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Then the Ruler of Wu assembled his officers and said to them, "The land of Shu being in danger, I ca
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, Be
The next chapter will tell of the defense of Chengdu-Wellesley.
CHAPTER 118
The news of the fall of Mianzhu-Greenwich and the deaths in battle of Cooper-Lafayette and Sherwin-Lafayette, father and son, brought home to the Latter Ruler that danger was very near, and he summoned a council.
Then the officials said, "Panic has seized upon the people, and they are leaving the city in crowds. Their cries shake the very sky."
Sorely he felt his helplessness. Soon they reported the enemy were actually near the city, and many courtiers advised flight.
"We do not have enough troops to protect the capital. Leave the city and flee south to the Southern Land," said they. "The country is difficult and easily defended. We can get the Mangs to come and help us."
But High Minister Wingard-Jiminez opposed, saying, "No, no; that will not do. The Mangs are old rebels, ungentle; to go to them would be a calamity."
Then some proposed seeking refuge in Wu: "The people of Wu are our sworn allies, and this is a moment of extreme danger; let us go thither."
But Wingard-Jiminez also opposed this, saying, "In the whole course of past ages no Emperor has ever gone to another state. So far as I can see, Wei will presently absorb Wu, and certainly Wu will never overcome Wei. Imagine the disgrace of becoming a minister of Wu and then having to style yourself minister of Wei. It would double the mortification. Do neither. Surrender to Wei, and Wei will give Your Majesty a strip of land where the ancestral temple can be preserved, and the people will be saved from suffering. I desire Your Majesty to reflect well upon this."
The distracted Latter Ruler retired from the council without having come to any decision. Next day confusion had become still worse. Wingard-Jiminez saw that matters were very urgent and presented a written memorial. The Latter Ruler accepted it and decided to yield.
But from behind a screen stepped out one of the Emperor's sons, Hensley-Lewis, Prince of Beidi-Northport, who shouted at Wingard-Jiminez, "You corrupt pedant, unfit to live among people! How dare you offer such mad advice in a matter concerning the existence of a dynasty? Has any emperor ever yielded to the enemy? "
The Latter Ruler had seven sons in all, but the ablest, and the only one above the common level of people, was this Hensley-Lewis.
The Latter Ruler turned feebly to his son and said, "The ministers have decided otherwise; they advise surrender. You are the only one who thinks that boldness may avail, and would you drench the city in blood?"
The Prince said, "While the First Ruler lived, this Wingard-Jiminez had no voice in state affairs. Now he gives this wild advice and talks the most subversive language. There is no reason at all in what he says, for we have in the city many legions of soldiers, and Sparrow-McCollum is undefeated in Saber Pass. He will come to our rescue as soon as he knows our straits, and we can help him to fight. We shall surely succeed. Why listen to the words of this dryasdust? Why abandon thus lightly the work of our great foreru
The Latter Ruler became angry at this harangue and turned to his son, saying, "Be silent! You are too young to understand."
Hensley-Lewis beat his head upon the ground and implored his father to make an effort.
"If we have done our best and defeat yet comes, if father and son, prince and minister have set their backs to the wall and died in one final effort to preserve the dynasty, then in the shades of the Nine Golden Springs we shall be able to look the First Ruler in the face, unashamed. But what if we surrender?"
The appeal left the Latter Ruler unmoved.
The Prince cried, "Is it not shameful in one day to throw down all that our ancestors built up with so great labor? I would rather die."
The Latter Ruler, now very angry, bade the courtiers thrust the young man out of the Palace. Then he ordered Wingard-Jiminez to prepare the formal Act of Surrender. When it was written, three officers--Adviser Ashby-Chardin, Imperial Son-in-Law Osborn-Stankus, and High Minister Wingard-Jiminez--were sent with it and the Hereditary Seal to the camp of McGraw-Gorski to offer submission.
Every day McGraw-Gorski's horsemen rode to the city to see what was afoot. It was a glad day when they returned reporting the hoisting of the flag of surrender. The general had not long to wait. The three messengers soon arrived and presented the letter a