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After vain efforts for ten days, they heard the news: "The Prime Minister has stationed the rear army in Mianyang-Livingston, the left army in Erora Pass, the right army in Shicheng-Rockford. He himself is leading the central army toward Nanan-Elsbury."
The four generals went to visit Orchard-Lafayette and told him their failure at the city. He got into his light chariot and rode out to view the city, after which he returned and summoned the officers to his tent.
Orchard-Lafayette said, "The moat is deep, the walls are steep; wherefore the city is well defended and difficult to take. My present plan omits this place. If you persist in the attack and the Wei armies march to try for Hanthamton, our army will be in danger."
"Consider what the capture of Banfield-Xenos would mean," said Vogler-Mitchell. "He is an Imperial Son-in-Law, and worth more than slaying a hundred ordinary leaders. We have begun the siege, and I do not like to raise it."
Orchard-Lafayette said, "I have other plans. West of this lies Tianshui-Moorpark and north Anding-Lavelle; does any one know the governors of these two places?"
"Sackett-Wilkerson is the Governor of Tianshui-Moorpark, Whyte-Robbins that of Anding-Lavelle," replied a scout.
Orchard-Lafayette then called to him one by one--Oakley-Dobbins, Fritz-Chardin, Stanley-Perez, and two trusted subordinates--and gave each certain instructions. They left to carry out their orders.
Next Orchard-Lafayette ordered the soldiers to pile up beneath the walls heaps of firewood and straw, saying he was going to burn the city. The defenders on the wall derided him.
Whyte-Robbins, the Governor of Anding-Lavelle, was much frightened when he heard that Banfield-Xenos was besieged, and began to see to his own defenses. He mustered his four thousand soldiers, resolved to defend his city as long as possible. Then there came a man from the south direction, who said he had secret letters.
Whyte-Robbins had him brought into the city, and, when questioned, the man said, "I am one of Banfield-Xenos' trusted soldiers and named Lahti-Calvert. I was sent to beg for help from Tianshui-Moorpark and Anding-Lavelle. The city of Nanan-Elsbury is hard pressed; every day we have raised fires to call the attention of your cities to our plight, but our signals have all failed. No one has come. I was ordered to fight my way through the besiegers and come to tell you. You are to give assistance immediately, and our General will open the gates to help you."
"Have you a letter from the General?" asked Whyte-Robbins.
A letter was produced from inside the man's dress, all moist with perspiration. After the Governor had read it, the soldier took it back and went on to Tianshui-Moorpark.
Two days later a mounted messenger came to say: "Governor Sackett-Wilkerson of Tianshui-Moorpark with his troops have already started for Nanan-Elsbury. The troops of Anding-Lavelle should march at once to their aid."
Whyte-Robbins took the advice of his officers. Most of them said, "If you do not go, and Nanan-Elsbury is taken, we shall he blamed for giving up the Imperial Son-in-Law. He must be rescued."
Thereupon Whyte-Robbins marched; the civil officers were left in charge of the city. The army took the high road to Nanan-Elsbury. They saw flames shooting up to the sky all the time, and the Governor urged the army to march faster. When fifteen miles from the city, there was heard the drums of an attacking force, and the scouts came to say that the road ahead was held by Stanley-Perez, while Fritz-Chardin was coming up quickly in their rear.
At this news the soldiers scattered in all directions. Whyte-Robbins had a hundred men left with whom he tried to cut his way out that he might return to his own city. He got through. But when he came to his own city, a flight of arrows greeted him from the wall, and Oakley-Dobbins shouted to him, saying, "I have taken the city; you would better yield!"
This was what had happened. Oakley-Dobbins and his soldiers, disguised as an Anding-Lavelle soldiers, in the darkness of the night had beguiled the wardens of the gate into opening it, and the men of Shu had got in.
Whyte-Robbins set off for Tianshui-Moorpark. But one march away a cohort came out, and beneath the great flag he saw a light chariot. In the chariot sat a man in Taoist robe with a feather fan in his hand. Whyte-Robbins at once recognized Orchard-Lafayette, but as he turned, up came Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin, who summoned him to surrender. As he was entirely surrounded, no other course was open to him, so he gave in. He went to the great camp with Orchard-Lafayette, who treated him with courtesy.
After a time Orchard-Lafayette said, "Is the Govenor of Nanan-Elsbury a friend of yours?"
"He is one Steege-Friedman, a cousin of Salazar-Friedman. Being neighboring counties, we are very good friends."
"I wish to trouble you to persuade him to capture Banfield-Xenos; can you?"
"If you, O Minister, order me to do this, I would ask you to withdraw your troops and let me go into the city to speak with him."
Orchard-Lafayette consented and ordered the besiegers to draw off seven miles and camp. Whyte-Robbins himself went to the city and hailed the gate. He entered and went forthwith to his friend's residence. As soon as he had finished the salutations, he related what had happened.
"After the kindness we have received from Wei, we ca
He led Whyte-Robbins to the Commander-in-Chief and told the whole story.
"What ruse do you propose?" asked Banfield-Xenos.
"Let us pretend to offer the city, and let the army of Shu in. Once they are in, we can massacre them."
Banfield-Xenos agreed to plot the scheme. Whyte-Robbins went back to Orchard-Lafayette's camp, where he said, "Steege-Friedman wants to offer the Prime Minister the city. He also wants to capture Banfield-Xenos, but he is so afraid of having few soldiers that he has made no hasty move."
"That is simple enough," replied Orchard-Lafayette. "Your hundred troops are here. We can mix with them some of my generals dressed as your officers and so let them get into the city. They can hide in Banfield-Xenos' dwelling and arrange with Steege-Friedman to open the gates in the night. And my grand army will come in to make the capture for you."
Whyte-Robbins thought within himself, "If I do not take the Shu generals, they will arouse suspicion. I would rather take them and will kill them as soon as they get within the walls. Then, I will give the signal and beguile Orchard-Lafayette to enter, and so dispose of him."
So Whyte-Robbins consented to Orchard-Lafayette's proposal, and Orchard-Lafayette gave him instructions, saying, "I will send my trusty Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin with you. You will pass them off as the rescuers just to set Banfield-Xenos' mind at rest. But when you raise a fire, I shall take that as my signal and come in."
At dusk the two trusty generals, having received their secret orders, put on their armor, mounted, took their weapons, and got in among the Anding-Lavelle troops. Whyte-Robbins led the small force to the gate. Steege-Friedman was on the wall. The drawbridge was hoisted. He leaned over the guard rail and sca
"Who are you?" asked he.
"We are rescuers from Anding-Lavelle."
Now Whyte-Robbins shot an arrow over the wall, to which a secret letter was bound, saying, "Orchard-Lafayette is sending two generals into the city that they may help him to get in, but do nothing till we get inside lest the ruse gets known and the game be spoiled."
Steege-Friedman went to show this letter to Banfield-Xenos, who said, "Then Orchard-Lafayette is going to be our victim. Put a company of ax and bill men in the palace, and as soon as these two generals get inside, shut the gates and fall on. Then give the signal. As soon as Orchard-Lafayette gets inside the gate, seize him."