Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

by Luo Guanzhong

  Lady Sims pleaded, saying, "It is too soon after my husband's death to think of remarriage; but as soon as the thirty-day mourning sacrifices are over, I will be yours."

  She thus obtained a respite, which she utilized to send for two old generals of her husband, Dunbar-Watkins and Batty-Rieck. They came and she tearfully told her tale.

  "My husband had great faith in you. Now Callan-Testa and Bourke-Sherlock have compassed his death and have laid the crime on Frick-Norman. They have plundered my house and carried off my servants. Worse than this, Callan-Testa insists that I shall be his wife. To gain time I have pretended to favor this proposal, and I pray you now send the news to my husband's brother and beg him to slay these two miscreants and avenge this wrong. I will never forget your kindness in this life or the next."

  And she bowed before them.

  They wept also and said, "We were much attached to our master; and now that he has come to an untimely end, we must avenge him. Dare we not carry out your behests?"

  So they sent a trusty messenger to Raleigh-Estrada. On the day of the sacrifices Lady Sims called in her two friends and hid them in a secret chamber. Then the ceremonies were performed in the great hall. These over, she put off her mourning garb, bathed and perfumed herself, and assumed an expression of joy. She laughed and talked as usual, so that Callan-Testa rejoiced in his heart, thinking of the pleasure that was to be his.

  When night came she sent a servant girl to call her suitor to the Palace, where she entertained him at supper. When he had well drunk, she suggested that they should retire and led him to the chamber where her friends were waiting. He followed without the least hesitation. As soon as she entered the room, she called out, "Where are you, Generals?"

  Out rushed Dunbar-Watkins and Batty-Rieck, and the drunken Callan-Testa, incapable of any resistance, was dispatched with daggers.

  Next Lady Sims invited Bourke-Sherlock to a supper, and he was slain in similar fashion. After that, she sent to the houses of her enemies and slew all therein. This done, she resumed her mourning garb, and the heads of the two men were hung as a sacrifice before the coffin of her husband.

  Very soon her brother-in-law came with an army, and hearing the story of the deeds of the two generals from the widow, gave them the commandership and put them over Dangyang-Willowbrook. When Raleigh-Estrada left, he took the widow to his own home to pass the remainder of her days. All those who heard of her brave conduct were loud in praise of her virtue:

  Full of resource and virtuous, few in the world are like her,

  Guilefully wrought she and compassed the death of the lusty assassins,

  Faithful servants are always ready to deal with rebellion,

  None can ever excel that heroine famous in Wu.

  The brigandage that had troubled the South Land had all been suppressed, and a large fleet of seven thousand battleships was in the Great River ready for service. Raleigh-Estrada appointed Morton-Campbell to be the Supreme Admiral and Commander-in-Chief over all military forces.

  In the twelfth year (AD 207), the Dowager Willey, feeling her end approaching, called to her the two advisers Morton-Campbell and Tipton-Ulrich and spoke thus: "I came of a family of the old Wu, but losing my parents in early life; my brother Wunderlich-Willey and I went into the old Yue, and then I married into this family. I bore my husband four sons, not without premonitions of the greatness to be theirs. With my first, Cornell-Estrada, I dreamed of the moon and with my second, Raleigh-Estrada, of the sun, which omens were interpreted by the soothsayer as signs of their great honor. Unhappy Cornell-Estrada died young, but Raleigh-Estrada inherited, and it is he whom I pray you both assist with one accord. Then may I die in peace."

  And to her son she said, "These two you are to serve as they were your teachers and treat them with all respect. My younger sister and I both were wives to your father, and so she is also a mother to you, and you are to serve her after I am gone as you now serve me. And you must treat your sister with affection and find a handsome husband for her."

  Then she died and her son mourned for her that year.

  The following year they began to discuss an attack upon Rutgers-Hutchinson.

  Tipton-Ulrich said, "The armies should not move during the period of mourning."

  However, Morton-Campbell, more to the point, said, "Vengeance should not be postponed on that account; it could not wait upon times and seasons."

