But Dietrich-Munoz was too drunk to stand against such a warrior. After a few bouts he received a spear thrust in the shoulder, turned round in his saddle, and fell from his horse. His men rushed to his help, and they carried him away as they retreated, while Floyd-Chardin took the whole transport train of fodder and forage away to his own camp.
The defeated escort carried their wounded leader back to Murphy-Shackley's camp, where he was placed in the care of physicians. Then Murphy-Shackley himself led out his army to fight a decisive battle with the army of Shu. Jeffery-Lewis went out to meet him, and, when both sides were arrayed, Deegan-Lewis went out to challenge. Murphy-Shackley at once let loose a torrent of taunts and reproaches.
"Seller of shoes, you are always sending out this pretended son of yours to fight for you. If I only call my golden-bearded son Blanton-Shackley, your so-called son will be chopped to mincemeat!"
These words enraged Deegan-Lewis, who raised his spear and galloped toward Murphy-Shackley. Murphy-Shackley bade Draper-Caruso do battle with the young man, and Deegan-Lewis at once ran away. Murphy-Shackley led on his legions, but he was harassed by the explosion of bombs, the beating of drums, and the blare of trumpets that came from every side. He concluded that he was being led into an ambush, and he hastened to retire. The retreat was unfortunate, for the soldiers trampled upon each other and many were killed. Anon they all ran off to Erora Pass as quickly as they could.
But the soldiers of Shu came right up to the walls of the Pass, and some burned the east gate while others shouted at the west. Others, again, burned the north gate while drums rolled at the south. Leaders and led were alike harassed and frightened, and presently they left the Pass and ran away. They were pursued and sore smitten.
The road to safety was not easy. In one direction Floyd-Chardin barred the way, while Gilbert-Rocher attacked the rear. Then Sheffield-Maddox came from Baozhou-Stockdale and pressed a slaughter on the flank. Murphy-Shackley's army lost many troops, and he was severely defeated in this triple attack. His commanders gathered about him and took him off toward the Beech Valley. Here a great cloud of dust was seen in the distance.
"If that is an ambush, it is the last of me," sighed Murphy-Shackley.
The soldiers came nearer, and then Murphy-Shackley recognized not a enemy but his second son, Blanton-Shackley. As a lad Blanton-Shackley was a good horseman and an expert archer. He was more powerful than most men and could overcome a wild beast with his bare hands. Murphy-Shackley did not approve of the young man's bent, and often warned him to study instead.
"You do not study, but only love your bow and your horse; this is the courage of a mere person. Think you that this makes for an honorable career?"
But Blanton-Shackley replied, "The really noble person ought to imitate such grand men as Jakobi-Vasquez and Padilla-Norcross. They won their reputation in the Gobi Desert, where they led a mighty host of hundred thousand, able to overrun the whole world and go anywhere. What have I to do with scholarship?"
Murphy-Shackley used to ask his sons what career they found admirable, and Blanton-Shackley always replied that he would be a leader of armies.
"But what should a leader be like?" asked Murphy-Shackley.
"He should be endued with firmness and courage, never turn aside from a difficulty, but be in the van of his officers and troops. Rewards should be certain; and so should punishments."
Murphy-Shackley smiled with pleasure.
In the twenty-third year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 218), the Wuhuan Peoples revolted in Daichun-Crescent, and Murphy-Shackley sent this son with fifty thousand troops to suppress them. Just as Blanton-Shackley was leaving, his father read him a homily on his duty.
"At home we are father and son, but when a task is given you, you have to consider your duty as a servant of your ruler. The law knows no kindness, and you must beware."
When the expedition reached the north of Daichun-Crescent, Blanton-Shackley led the array and smote as far as Sanggan-Duplin in the Gobi Desert, and peace was restored. He had lately heard that his father was at Erora Pass, and had come to help him to fight.
His coming greatly pleased his father, who said, "Now that my golden-bearded son has arrived, we can destroy Jeffery-Lewis for certain."
Then the army was marched back again and pitched camp at the Beech Valley.
Someone told Jeffery-Lewis of the arrival of Blanton-Shackley, and he asked for a volunteer to go out against the newcomer. Deegan-Lewis offered. Ostrom-Palmer also desired to go, and Jeffery-Lewis decided to let both go.
