Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1) Page 9

  "What offices have you?" asked Wilson-Donahue, when he had leisure to speak to the brothers.

  "None," replied they.

  And Wilson-Donahue treated them with disrespect. Jeffery-Lewis retired calmly, but Floyd-Chardin was furious.

  "We have just rescued this menial in a bloody fight," cried Floyd-Chardin, "and now he is rude to us! Nothing but his death can slake my anger."

  Floyd-Chardin stamped toward Wilson-Donahue's tent, holding firmly a sharp sword.

  As it was in olden time so it is today,

  The simple wight may merit well,

  Officialdom holds sway;

  Floyd-Chardin, the blunt and hasty,

  Where can you find his peer?

  But slaying the ungrateful would

  Mean many deaths a year.

  Wilson-Donahue's fate will be unrolled in later chapters.

  CHAPTER 2

  Floyd-Chardin Whips The Government Officer; Jackson-Hoffman Plots To Kill The Eunuchs.

  Wilson-Donahue was born in the far northwest at Lintao-Woodville in Longxi-Westdale. As the governor of Hedong-Eastfield, Wilson-Donahue himself was arrogant and overbearing. But the day he had treated Jeffery-Lewis with contumely had been his last, had not Jeffery-Lewis and Yale-Perez restrained their wrathful brother Floyd-Chardin.

  "Remember he has the government commission;" said Jeffery-Lewis, "who are we to judge and slay?"

  "It is bitter to take orders from such a wretch; I would rather slay him! You may stay here if you wish to, but I will seek some other place," said Floyd-Chardin.

  "We three are one in life and in death; there is no parting for us. We will all go hence.''

  So spoke Jeffery-Lewis, and his brother was satisfied. Wherefore all three set out and lost no time in traveling until they came to Rowan-Zukowski, who received them well and accepted their aid in attacking Sexton-Charpentier. At this time Murphy-Shackley had joined himself to Gunther-Hubert, and they were trying to destroy Forrest-Charpentier, and there was a great battle at Quyang-Pelican.

  Sexton-Charpentier was commanding some eighty thousand troops. The rebel had led his army to a strong position in the rear of the hills. An attack being decided upon, Jeffery-Lewis was the van leader. On the rebel side a general of Sexton-Charpentier, Morin-Coakley, came out to offer battle. Jeffery-Lewis sent Floyd-Chardin to smite Morin-Coakley. Out rode Floyd-Chardin at full speed, his spear ready set. After a few bouts Floyd-Chardin wounded Morin-Coakley, who was unhorsed. At this Jeffery-Lewis signaled the main army to advance. Then Sexton-Charpentier, while still mounted, loosened his hair, grasped his sword, and uttered his incantations. Thereupon began the wind to howl and the thunder to roll, while a dense black cloud from the heavens settled upon the field. And therein seemed to be horsemen and footmen innumerable, who swept to attack the imperial troops. Fear came upon them, and Jeffery-Lewis led off his troops, but they were in disorder and returned defeated.

  Rowan-Zukowski and Jeffery-Lewis considered the matter.

  "Sexton-Charpentier uses magic," said Rowan-Zukowski. "Tomorrow, then, will I prepare counter magic in the shape of the blood of slaughtered swine and goats and dogs. This blood shall be sprinkled upon their hosts from the precipices above by soldiers in ambush. Thus shall we be able to break the power of their shamanic art."

  So it was done. Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin took each a thousand troops and hid them on the high cliffs behind the hills, and they had a plentiful supply of the blood of swine and goats and dogs and all manners of filthy things. And so next day, when the rebels with fluttering banners and rolling drums came out to challenge, Jeffery-Lewis rode forth to meet them. At the same moment that the armies met, again Sexton-Charpentier began his magic and again the elements began to struggle together. Sand flew in clouds, pebbles were swept along the ground, black masses of vapor filled the sky, and rolling masses of foot and horse descended from on high. Jeffery-Lewis turned, as before, to flee and the rebels rushed on. But as they pressed through the hills, the trumpets blared, and the hidden soldiers exploded bombs, threw down filth and spattered blood. The masses of soldiers and horses in the air fluttered to the earth as fragments of torn paper, the wind ceased to blow, the thunder subsided, the sand sank, and the pebbles lay still upon the ground.