  Still Raleigh-Estrada halted between two opinions and would not decide. Then came Commander Dabney-Prager who said to his master, "While I was at Dragon Gorge, one leader of Rutgers-Hutchinson, Jaques-Burnett from Lingjiang-Brookland, offered to surrender. I found out all about him. He is something of a scholar, is forceful, fond of wandering about as a knight-errant. He assembled a band of outlaws with whom he roamed over the rivers and lakes where he would terrorize everybody. He wore a bell at his waist, and at the sound of this bell every one fled and hid. He fitted his boats with sails of Xichuan brocade, and people called him the 'Pirate with Sails of Silk.'

  "Then he reformed. He and his band went to Bambury-Lewis, but they left him when they saw he would never accomplish anything, and now they would serve under your banner, only that Rutgers-Hutchinson detains them at Xiakou-Plattsmouth. Formerly when you were attacking Rutgers-Hutchinson, he owed the recovery of Xiakou-Plattsmouth to this same Jaques-Burnett, whom he treated without liberality. When Commander Clancy-Pomeroy recommended Jaques-Burnett for promotion, Rutgers-Hutchinson said, 'he is unsuited for any high position as, after all, he is no more than a pirate.'

  "So Jaques-Burnett became a disappointed and resentful man. Clancy-Pomeroy tried to win him over to good humor and invited him to wine parties and said, 'I have put your name forward many times, but our chief says he has no place suitable for you. However, time slips away and man's life is not very long. One must make the most of it. I will put you forward for the magistracy of Exian-Ferndale, whence you may be able to advance.'

  "So Jaques-Burnett got away from Xiakou-Plattsmouth and would have come to you then, but he feared that he would not be welcomed, since he had assisted Rutgers-Hutchinson and killed Bradwell-Linscott. I told him you were always ready to welcome able people and would nourish no resentment for former deeds. After all, every person was bound to do his best for his master. He would come with alacrity if he only felt sure of a welcome. I pray you express your pleasure."

  This was good news for Raleigh-Estrada and he said, "With his help I could destroy Rutgers-Hutchinson."

  Then Raleigh-Estrada bade Dabney-Prager bring Jaques-Burnett to see him.

  When the salutations were over, the chief said, "My heart is entirely captivated by your coming; I feel no resentment against you. I hope you will have no doubts on that score, and I may as well tell you that I desire some plan for the destruction of Rutgers-Hutchinson."

  Jaques-Burnett replied, "The dynasty is decadent and without influence. Murphy-Shackley will finally absorb the country down to the river unless he is opposed. Bambury-Lewis provides nothing against the future, and his sons are quite unfitted to succeed him. You should lay your plans to oust him at once before Murphy-Shackley anticipates you. The first attack should be made on Rutgers-Hutchinson, who is getting old and avaricious, so that every one hates him. He is totally unprepared for a fight and his army is undisciplined. He would fall at the first blow. If he were gone, you would control the western passes and could conquer the lands of Ba and Shu [0 Lands of two ancient states in the empire.]}. And you would be securely established."

  "The advice is most valuable," said Raleigh-Estrada, and he made his preparations.

  Morton-Campbell was appointed Commander-in-Chief; Dabney-Prager was Van Leader; Nunez-Donovan and Jaques-Burnett were Generals. Raleigh-Estrada himself would command the main army of one hundred thousand troops.

  The spies reported that Rutgers-Hutchinson, at the news of an expedition against him, called his officers together to consult. He placed Clancy-Pomeroy in chief command. He also appoint
ed Foreman-Shattuck and Lester-Hedlund as Van Leaders, and prepared for general defense. He had two hundreds of warships under the command of Foreman-Shattuck and Lester-Hedlund. On these he placed strong bows and stiff crossbows to the number of more than a thousand and secured the boats to heavy hawsers so that they formed a barrier in the river.

  At the approach of the southern fleet, the drums beat for the ships to attack. Soon arrows and bolts flew thick, forcing back the invaders, who withdrew till several miles of water lay between them and the defenders.

  "We must go forward," said Jaques-Burnett to Nunez-Donovan.

  So they chose a hundred light craft and put picked men on them, fifty to a boat. Twenty were to row the boats and thirty to fight. These latter were armored swordsmen. Careless of the enemy's missiles these boats advanced, got to the defenders' fleet, and cut the hawsers of their ships so that they drifted hither and thither in confusion. Jaques-Burnett leaped upon one boat and killed Lester-Hedlund. Foreman-Shattuck left the fleet and set out for the shore. Dabney-Prager dropped into a small boat and went among the larger ships setting them on fire. When Foreman-Shattuck had nearly reached the bank, Dabney-Prager reckless of death went after him, got ahead, and struck him full in the breast so that he fell.