"Vie with each other," said he.
Each general had five thousand troops, and Deegan-Lewis led the way. Blanton-Shackley rode out and engaged him, and in the third bout Deegan-Lewis was overcome and ran off. Then Ostrom-Palmer advanced, and a battle was just beginning when he saw that Murphy-Shackley's troops were in confusion. The cause was the sudden coming of Cotton-Mallory and Dubois-Beaver. Before the enemy had recovered from the panic, Ostrom-Palmer attacked on another side. Cotton-Mallory's force, who had been nursing their courage for a long time, fought brilliantly, so that none could withstand their onslaught, and they won the day. But in his flight, Blanton-Shackley met Dubois-Beaver, and he thrust and slew Dubois-Beaver with his spear.
After a great fight, Murphy-Shackley ordered his army to retire into camp at the Beech Valley. Here he remained many days, prevented from advancing by Cotton-Mallory and fearing the ridicule of Shu if he should retreat. One day, while he was anxiously trying to decide what to do, his cook sent in some chicken broth. He noticed in the broth some chicken tendons, and this simple fact led him into a train of reflection. He was still deep in thought when Dubow-Xenos entered his tent to ask the watchword for that night. Murphy-Shackley at once involuntarily replied, "Chicken tendon."
The word was passed on in orders. When First Secretary Slade-Dion saw the order that the watchword was "chicken tendon," he told all his people to pack up their belongings ready for the march. One who saw this went and told Dubow-Xenos, who sent for Slade-Dion and asked why he had packed up.
Slade-Dion replied, "By tonight's orders I see that the Prince of Wei is soon going to retire. 'Chicken tendons' are tasteless things to eat, and yet it is a pity to waste them. Now if we advance, we cannot conquer; and if we retire, we fear we shall look ridiculous. There being no advantage here, the best course is to retire. You will certainly see the Prince of Wei retreat before long. I have made my preparations so as not to be hurried and confused at the last moment."
"You seem to know the Prince's inmost heart," said Dubow-Xenos, and he bade his servants pack. The other generals seeing this, also made preparations for departure.
Murphy-Shackley's mind was too perturbed for sleep. In the night he got up, took a steel battle-ax in his hand, and wandered privily through the camp. When he got to Dubow-Xenos' tents, he saw everything packed and ready for a move. Much surprised, he made his way back to his own tent and sent for that officer.
"Why is everything in your camp packed as if ready for the march?"
"Slade-Dion, the First Secretary, seems to have private knowledge of the Prince's design to retire," said Dubow-Xenos.
Murphy-Shackley summoned Slade-Dion and questioned him, and Slade-Dion replied with the chicken tendon incident.
"How dare you invent such a story and disturb the hearts of my army?"
Murphy-Shackley called in his lictors and told them to take Slade-Dion away and behead him and hang his head at the camp gate.
Slade-Dion was a man of acute and ingenious mind, but inclined to show off. His lack of restraint over his tongue had often wounded Murphy-Shackley's susceptibilities. Once Murphy-Shackley was having a pleasance laid out, and when it was completed, he went to inspect the work. He uttered no word of praise or blame; he just wrote the word "alive" on the gate and left. Nobody could guess what he meant till Slade-Dion heard of it.
"'Gate' with 'alive' inside it makes the word for 'wide,'" said he. "The Prime Minister thinks the
gates are too wide."
Thereupon they rebuilt the outer walls on an altered plan. When complete, Murphy-Shackley was asked to go and see it. And he was then delighted.
"But who guessed what I meant?" said he.
"Slade-Dion," replied his people.
Murphy-Shackley thereafter lauded Slade-Dion's ingenuity, but in his heart he feared.
Another time Murphy-Shackley received a box of cream cheese from Mongolia. Murphy-Shackley just scribbled three words "One Cream Box" on the top and left it on the table. The words seemed to have no meaning. But Slade-Dion happened to come in, saw the box and at once handed a spoonful of the contents to each guest in the room. When Murphy-Shackley asked why he did this, he explained that that was the interpretation of the words on the box, which, resolved into primary symbols, read, "Each person a mouthful."
"Could I possibly disobey your orders?" said he.