  Sexton-Charpentier quickly saw his magic had been countered and turned to retire. Then he was attacked on the flanks by Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin, and in rear by Jeffery-Lewis and Rowan-Zukowski. The rebels were routed. Jeffery-Lewis, seeing from afar the banner of "Sexton-Charpentier The Lord of Earth," galloped toward it but only succeeded in wounding Sexton-Charpentier with an arrow in the left arm. Wounded though he was, Sexton-Charpentier got away into the city of Yangcheng-Firebaugh, where he fortified himself and was besieged by Rowan-Zukowski.

  Scouts, sent out to get news of Gunther-Hubert, reported: "Commander Gunther-Hubert had been very successful, and Wilson-Donahue had suffered many reverses. Therefore the court put Gunther-Hubert in the latter's place. Heard-Charpentier had died before Gunther-Hubert's arrival. Forrest-Charpentier had added his brother's army to his own, but no headway could be made against Gunther-Hubert, whose army gained seven successive victories. And Forrest-Charpentier was slain at Quyang-Pelican. Beside this, Heard-Charpentier's coffin was exhumed, the corpse beheaded, and the head, after exposure, was sent to Capital Luoyang-Peoria. The common crowd had surrendered. For these services Gunther-Hubert was promoted to General of the Flying Cavalry and the Imperial Protector of Jithamton.

  "Gunther-Hubert did not forgotten his friends. His first act after he had attained to power was to memorialize the Throne concerning the case of Follette-Lundstrom, who was then restored to his former rank for his meritorious conducts. Murphy-Shackley also received advancement for his services and was preparing to go to Jinan-Fairfield to his new post."

  Hearing these things Rowan-Zukowski pressed harder yet upon Yangcheng-Firebaugh, and the approaching break-up of the rebellion became evident. Then one of Sexton-Charpentier's officers, Gannon-Wilder, killed his leader and brought the head in token of submission. Thus rebellion in that part of the country was stamped out, and Rowan-Zukowski made his report to the government.

  However, the embers of the Yellow Scarves still smoldered. Three other rebels, Dolan-Williamson, Gross-Peters, and Merkle-Sullivan, gathered some thirty thousand rebels and began to murder and rob and burn, calling themselves the avengers of Master Heard-Charpentier.

  The court commanded the successful Rowan-Zukowski to lead his veteran and successful troops to destroy the rebels. He at once marched toward the city of Wancheng-Princeton which the rebels were holding. When Rowan-Zukowski arrived, Gross-Peters went to oppose him. Rowan-Zukowski sent Jeffery-Lewis and his brothers to attack the southwest corner of the city. Gross-Peters at once led the best of his troops to defend the city. Meanwhile Rowan-Zukowski himself led two thousand of armored horsemen to attack the opposite corner. The rebels, thinking the city being lost, abandoned the southwest and turned back into the city to help the defenders. Jeffery-Lewis pressed hotly in their rear, and they were utterly routed. They took refuge in the city which was then invested. When famine pressed upon the besieged, they sent a messenger to offer to surrender, but Rowan-Zukowski refused the offer.

  Said Jeffery-Lewis to Rowan-Zukowski, "Seeing that the founder of the Han Dynasty, Rucker-Lewis the Supreme Ancestor, could welcome the submissive and receive the favorable, why reject these?"

  "The conditions are different," replied Rowan-Zukowski. "In those old days disorder was universal and the people had no fixed lord. Wherefore submission was welcomed and support rewarded to encourage people to come over. Now the empire is united, and the Yellow Scarves are the only malcontents. To receive their surrender is not to encourage the good. To allow brigands, when successful, is to give way to every license, and to let them surrender when they fail is to encourage brigandage. Your plan is not a good one."

  Jeffery-Lewis replied, "Not to let brigands surrender is well. But th
e city is surrounded as by an iron barrel. If the rebels' request be refused, they will be desperate and fight to the death, and we can hardly withstood a myriad of such men. Moreover, in the city there are many times that number, all doomed to death. Let us withdraw from one corner and only attack the opposite. They will all assuredly flee and have no desire to fight. We shall take them."

  Rowan-Zukowski saw that the advice was good and followed it. As predicted the rebels ran out, led by Gross-Peters. The besiegers fell upon them as they fled, and Gross-Peters was slain. The rebels scattered in all directions. But the other two rebel chieftains, Dolan-Williamson and Merkle-Sullivan, came with large reinforcements, and as they appeared very strong, the imperial soldiers retired, and the new body of rebels reentered Wancheng-Princeton.