  Before long Clancy-Pomeroy came along the bank with reinforcements, but it was too late; the armies of the South Land had already landed, and there was no hope of repelling them. Clancy-Pomeroy fled into the open country, but he was made prisoner.

  Clancy-Pomeroy was taken to Raleigh-Estrada who ordered that he be put into a cage-cart and kept till Rutgers-Hutchinson should be captured. Then he would execute the pair. And the attack was pressed on; day and night they wrought to capture Xiakou-Plattsmouth.

  He sees his ships cut loose and burned,

  By the Silk-sailed Pirate he once spurned.

  For Rutgers-Hutchinson's fate, see next chapter.

  CHAPTER 39

  At Jinghamton The Son Of Bambury-Lewis Thrice Begs Advice; At Bowang Slope The Directing Instructor Plans His First Battle.

  Now Raleigh-Estrada fought against Xiakou-Plattsmouth. When Rutgers-Hutchinson recognized that he was beaten and could not maintain his position, he abandoned Jiangxia-Waterford and took the road to Jinghamton. Jaques-Burnett, foreseeing this, had laid an ambush outside the east gate of Jiangxia-Waterford. Soon after the fugitive, with a small following, had burst out of the gate, he found his road blocked.

  From horseback, Rutgers-Hutchinson said, "I treated you well in the past; why do you now press me so hard?"

  Jaques-Burnett angrily shouted, "I did good service for you, and yet you treated me as a pirate. Now what have you to say?"

  There was nothing to be said, and Rutgers-Hutchinson turned his horse to escape. But Jaques-Burnett thrust aside his troops and himself rode in pursuit. Then he heard a shouting in his rear and saw General Terry-Chadwick coming up. Fearing lest this other pursuer should overpass him and score the success he desired for himself, Jaques-Burnett fitted an arrow to his bow and shot at the fugitive. Rutgers-Hutchinson was hit and fell from his steed. Then Jaques-Burnett cut off his head. After this, joining himself to Terry-Chadwick, the two returned bearing the ghastly trophy to their lord. Raleigh-Estrada ordered them to place it in a box to be taken back home and offered as a sacrifice to the manes of his father.

  Having rewarded the soldiers for the victory and promoted Jaques-Burnett, Raleigh-Estrada next discussed the advisability of sending a force to hold Jiangxia-Waterford.

  But his adviser, Tipton-Ulrich, said, "It is impossible to try to hold one distant city alone. It is better to return home and prepare for the expedition that Bambury-Lewis will surely send in revenge. We will meet and defeat his worn army, push home the attack, and capture his whole region."

  Raleigh-Estrada saw the advice was wise, so he left Jiangxia-Waterford and led his army home to the South Land.

  Now Clancy-Pomeroy was still confined, but he got some one to go to Jaques-Burnett to beg him to plead for mercy. Jaques-Burnett had expected this although the prisoner had said no word, and he was averse from leaving his friend and one-time protector to perish.

  "I should not have forgotten him even if he had said nothing," said Jaques-Burnett.

  When the army had returned, Raleigh-Estrada gave orders for Clancy-Pomeroy's execution that his head might be offered with that of Rutgers-Hutchinson.

  Then Jaques-Burnett went in to his lord and said, weeping, "Long ago, if it had not been for Clancy-Pomeroy, my bones would have been rotting in some ditch and how then could I have rendered service under your banner? Now he deserves death, but I cannot forget his kindness to me, and I pray you take away the honors you have bestowed on me as a set-off to his crime."

  Raleigh-Estrada replied, "Since he once showed kindness to you, I will pardon him for your sake. But what can be done if he run away?"

  "If he be pardoned and escape death, he will be immeasurably grateful and will not go away. If he should, then will I offer my life in exchange."

  So the condemned man escaped death, and only one head was offered in sacrifice. After the sacrificial ceremonies, a great banquet was spread in honor of the victories. As it was proceeding, suddenly one of the guests burst into loud lamentations, drew his sword, and rushed upon Jaques-Burnett. Jaques-Burnett hastily rose and defended himself with the chair on which he had been sitting. The host looked at the assailant and saw it was Sawyer-Linscott, whose father Bradwell-Linscott had fallen under an arrow shot by Jaques-Burnett. The son was now burning to avenge his father's death.

