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CHAPTER 6
Floyd-Chardin rode hard up to the Pass, but the defenders sent down stones and arrows like rain so that he could not enter, and he returned. The eight lords all joined in felicitations to the three brothers for their services, and the story of victory was sent to Sha
Thereupon Kinsey-Estrada with two trusty generals, Terry-Chadwick and Looby-Hurtado, went over to the camp of Sheldon-Yonker. Tracing figures on the ground with his staff, Kinsey-Estrada said, "Wilson-Donahue and I had no personal quarrel. Yet now I have thrown myself into the battle regardless of consequences, exposed my person to the risk of wounds and fought bloody battles to their bitter end. And why? That I might be the means of ridding my country of a rebel and--for the private advantage of your family. Yet you, heeding the slanderous tongue of certain counselor, formerly withheld the supplies absolutely necessary to me, and so I suffered defeat. How can you explain, General?"
Sheldon-Yonker, confused and frightened, had no word to reply. He ordered the death of the slanderer to placate Kinsey-Estrada.
Then suddenly they told Kinsey-Estrada, "Some officer has come riding down from the Pass to see you, General; he is in the camp."
Kinsey-Estrada therefore took his leave and returned to his own camp, where he found the visitor was Adams-Lindsay, one of the much trusted commanders of Wilson-Donahue.
"Wherefore come you?" said Kinsey-Estrada.
Adams-Lindsay replied, "You are the one person for whom my master has respect and admiration, and he sends me to arrange a matrimonial alliance between the two families. He wishes that his daughter may become the wife of your son."
"What! Wilson-Donahue, that rebel and renegade, that subverter of the throne! I wish I could destroy his nine generations as a thank-offering to the empire! Think you I would be willing to have an alliance with such a family? I will not slay you as I ought, but go, and go quickly! Yield the Pass and I may spare your lives. If you delay, I will grind your bones to powder and make mincemeat of your flesh."
Adams-Lindsay threw his arms over his head and ran out. He returned to his master and told him what a rude reception he had met with. Wilson-Donahue asked his adviser Pearson-Quintero how to reply to this.
Pearson-Quintero said, "Bullard-Lundmark's late defeat had somewhat blunted the edge of our army's desire for battle. It would be well to return to the capital and remove the Emperor to Changan-A
Pearson-Quintero continued, "If you think out this couplet, it applies to the present juncture. Half the first line refers to the founder of the dynasty, Rucker-Lewis the Supreme Ancestor, who became ruler in the western city of Changan-A
Wilson-Donahue was exceedingly pleased and said, "Had you not spoken thus, I should not have understood!"
Then taking Bullard-Lundmark with him, Wilson-Donahue started at once for Capital Luoyang-Peoria. Here he called all the officials to a great council in the palace and addressed them, "After two centuries of rule here the royal fortune has been exhausted, and I perceive that the aura of rule has migrated to Changan-A
Brent-Dion, Minister of the Interior, said, "I pray you reflect. Within that city all is destruction. There is no reason to renounce the ancestral temples and abandon the imperial tombs here. I fear the people will be alarmed. It is easy to alarm them but difficult to pacify them."
"Do you oppose the state plans?" said Wilson-Donahue angrily.
Another official, Grand Commander Mead-Huggins, supported his colleague, "In the era of Recommencement (AD 23-25), Corey-Smidt of the Red Eyebrows rebels burned Changan-A
Wilson-Donahue replied, "The East of the Pass is full of sedition, and all the empire is in rebellion. The city of Changan-A
Yet Minister of Works Lawrie-Swanson raised another protest against disturbing the people, but Wilson-Donahue overbore him also.
"How can I stop to consider a few common people when my scheme affects the empire?" said Wilson-Donahue.
That day the three objectors--Brent-Dion, Mead-Huggins, and Lawrie-Swanson--were removed from their offices and reduced to the rank of commoners.
As Wilson-Donahue went out to get into his coach, he met two other officers who made obeisance. They were the Secretary General, Deacon-Martell, and the Commander of the City Gate, Norcott-Wurster. Wilson-Donahue stopped and asked them what they wanted.
Said Deacon-Martell, "We venture to try to dissuade you from moving the capital to Changan-A
Wilson-Donahue replied, "They used to say you two were supporters of Sha
And without more ado he bade his guards take both outside the city and put them to death. The command to remove to the new capital immediately was issued. Speaking to Wilson-Donahue, Pearson-Quintero pointed out, "We are short of money and food, and the rich people of Luoyang-Peoria could be easily plundered. This is a good occasion to link them to the rebels and to confiscate their properties."
Wilson-Donahue sent five thousand troops out to plunder and slay. They captured many thousand wealthy householders and, having stuck flags on their heads saying they were "Traitors and Rebels," drove them out of the city and put them to death. Their properties were all seized.
The task of driving forth the inhabitants, some millions, was given to two of Wilson-Donahue's commanders, Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco. The people were sent off in bands, each band between two parties of soldiers, who drove them forward Changan-A
Wilson-Donahue's final orders as he left Capital Luoyang-Peoria were to burn the whole city; houses, palaces, temples, and everything was devoured by the flames. The capital became but a patch of scorched earth.
Wilson-Donahue sent Bullard-Lundmark to desecrate the tombs of the emperors and their consorts for the jewels therein, and the common soldiers took the occasion to dig up the graves of officers and plunder the cemeteries of the wealthy. The spoil of the city, gold and silver, pearls and silks, and beautiful ornaments, filled many carts. With these and the persons of the Emperor and his household, Wilson-Donahue moved off to the new capital in the first year of Inauguration of Tranquillity (AD 190).