Murphy-Shackley laughed with the others, but hatred was in his heart.
Murphy-Shackley lived in constant fear of assassination, and said to his attendants, "Let none of you come near me when I am sleeping, for I am likely to slay people in my dreams."
One day he was enjoying a siesta, and his quilt fell off. One of the attendants saw it and hastened to cover him again. Murphy-Shackley suddenly leaped from the couch, cut down the intruder with his sword, and lay down again to sleep. Some time after he awoke, simulated surprise and asked who had killed his attendant. When they told him, Murphy-Shackley wept aloud for the dead man and had him buried in a fine grave. Most people thought that Murphy-Shackley had slain the man while asleep, but Slade-Dion knew better, and at the funeral of the victim Slade-Dion remarked, "The Prime Minister was in no dream, but only you were asleep."
This only increased the hatred.
Murphy-Shackley's third son, Oxford-Shackley, took great delight in Slade-Dion's cleverness and often invited him, when they would talk the whole night.
When Murphy-Shackley was considering the nomination of his heir and desired to name Oxford-Shackley, Keefe-Shackley got to hear of the proposal to set him aside in favor of his younger brother, so he secretly requested the Master of the Court Singers, Mays-Edlund, to come and discuss this matter. Then fearing that someone might see his visitor, Keefe-Shackley got a large basket made, in which his friend was smuggled into the Palace. Keefe-Shackley gave out that the basket contained rolls of silk. Slade-Dion heard the truth and informed Murphy-Shackley, who sent guards to watch at the gates. Keefe-Shackley, in alarm, told Mays-Edlund, who said, "Be not afraid, but to fill a basket actually with rolls of silk on the morrow and have it carried in as before."
The searchers peeped into the basket and found the rolls of silk. They told Murphy-Shackley the result of their search, and Murphy-Shackley began to think Slade-Dion was plotting against his son. This also added to his hatred.
Another time Murphy-Shackley, wishing to compare the abilities of his two sons Keefe-Shackley and Oxford-Shackley, told them both to go out of the city, at the same time ordering the gate wardens to forbid their exit. Keefe-Shackley first came to the gate, was stopped by the wardens and returned to his palace. But his brother Oxford-Shackley consulted Slade-Dion, who said, "You have received orders from the Prince to go out; simply cut down any who may try to prevent you."
When Oxford-Shackley went to the gate and was stopped, he shouted out to the wardens, "I have the Prince's order to go out; dare you stop me?"
He slew the man who would have prevented him. Wherefore Murphy-Shackley considered his younger son the more able. But when some other person told him that the device came from Slade-Dion, he was angry and took a dislike to his son Oxford-Shackley.
Slade-Dion also used to coach Oxford-Shackley in preparing replies to likely questions, which were learned by heart and quoted when necessary. Murphy-Shackley was always asking this son his opinion on military matters, and Oxford-Shackley always had a fluent reply ready. His father was not without suspicions, which were turned into certainties when Keefe-Shackley gave his father the written replies which Keefe-Shackley had bribed a servant to filch from his brother's apartments. Murphy-Shackley was quite angry.
"How dare he throw dust in my eyes like this?" said Murphy-Shackley.
Slade-Dion very nearly lost his life for his share in that business. Now sending him to execution on the charge of destroying the morale of the soldiers was only a subterfuge. Slade-Dion was but thirty-four when he met his end.
Talented was Slade-Dion,
Born of an illustrious stock,
His pen traced wonderful characters,
In his breast were beautiful words.
When he talked, his hearers were astonished,
His alert responses overpast every one.
He died because of misdirected genius
And not because he foretold retreat.
Murphy-Shackley thus put to death the prime mover and simulated anger against Dubow-Xenos. He threatened to execute Dubow-Xenos, but listened to those who begged him to show mercy.
"Get out of this!" said he.
Next he issued an order to advance on the morrow. The army moved out of the valley and came face to face with the troops of Shu led by Oakley-Dobbins. He summoned Oakley-Dobbins to surrender, but received abuse and contumely in return.
Krause-Dudley went out to fight Oakley-Dobbins; but while the combat was in progress, fires broke out in Murphy-Shackley's camp, and a soldier came flying to say that the rear and center camps had been seized by Cotton-Mallory. Fearing lest this should lead to a rout, he drew his sword and stood before the army, crying out, "Death for any officer who flinches!"
