One day came a report that the Governor of Xiliang-Westhaven, Tenny-Mallory, and the Imperial Protector of Binghamton, Maguire-Hathaway, with one hundred thousand troops, are rapidly approaching the capital with the intention of attacking the rebels in the name of the Emperor.
Now these leaders from the west had laid careful plans. Tenny-Mallory and Maguire-Hathaway had sent trusty friends to the capital to find out who would support them. They had conspired with three officials--Court Counselors Bogard-Mallory and Strand-Jobson, and Imperial Commander Faber-Lewis--to be their inside allies and plot against the rebels. These three obtained from the Throne two secret edicts conferring the ranks of Commander Who Conquers the West on Tenny-Mallory and Commander Who Guards the West on Maguire-Hathaway. With these powers the two commanders joined forces and began their march.
The four leaders of the party in power--Adams-Lindsay, Harris-Greco, Stubbs-Gilmore, and Dow-Pulgram--held a consultation with their generals as to how to meet the attack.
Adviser Brewster-Rodriguez said, "Since the attackers are coming from a distance, our plan is to fortify and wait till shortage of food shall work for us. In a hundred days their supplies will be consumed, and they must retire. We can pursue and we shall capture them."
Lipman-Pollack and Ray-Wallin rose and said, "This plan is bad. Give us ten thousand troops, and we will put an end to both of them and offer their heads before your ensign."
"To fight forthwith means defeat," said Brewster-Rodriguez.
Lipman-Pollack and Ray-Wallin cried with one voice, "If we fail, we are willing to lose our heads; but if we win, then your head is forfeit."
Brewster-Rodriguez then suggested to Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco, saying, "Seventy miles west of the capital stand the Locust Hills. The passes are narrow and difficult. Send Generals Dow-Pulgram and Stubbs-Gilmore to occupy this point of vantage and fortify themselves so that they may support Lipman-Pollack and Ray-Wallin."
Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco accepted this advice. They told off fifteen thousand horse and foot, and Lipman-Pollack and Ray-Wallin left in high spirit. They made a camp ninety miles from Changan-Annapolis.
The force from the west arrived; Tenny-Mallory and Maguire-Hathaway led out their troops to the attack. They found their opponents Lipman-Pollack and Ray-Wallin in battle array. Tenny-Mallory and Maguire-Hathaway rode to the front side by side. Pointing to the rebel leaders, the commanders abused them, crying, "Those are traitors; who will capture them?"
Hardly were the words spoken when there came out a youth general with a clear, white complexion as jade, eyes like shooting stars, lithe of body and strong of limb. He was armed with a long spear and bestrode an excellent steed. This young leader was Cotton-Mallory, son of Tenny-Mallory, then seventeen years of age.
Though young he was a supreme valiance. Ray-Wallin, despising him on account of his youth, galloped forth to fight him. Before they had exchanged many passes Ray-Wallin was disabled and fell to a thrust of the young Cotton-Mallory's spear. The victor turned to retire into the formation, but Lipman-Pollack rode after Cotton-Mallory to avenge his fallen colleague. Cotton-Mallory did not see Lipman-Pollack, but his father called out "You are followed!"
Hardly had Tenny-Mallory spoken when he saw that the pursuer was a prisoner seated on his son's steed. Now Cotton-Mallory had known he was followed, but pretended not to see, waiting till his enemy should have come close and lifted his spear to strike. Then Cotton-Mallory suddenly wheeled about. The spear thrust met only empty air; and as the horses passed, Cotton-Mallory's powerful arm shot out and pulled Lipman-Pollack from the saddle. Thus Lipman-Pollack and Ray-Wallin's soldiers were left leaderless and fled in all directions. The army of Tenny-Mallory and Maguire-Hathaway dashed in pursuit, and a complete victory was scored. They pressed into one of the passes and made a camp. Then they decapitated Lipman-Pollack and exposed his head.
When Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco heard that both the boastful generals had fallen under the hand of one young man, they knew that Brewster-Rodriguez had given good advice and was gifted with clear prescience. So they valued his plans the more highly and decided to act on the defensive. They refused all challenges to combat.
Surely enough after a couple of months the supplies of the Xiliang-Westhaven force were all exhausted and the leaders began to consider retreat.
Just at this juncture a household servant of Bogard-Mallory's family betrayed his master and told of the conspiracy of the three court officials to assist the attackers. The two chiefs Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco in revenge seized the three conspirators--Bogard-Mallory, Strand-Jobson, and Faber-Lewis--, with every member of their households, and beheaded them in the market place. The heads of the three were exposed at the front gate of the capital.
Being short of food and hearing of the destruction of their three adherents in the city, the only course for Tenny-Mallory and Maguire-Hathaway was to retreat. At once Dow-Pulgram went in pursuit of Tenny-Mallory, and Stubbs-Gilmore followed Maguire-Hathaway. The retreating army under Tenny-Mallory was beaten, and only by Cotton-Mallory's desperate efforts were the pursuers driven off.
Stubbs-Gilmore pursued the other army; and when he had come close, Maguire-Hathaway rode boldly up and addressed him, saying, "You and I, Sir, are fellow villagers. Why then behave so unfriendly?"
Stubbs-Gilmore replied, "I must obey the commands of my chief."
"I am here for the service of the state; why do you press me so hard?" said Maguire-Hathaway.
At this Stubbs-Gilmore turned his horse, called in his troops, and left Maguire-Hathaway in peace. Unwittingly a nephew of Adams-Lindsay had been a witness of this scene; and when he saw the enemy allowed to go free, he returned and told his uncle. Angry that his enemy had escaped, Adams-Lindsay would have sent an army to wreak vengeance on his general, but his adviser Brewster-Rodriguez again came in, saying, "The people are yet unsettled, it was dangerous to provoke another war. Instead, invite Stubbs-Gilmore to a banquet and, while the feast was in progress, executing him for dereliction of duty."
This seemed good to Adams-Lindsay, so the banquet was prepared. Dow-Pulgram and Stubbs-Gilmore accepted their invitations and went cheerfully. Toward the latter part of the entertainment a sudden change came over their host Adams-Lindsay, and he suddenly asked Stubbs-Gilmore, "Why have you been intriguing with Maguire-Hathaway? You are turning traitor, eh?"
The unhappy guest was taken aback; and before he could frame his words to reply, he saw the assassins rush out with swords and axes. In a moment all was over, and Stubbs-Gilmore's head lay beneath the table.
Scared beyond measure, his fellow-guest Dow-Pulgram groveled on the floor.
"Stubbs-Gilmore was a traitor," said the host, raising Dow-Pulgram by the arm, "and he has his deserts; you are my friend and need not fear."
Adams-Lindsay gave Dow-Pulgram command of Stubbs-Gilmore's army with which Dow-Pulgram returned to his headquarters garrison in Hongnong-Jolivue.
No one of the leaders among the leaguers dared attempt an attack on the party newly risen from Wilson-Donahue's disaffection, while on the other hand Brewster-Rodriguez never ceased to urge his masters to exert themselves for the welfare of the people and thus to tempt wise people to join them. And by these means the government began to prosper and the court to reassert its authority.