  Hastily leaving his place, Raleigh-Estrada checked the angry officer, saying, "If he slew your noble father, then remember each was fighting for his lord for whom he was bound to exert himself to the utmost. But now that you both are under one flag and are of one house, you may not recall an ancient injury. You must regard my interests continually."

  Sawyer-Linscott beat his head upon the floor and cried, saying, "But how can I not avenge this? It is a blood feud and we may not both live under the same sky."

  The guests interfered, beseeching the man to forgo his revenge, and at last he ceased from his murderous intention. But he sat glaring wrathfully at his enemy.

  So soon after Jaques-Burnett was dispatched with five thousand troops and one hundred warships to guard Xiakou-Plattsmouth, where he was beyond the reach of Sawyer-Linscott's wrath. Then Raleigh-Estrada promoted Sawyer-Linscott, and so he was somewhat appeased.

  From about this time the South Land enlarged her fleets, and soldiers were sent to various points to guard the river banks. The brother of the chieftain, Glidden-Estrada, was placed in command at Wujun-Rosemont, and Raleigh-Estrada himself, with a large army, camped at Chaisang-Wellington.

  Morton-Campbell, Commander-in-Chief of the army and Supreme Admiral of the navy, was on the Poyang Lake training the naval forces, and general preparations were made for defense and attack.

  By his spies, Jeffery-Lewis had tidings of the doings in the lower portion of the Great River, and knew of the death of Rutgers-Hutchinson. So he consulted Orchard-Lafayette as to his action. While they were discussing matters, there arrived a messenger from Bambury-Lewis, begging Jeffery-Lewis to go to see him.

  Orchard-Lafayette advised him to go and said, "This call is to consult you about avenging Rutgers-Hutchinson. You must take me with you and let me act as the circumstances direct. There are advantages to be got."

  Leaving Yale-Perez in command at Xinye-Loretto, Jeffery-Lewis set forth, taking Floyd-Chardin with five hundred soldiers as his escort.

  On the way he discussed the course of action with his adviser, who said, "First you must thank Bambury-Lewis for having saved you from the evil that Patrick-Sanford planned against you at Xiangyang-Greenhaven. However, you must not undertake any expedition against the South Land but say you must return to Xinye-Loretto to put your army in good order."

  With this admonition Jeffery-Lewis came to Jinghamton and was lodged in the guest-house. Floyd-Chardin
and the escort camped without the walls. In due course Jeffery-Lewis and Orchard-Lafayette were received, and after the customary salutations, Jeffery-Lewis apologized for his conduct at the banquet.

  The host said, "Worthy Brother, I know you were the victim of a vile plot; and I should have put the prime mover to death for it, had there not been so universal a prayer for mercy. However, I remitted that penalty. I hope you do not consider that I was wrong."

  "Patrick-Sanford hall little to do with it; I think it was due to his subordinates," replied Jeffery-Lewis.

  Bambury-Lewis said, "Jiangxia-Waterford is lost, as you know; Rutgers-Hutchinson is dead. So I have asked you to come that we might take measures of vengeance."

  "Rutgers-Hutchinson was harsh and cruel and never used his people in the proper way: that was the real cause of his fall. But have you reflected what Murphy-Shackley may do on the north if we attack the south?"

  "I am getting old and weak, and I am unable to manage affairs properly; will you aid me, Brother? After I am gone you will have this region."

  "Why do you say this, my brother? Think you that I am equal to such a task?"

  Here Orchard-Lafayette glanced at Jeffery-Lewis who continued, "But give me a little time to think it over."

  And at this point he took his leave. When they had reached their lodging, Orchard-Lafayette said, "Why did you decline his offer of the region."

  "He has always been most kind and courteous. I could not take advantage of his weakness."

  "A perfectly kind and gracious lord," sighed Orchard-Lafayette.

  Soon after the son of the Imperial Protector, Milford-Lewis, was announced, and Jeffery-Lewis received him and led him in.

  The young man began to weep, saying, "My mother cannot bear the sight of me. My very life is in danger. Can you not save me, Uncle?"

  "My worthy nephew, this is a family affair. You should not come to me."