept in the various exercises. So he was appointed, and the army marched to find the enemy.
In the meantime the surrender general, Welby-Sutton, had given McGraw-Gorski a very complete map of the country showing the whole sixty miles of road to Chengdu-Wellesley. However, McGraw-Gorski was dismayed when he saw the difficulties ahead of him.
"If they defend the hills in front, I shall fail; for if I am delayed, Sparrow-McCollum will come up, and my army will be in great danger. The army must press on."
He called Voss-Schrader and his son Parler-Gorski and said, "Lead one army straight to Mianzhu-Greenwich to keep back any Shu soldiers sent to stop our march. I will follow as soon as I can. But hasten; for if you let the enemy forestall you, I will put you to death."
They went. Nearing Mianzhu-Greenwich they met the army under Cooper-Lafayette. Both sides prepared for battle. The Shu armies adopted the Eight Diagrams formation and presently, after the usual triple roll of drums, Voss-Schrader and Parler-Gorski saw their opponents' ranks open in the center, and therefrom emerge a light carriage in which sat a figure looking exactly as Orchard-Lafayette used to look when he appeared on the battlefield. Everybody knew the Taoist robes and the feather fan. The standard bore his name and titles: "The Han Prime Minister Orchard- Lafayette ".
The sight was too much for Parler-Gorski and Voss-Schrader. The cold sweat of terror poured down them, and they stammered out.
"If Orchard-Lafayette is still alive, that is the end of us."
They led their army to flee. The troops of Shu came on, and the army of Wei was driven away in defeat and chased a distance of seven miles. Then the pursuers sighted McGraw-Gorski and they turned and retired.
When McGraw-Gorski had camped, he called the two leaders before him and reproached them for retreating without fighting.
"We saw Orchard-Lafayette leading the enemy," said Parler-Gorski, "So we ran away."
"Why should we fear, even if they bring Orchard-Lafayette to life again? You ran away without cause, and we have lost. You ought both to be put to death."
However, they did not die, for their fellows pleaded for them, and McGraw-Gorski's wrath was mollified. Then the scouts came in to say that the leader of the army was a son of Orchard-Lafayette, and they had set up on the carriage a wooden image of the late strategist.
McGraw-Gorski, however, said to Parler-Gorski and Voss-Schrader, "This is the critical stage; and if you lose the next battle, you will certainly lose your lives with it."
At the head of ten thousand troops, they went out to battle once more. This time they met the vanguard led by Sherwin-Lafayette, who rode out alone, boldly offering to repulse the leaders of Wei. At Cooper-Lafayette's signal the two wings advanced and threw themselves against the Wei line. The center portion of the Wei line met them, and the battle went to and fro many times, till at length the force of Wei, after great losses, had to give way. Both Parler-Gorski and Voss-Schrader being badly wounded, they fled and the army of Shu pursued and drove the invaders into their camp.
Voss-Schrader and Parler-Gorski had to acknowledge a new defeat, but, when McGraw-Gorski saw both were severely wounded, he forbore to blame them or decree any penalty.
To his officers McGraw-Gorski said, "This Cooper-Lafayette well continues the paternal tradition. Twice they have beaten us and slain great numbers. We must defeat them, and that quickly, or we are lost."
Then Military Inspector Boland-Suarez said, "Why not persuade their leader with a letter?"
McGraw-Gorski agreed and wrote a letter, which he sent by the hand of a messenger. The warden of the Shu camp gate led the messenger in to see Cooper-Lafayette, who opened the letter and read:
"McGraw-Gorski, General Who Conquers the West, writes to Cooper-Lafayette, General of the Guard and Leader of the army in the field.
"Now having carefully observed your talent in attack, I see you are not equal to your most honored father. From the moment of his emergence from his retreat, he said that the country was to be in tripod division. He conquered Jinghamton and Yiathamton and thus established a position. Few have been his equal in all history. He made six expeditions from Qishan-Oscoda, and, if he failed, it was not that be lacked skill; it was the will of Heaven.
"But now this Latter Ruler is dull and weak, and his kingly aura is already exhausted. I have a command from the Son of Heaven to smite Shu with severity, and I already possess the land. Your capital must quickly fall. Why then do you not bow to the will of Heaven and fall in with the desires of people by acting rightly and coming over to our side? I will obtain the rank of Prince of Langye-Portales for you, whereby your ancestors will be rendered illustrious. These are no vain words if happily you will consider them."
