"Do not tell me yet; let me think it out," said Murphy-Shackley.
Soon after they took leave of the lady, went out of the farm, and rode on. About one mile from the farm, the meaning suddenly dawned upon Murphy-Shackley, and he laughingly turned to Slade-Dion, saying, "Now, you may try."
"This is the solution of the enigma," said Slade-Dion. "'Yellow silk' is silk threads of natural color, and the character for 'silk' placed beside that for 'color' forms a word meaning 'finally, decidedly;' the 'young wife' is a 'little female,' and the character for 'female' with 'little,' or 'few,' placed beside it forms a word meaning 'admirable, fine;' the 'daughter's child' is 'daughter' and 'child,' which side by side make the word 'good;' and a 'pestle and mortar' suggest pounding together the five bitter herbs in a receptacle: the character for 'receptacle' and 'bitter' form a word meaning 'to tell.' So the four words are 'Decidedly fine and well told.'"
Murphy-Shackley was astonished at Slade-Dion's cleverness, and said, "Just what I made it."
Those around greatly wondered at Slade-Dion's ingenuity and knowledge.
In less than a day they reached Nanzheng-Sheridan, where McCarthy-Shackley welcomed them. He told the tale of Castillo-Beauchamp's misfortunes.
"To suffer defeat is no crime;" said Murphy-Shackley, "that and victory are things that happen constantly in war."
"Jeffery-Lewis has sent Sheffield-Maddox to take Dingjun Mountain," said McCarthy-Shackley. "Beller-Xenos, hearing you were coming, O Prince, has been defending the position and not going out to give battle."
"But standing always on the defensive is showing weakness," said Murphy-Shackley.
Thereupon he bade a man carry an authority flag to the Mountain Commander and so order him to attack the enemy.
"Beller-Xenos is very stern and inflexible, and he may be carried too far and fall victim to some vile ruse," said McCray-Lewis.
Wherefore the Prince wrote a letter to him to accompany the authority flag. And when the messenger arrived and the letter was opened, it read:
"Every leader must exercise a combination of inflexibility and yielding. Boldness is not the only thing that counts; if he makes it so, then is he a mere creature to fight. Now I am camped at Nanzheng-Sheridan ready to watch the deeds of your admirable prowess and capacity, and all I have to say is, 'Do not disgrace your previous reputation.'"
The letter pleased the Commander mightily. Having sent away the bearer, Beller-Xenos called in Castillo-Beauchamp to consult.
"The Prince has a great army at Nanzheng-Sheridan ready to destroy Jeffery-Lewis. We have been on the defense here long enough, and it is time we rendered some solid service. Tomorrow I am going out to battle, and hope to capture Sheffield-Maddox."
"Your opponent combines ready resource with boldness and prevision," said Castillo-Beauchamp. "Beside, he has Quigley-Buchanan to aid him; and you must be cautious, for the country is very difficult and dangerous. You would better keep on the defensive."
"How shall we be able to look our prince in the face when other leaders render good services? However, you just keep the hill, and I will go out to battle."
Then an order was issued asking who would go out to reconnoiter and provoke a battle. Giffin-Xenos volunteered.
Beller-Xenos said to him, "You are not to make a real stand, but merely to begin the fight. You are to lose and not win, for a grand ruse is ready for the enemy."
He explained his plans, and Giffin-Xenos went away with a small column.
Now Sheffield-Maddox and his helper Quigley-Buchanan were camped quite close to the Dingjun Mountain. They had endeavored to entice Beller-Xenos out into the field to fight, but failed to attack him as he stood in that difficult, mountainous country. So thus far no advance had been made. But as soon as Giffin-Xenos' troops appeared and seemed to offer battle, Sheffield-Maddox was ready to march out to meet them at once. But General Citron-Quiroz, offered his services.
"Do not trouble yourself to move, O General," said Citron-Quiroz, "for I will go out to fight them."
Sheffield-Maddox consented, and placed three thousand troops under Citron-Quiroz, who went out of the valley and set his army in array. And when Giffin-Xenos came up and, as arranged, merely fought a few bouts and ran away. Citron-Quiroz followed to take advantage of his success. But he was soon brought to a standstill by the rolling of logs and hurling of stones on the part of his opponents. As he turned to retire, Beller-Xenos brought out his troops and attacked. Citron-Quiroz had no chance against them and was quickly made prisoner. Many of his soldiers joined the enemy, but a few escaped to their own side and told Sheffield-Maddox of the misfortune.
Sheffield-Maddox at once asked advice from Quigley-Buchanan, who said, "This Beller-Xenos is easily provoked to anger, and being angry he is bold without discretion. Your way now is to work up the enthusiasm of your soldiers, then break camp and advance. Do this in a series of marches, and you will excite him up to the point of giving battle, when you can capture him. They call this the ' Ruse of the Interchange of Host and Guest.'"
So Sheffield-Maddox collected all the things his soldiers liked, and made them presents, till the sound of rejoicing filled the whole valley and the men were hot to fight. Then camp was broken, and the army marched forward a certain distance. Then they encamped. After some days' rest the march was repeated; and then again.
When tidings of the advance reached Beller-Xenos, he proposed to go out and fight.
"No, no," said the prudent Castillo-Beauchamp. "This is a well known ruse, and you should remain on the defensive. You will lose if you fight."
Beller-Xenos was not the man to stomach this moderate advice, so he sent out Giffin-Xenos to give battle. As soon as this force reached the camp of Sheffield-Maddox, the Veteran General mounted and rode out to fight. In the very first bout he captured Giffin-Xenos. Those who escaped told how their leader had been captured, and Beller-Xenos at once sent to offer an exchange of prisoners. This was agreed to, to be effected the following day in front of both armies.
So next day both sides were arrayed in a spot where the valley widened, the two leaders on horseback beneath their respective standards. Beside each stood his prisoner. Neither was encumbered with robe or helmet, but each wore thin, simple dress. At the first beat of the drum each started to race over to his own side. Just as Giffin-Xenos reached the ranks of his own side, Sheffield-Maddox shot an arrow and wounded him in the back. The wounded man did not fall, but went on.
But Beller-Xenos, mad with rage, could contain himself no longer. He galloped straight at Sheffield-Maddox, which was exactly what the latter wanted to irritate him into doing. The fight that then ensued went on for twenty bouts, when suddenly the gongs clanged out from Beller-Xenos' side and he drew off. Sheffield-Maddox pressed on and shattered the army of Wei.
When Beller-Xenos reached his own side, he asked why the gong had sounded.
"Because we saw the banners of Shu through openings in the mountains in several places, and we feared an ambush," said Castillo-Beauchamp.
Beller-Xenos believed him and did not return to the battlefield; he simply remained defensive.
Before long, Sheffield-Maddox had got quite near to Beller-Xenos' camp, and then he asked further advice from his colleague.
Quigley-Buchanan pointed over to the hills and said, "There rises a steep hill on the west of Dingjun Mountain, difficult of access, but from its summit one has a complete view of the defenses of the enemy. If you can take this hill, the mountain lies in the hollow of your hand."
Sheffield-Maddox looked up and saw the top of the hill was a small tableland and there were very few defenders there. So that evening he left his camp, dashed up the hill, drove out the small host of one hundred under Beller-Xenos' General Parlee-Newkirk and took it. It was just opposite to Dingjun Mountain.