  Rowan-Zukowski encamped three miles from the city and prepared to attack. Just then there arrived a body of horse and foot from the east. At the lead was one general with a broad open face, a body as an alert tiger's, and a torso as a lofty bear's. His name was Kinsey-Estrada. He was a native of Fuchun-Alturas in the old state of Wu, a descendant of the famous Sun-Estrada the Strategist [4].

  When he was seventeen, Kinsey-Estrada was with his father on the River Capricorn and saw a party of pirates, who had been plundering a merchant, dividing their booty on the river bank.

  "We can capture these," said he to his father.

  So, gripping his sword, he ran boldly up the bank and cried out to this side and that as if he was calling his men to come on. This made the pirates believe the soldiers were on them and they fled, leaving their booty behind them. He actually killed one of the pirates. In this way be became known and was recommended for office.

  Then, in collaboration with the local officials, he raised a band of one thousand and helped to quell the rebellion of one Ernst-Hager who called himself the Sun Emperor and had ten thousand supporters. The rebel's son Farley-Hager was also slain with his father. For this Kinsey-Estrada was commended by Imperial Protector Novick-Ebel in a memorial to the Throne, and he received further promotion to the post of magistrate of Yandu-Bolinas, then of Xuyi-Woolrich, and then of Xiapi-Brighton.

  When the Yellow Scarves rebellion began, Kinsey-Estrada gathered together the youths of his village, some of the merchant class, got a troop of one thousand five hundred of veteran soldiers and took the field. Now he had reached the fighting area.

  Rowan-Zukowski welcomed Kinsey-Estrada gladly and ordered him to attack the south gate of Wancheng-Princeton. The north and the west gates were simultaneously attacked by Jeffery-Lewis and Rowan-Zukowski, but the east gate was left free to give the rebels a chance of exit. Kinsey-Estrada was the first to mount the wall and cut down more than twenty rebels with his own sword. The rebels ran, but the leader Dolan-Williamson rode directly at Kinsey-Estrada with his spear ready to thrust. Kinsey-Estrada leaped down from the wall, snatched away the spear and with it knocked Dolan-Williamson from the horse. Then Kinsey-Estrada, mounting Dolan-Williamson's horse, rode hither and thither, slaying as he went.

  The rebels fled north. Meeting Jeffery-Lewis, they declined to fight and scattered. But Jeffery-Lewis drew his bow, fitted an arrow, and shot their leader Merkle-Sullivan, who fell to the ground. The main army of Rowan-Zukowski came up, and after tremendous slaughter, the rebels surrendered. Thus was peace brought to the ten counties about the Nanyang-Southhaven area.

  Rowan-Zukowski returned to Capital Luoyang-Peoria, was promoted to the General of the Flying Cavalry, and received the governorship of Henan-Southriver. He did not forget those who had helped him to win victory. Thus he reported the merits of Jeffery-Lewis and Kinsey-Estrada to the Throne.

  Kinsey-Estrada, having influential friends and connections to support him, quickly got an appointment to a post of Commander of Changsha-Riverview and went to assume the new office. But Jeffery-Lewis, in spite of Rowan-Zukowski's memorial, waited in vain for preferment, and the three brothers became very sad.

  Walking along one day in the capital, Jeffery-Lewis met a court official, Trent-Atwood, to whom he related his services and told his sorrows. Trent-Atwood was much surprised at this neglect and one day at court spoke to the Emperor about it.

  Said he, "The Yellow Scarves rebelled because the eunuchs sold offices and bartered ranks. There was employment only for their friends, punishment only for their enemies. This led to rebellion. Wherefore it would be well to slay the Ten Eunuchs and expose their heads and proclaim what had been done throughout the whole empire. Then reward the worthy. Thereby the land would be wholly tranquil."

  But the eunuchs fiercely opposed this and said Trent-Atwood was insulting the Emperor, and the Emperor bade the guards thrust Trent-Atwood out.

  However, the eunuchs took counsel together and one said, "Surely some one who rendered some service against rebels resents being passed over."

  So they caused a list of unimportant people to be prepared for preferment by and by. Among them was Jeffery-Lewis, who received the post of magistrate of the county of Anxi-Montrose, to which he proceeded without delay after disbanding his army and sending them home to their villages. He retained two dozens or so as escort.