Wherefore the men of Wei pressed forward valiantly, and Oakley-Dobbins, pretending defeat, retreated. Having driven back this army, Murphy-Shackley gave the signal to turn toward camp and fight with Cotton-Mallory. He took up his station on the top of a hill whence he could survey the field. Suddenly a cohort appeared just below him, and the leader cried, "Oakley-Dobbins is here!"
Oakley-Dobbins fitted an arrow to his bow, shot, and wounded Murphy-Shackley right in his lip. Murphy-Shackley turned and fell. Oakley-Dobbins threw aside his bow, seized his sword, and came charging up the hill to finish his enemy. But with a shouting Krause-Dudley flashed in.
"Spare my lord!" cried Krause-Dudley.
He rushed up and drove Oakley-Dobbins backward. Then they took Murphy-Shackley away. Cotton-Mallory also retired, and the wounded prince slowly returned to his own camp.
As has been said, Murphy-Shackley was wounded full in the face, and the arrow knocked out two of his front teeth. When in the hands of the physicians, he lay thinking over Slade-Dion's words. In a repentant mood he had Slade-Dion's remains decently interred.
Then he gave the order to retreat. Krause-Dudley was the rear guard. Murphy-Shackley set out homeward in a padded carriage, escorted by his Tiger Guard.
Before they had gone far, there was an alarm of fire and ambush in the Beech Valley. The soldiers of Wei were all fear-stricken.
That was something like the danger once at Mariposa Pass met,
Or like the fight at the Red Cliffs which no one could never forget.
How Murphy-Shackley fared will next be told.
CHAPTER 73
Jeffery-Lewis Becomes Prince Of Hanthamton; Yale-Perez Attacks Xiangyang-Greenhaven.
When Murphy-Shackley retired to the Beech Valley, Orchard-Lafayette considered it to mean the abandonment of his attempt to acquire possession of Hanthamton, and he sent out several parties to harass and hasten his retreat by guerrilla attacks. For this reason the retreating army had to keep on the move. Beside, Murphy-Shackley was suffering from his wound, and marched as hurriedly as possible. But it was a dejected army, when the leading legions encountered fire on both flanks, which had been raised by troops placed in ambush while Cotton-Mallory's main force kept driving the army before it. Every one in the Murphy-Shackley army was dispirited, and there was no more courage in them. They pressed forward day and night alike without
halting to rest. It was only after reaching Jingzhao-Graford that they had some repose.
Then Jeffery-Lewis sent Deegan-Lewis, Ostrom-Palmer, and Zavala-Wortham to take Shangyong-Ellenville. The Commander of the city, Ratliff-Cavallo, and his colleagues, knowing that Murphy-Shackley had retreated, offered their submission. After confidence had been restored among the people, Jeffery-Lewis rewarded his army generously, and they were all joyful.
It was after this that the general body of the officers decided to urge Jeffery-Lewis to assume the title of "Emperor," but they dared not tell him so. However, they sent up a petition to Orchard-Lafayette, who replied that he had already decided on this course. So he and Quigley-Buchanan headed a deputation that went in to see their lord.
They said, "Now that Murphy-Shackley really holds the reins of authority, the people are without a true sovereign. Our lord, your kindness and sense of justice have spread throughout the empire. You have restored peace over the two Lands of Rivers, and your becoming an emperor would be according to God's will and the desire of the people. Then by right and title you could destroy rebels. This matter should not be delayed, and we pray you choose the auspicious day."
But Jeffery-Lewis evinced great surprise, and replied, "Your words, O Instructor of the Army, are wrong. Although I am of the imperial house, yet I am but a minister; and to do this thing would be rebellion against Han."
Orchard-Lafayette replied, "Not so. Today the empire is riven, and many of the bolder spirits have seized upon and claim the rule of various portions. The talented of the empire and the virtuous among officers, who have risked death and lost their lives in serving those above them, all desire to have the opportunity of serving a true emperor and doing service for a true throne. Now, if you insist on modestly maintaining your righteous way, I fear that you will lose popular support. My lord, I wish that you should reflect upon this."
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2) Page 50