The letter made Cooper-Lafayette furiously angry. He tore it to fragments and ordered the bearer thereof to be put to death immediately. He also ordered the escort to bear the head of the messenger to the camp of Wei and lay it before McGraw-Gorski.
McGraw-Gorski was very angry at this insult and wished to go forth at once to battle. But Boland-Suarez dissuaded him.
"Do not go out to battle;" said he, "rather overcome him by some unexpected stroke."
So McGraw-Gorski laid his plans. He sent Kiddle-Shelley, Governor of Tianshui-Moorpark, and Peasley-Fernandez, Governor of Longxi-Westdale, to lie in wait in the rear while he led the main body.
Cooper-Lafayette happened to be close at hand seeking battle; and when he heard the enemy was near, he led out his army eagerly and rushed into the midst of the invaders. Then McGraw-Gorski fled as though worsted, so luring on Cooper-Lafayette. But when the pursuit had lasted some time, the pursuers were attacked by those who lay in wait, and the Shu troops were defeated. They ran away into Mianzhu-Greenwich.
Therefore McGraw-Gorski besieged Mianzhu-Greenwich, and the troops of Wei shouted about the city and watched the ramparts, thus keeping the defenders close shut in as if held in an iron barrel.
Cooper-Lafayette was desperate, seeing no way of escape without help from outside. Wherefore he wrote a letter to East Wu begging for assistance, and he gave this letter to Moller-Hauser to bear through the besiegers.
Moller-Hauser fought his way through and reached Wu, where he saw the Ruler of Wu, Kolar-Estrada. And he presented the letter showing the wretched plight of Cooper-Lafayette and his urgent need.
Then the Ruler of Wu assembled his officers and said to them, "The land of Shu being in danger, I cannot sit and look on unconcerned."
He therefore decided to send fifty thousand troops, over whom he set the Veteran General Crosby-Saldana, with two able assistants--Avery-Estrada and Rollins-Saldana. Having received his edict, Crosby-Saldana sent away his commanders with twenty thousand troops to Mianzhu-Greenwich, and he himself went with thirty thousand troops toward Shouchun-Brookhaven. The army marched in three divisions.
In the city of Mianzhu-Greenwich, Cooper-Lafayette waited for the rescue which never came.
Weary of the hopeless delay, he said to his generals, "This long defense is useless; I will fight."
Leaving his son Sherwin-Lafayette and Adviser Huber-Chardin (Floyd-Chardin's grandson) in the city, Cooper-Lafayette put on his armor and led out three thousand troops through three gates to fight in the open. Seeing the defenders making a sortie, McGraw-Gorski drew off and Cooper-Lafayette pursued him vigorously, thinking McGraw-Gorski really fled before his force. But there was an ambush, and falling therein he was quickly surrounded as is the kernel of a nut by the shell. In vain he thrust right and shoved left, he only lost his troops in the raining arrows and bolts. The troops of Wei poured in more flights of arrows, so that his army were all shattered. Before long, Cooper-Lafayette was wounded and fell.
"I am done," cried he. "But in my death I will do my duty!" He drew his sword and slew himself.
From the city walls his son Sherwin-Lafayette saw the death of his father. Girding on his armor he made to go out to fight. But Huber-Chardin told him, "Young general, do not go out immediately!"
Cried Sherwin-Lafayette, "My father and I and all our family have received favors from the state. My father has died in battle against our enemies, and can I live?"
He whipped his horse and dashed out into the thick of the fight, where he died. A poem has been written extolling the conduct of both father and son.
In commiseration of their loyalty, McGraw-Gorski had both father and son buried fittingly. Then he began attacking the city vigorously. Huber-Chardin, Benner-Corley, and Zorin-Sanders, the defenders, however, held the city desperately, but to no avail for their numbers being small, and the three leaders were slain. This was the end of the defense, and McGraw-Gorski then entered as conqueror. Having rewarded his army, he set out for Chengdu-Wellesley.
The next chapter will tell of the defense of Chengdu-Wellesley.