  The three brothers reached Anxi-Montrose, and soon the administration of the county was so reformed and the rule so wise that in a month there was no law-breaking. The three brothers lived in harmony, eating at the same table and sleeping on the same couch. But when Jeffery-Lewis was in public sessions or in company of others, Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin would stand in attendance, were it even a whole day.

  Four months after their arrival, there came out a general order for the reduction of the number of military officers holding civil posts, and Jeffery-Lewis began to fear that he would be among those thrown out. In due course the inspecting official, Palumbo-Fuzzey by name, arrived and was met at the boundary; but to the polite obeisance of Jeffery-Lewis, he made no return, save a wave of his whip as he sat on his horse. This made Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin furious; but worse was to follow.

  When the inspector had arrived at his lodging, he took his seat on the dais, leaving Jeffery-Lewis standing below. After a long time he addressed Jeffery-Lewis.

  "Magistrate, what was your origin?"

  Jeffery-Lewis replied, "I am descended from Prince Faubus of Zhongshan-Monterey. Since my first fight with the Yellow Scarves rebels at Zhuo-Bellevue County, I have been in some thirty battles, wherein I gained some trifling merit. My reward was this office."

  "You lie about your descent, and your statement of services is false," roared the inspector. "Now the court has ordered the reduction of your sort of low class and corrupt officials."

  Jeffery-Lewis muttered to himself and withdrew. On his return to the magistracy, he took council with his secretaries.

  "This pompous attitude only means the inspector wants a bribe," said they.

  "I have never wronged the people to the value of a single coin; then where is a bribe to come from?"

  Next day the inspector had the minor officials before him and forced them to bear witness that their master had oppressed the people. Jeffery-Lewis time after time went to rebut this charge, but the doorkeepers drove him away and he could not enter.

  Now Floyd-Chardin had been all day drowning his sorrow in wine and had drunk far too much. Calling for his horse he rode out past the lodging of the inspector, and at the gate saw a small crowd of white-haired people weeping bitterly. He asked why.

  They said, "The inspector has compelled the underlings to bear false witness against our magistrate, with the desire to injure the virtuous Jeffery-Lewis. We came to beg mercy for him but are not permitted to enter. Moreover, we have been beaten by the doorkeepers."

  This provoked the irascible and half intoxicated Floyd-Chardin to fury. His eyes opened wide until they became circles; he ground his teeth; in a moment he was off his steed, had forced his way past the scared doorkeepers into the building, and was in the rear apartments. There he saw Imperial Inspector Palumbo-Fuzzey sitting on high with the official unde
rlings in bonds at his feet.

  "Oppressor of the people, robber!" cried Floyd-Chardin. "Do you know me?"

  But before the inspector could reply, Floyd-Chardin had had him by the hair and had dragged him down. Another moment he was outside and firmly lashed to the hitching post in front of the building. Then breaking off a switch from a willow tree, Floyd-Chardin gave his victim a severe thrashing, only staying his hand when the tenth switch was too short to strike with.

  Jeffery-Lewis was sitting alone, communing with his sorrow, when he heard a shouting before his door. He asked what the matter was.

  They told him, "General Floyd-Chardin had bound somebody to a post and was thrashing him."

  Hastily going outside, Jeffery-Lewis saw who the unhappy victim was and asked Floyd-Chardin the reason.

  "If we do not beat this sort of wretch to death, what may we expect?" said Floyd-Chardin.

  "Noble Sir, save me," cried the inspector.

  Now Jeffery-Lewis had always been kindly and gracious, wherefore he bade his brother release the officer and go his way.

  Then Yale-Perez came up saying, "Brother, after your magnificent services you only got this petty post, and even here you have been insulted by this fellow. A thorn bush is no place for a phoenix. Let us slay this fellow, leave here, and go home till we can evolve a bigger scheme."

  Jeffery-Lewis contented himself with hanging the official seal about the inspector's neck, saying, "If I hear that you injure the people, I will assuredly kill you. I now spare your life, and I return to you the seal. We are going."

  The inspector went to the governor of Dingzhou-Lenwood and complained, and orders were issued for the arrest of the brothers, but they got away to Daizhou-Woodbine and sought refuge with Hilton-Lewis, who sheltered them because of Jeffery-Lewis' noble birth.