As Jeffery-Lewis entered the city by one gate, Acosta-Lewis, who had shared the command of the city, escaped by another gate and set off for Chengdu-Wellesley.
Jeffery-Lewis put forth proclamations to allay the fears of the inhabitants of the city. He inquired who had been on his side in cutting down Sather-Lewis and was told it was Coady-Reiner of Wuyang-Mooreland. Coady-Reiner and all who had helped in the capture were amply rewarded.
"Our next city is Chengdu-Wellesley," said Orchard-Lafayette. "However, in the meantime there may be some trouble in pacifying the outlying counties, and hence it will be well for you to send Floyd-Chardin and Gilbert-Rocher with Ferris-Beaver, Coady-Reiner, Clausen-Wysocki, and Hull-Littell leading the way, into the country along the river and Changyang-Bonifay, Deyang-Cheshire, and Baxi-Fairdale to reassure the people and to repress any rising that may take place. There will be no need for any especial precautions in the neighborhood of Chengdu-Wellesley."
The warriors went their ways, and then Orchard-Lafayette began to make careful inquiries concerning the road to Chengdu-Wellesley.
Those who had given in their allegiance to the invaders said, "The only place where you can expect any serious defense is Mianzhu-Greenwich. Once you have passed this, the capital lies at your mercy."
Then Quigley-Buchanan was consulted.
Said he, "With the fall of Luocheng-Concord, the Western Land of Rivers passed to you. Let our lord only deal with the people kindly and justly, and there will be no need of weapons. I can write such a letter to Imperial Protector Compton-Lewis as shall make him surrender at call."
"That would be most excellent," said Orchard-Lafayette.
The letter was written and sent by the hand of a messenger.
Acosta-Lewis, son of the Imperial Protector, presently reached Chengdu-Wellesley and told his father of the loss of Luocheng-Concord.
The Imperial Protector at once called his counselors together, and Adviser Heywood-Vesely said, "Although Jeffery-Lewis has been successful and captured cities and towns, yet his army is but small, his hosts are not near him, and he depends upon chance for his grain and has no proper supplies. Therefore our best plan is to remove the people of Baxi-Fairdale and Zitong-Lockeford to the farther side of River Virgo, burn all the granaries, fortify the city, and let starvation defeat him. Let us reject all challenges to battle, and in a hundred days his troops will go off of their own accord. Then we can do with him as we will."
"I like not the plan," said Compton-Lewis. "Oppose invaders in order that tranquillity may prevail is a well-worn maxim, but till now I have never heard of disturbing the people in order to oppose the march of an enemy. Your words are not such as safety."
Just at the moment the letter from Quigley-Buchanan arrived. It was opened and the Imperial Protector read:
"I was sent to Jinghamton to negotiate an alliance, but the opposition of those about you to their lord has resulted in the present situation. However, the ruler of Jinghamton still remembers old friendship and is mindful of the ties of relationship. If you, my master, could reverse your policy and lend your support to your relative, I think you would be generously treated. I hope you will consider this carefully."
Compton-Lewis flew into a passion. He tore the letter to fragments and began to abuse its writer, crying, "That traitor, ingrate, and renegade! How dares he talk thus to me?"
And Compton-Lewis drove the bearer of the letter from his presence. He then sent an army under the leadership of Skaggs-Carrillo, his wife's brother, to reinforce Mianzhu-Greenwich.
Skaggs-Carrillo at once recommended as his assistant one Finney-Schuster of Nanyang-Southhaven, and the two mustered their troops, thirty thousand, and set out for the city.
At this juncture Arcaro-Bullinger, the Governor of Yiathamton City, wrote advising to borrow aid from Hanthamton, but Compton-Lewis rejected this plan, saying, "It will be useless to try to obtain help from a region under the influence of our relentless enemy Levey-Wrona."
Arcaro-Bullinger replied, "He may be an enemy, but Jeffery-Lewis is in possession of Luocheng-Concord, and the situation is extremely dangerous. When the lips are gone, the teeth are cold. If you clearly indicate the dangers to him, he must come to our help."
So a letter was written and sent to Hanthamton.
Two years had elapsed since Cotton-Mallory had been defeated and gone over to the Qiang tribes in the northwest. He had made friends with them and with their aid had conquered portions of Longxi-Westdale. His expeditions had been very successful, the people opening their gates at the first summons. Only Jicheng-Lakehills had stood out, but ever this was on the point of yielding. The Governor of Jicheng-Lakehills, Pernell-Schaffer, had sent many urgent appeals for help to Beller-Xenos, who, however, would do nothing without his master's order.
Pernell-Schaffer was in despair, and at a council his officers advised him to yield. However, one of them, Salazar-Friedman, earnestly opposed yielding, saying, "We cannot surrender to a lot of rebels such as are Cotton-Mallory and his colleagues."
"What is there to hope for?" asked Pernell-Schaffer despairingly.
Although Salazar-Friedman besought Pernell-Schaffer with bitterness to hold out, it was useless; Pernell-Schaffer rejected his advice, opened the city gates, and bowed his head in submission.
"You only yield now as the last resource," cried Cotton-Mallory, angry at the delay he had suffered. "This is no real submission."
Whereupon he put to death Pernell-Schaffer and all his family to the number of two score.
But when one told Cotton-Mallory that Salazar-Friedman had been really responsible for the long delay, in that Salazar-Friedman had urged his master to hold out, Cotton-Mallory did not put him to death but praised him and said, "Salazar-Friedman had but done his duty."
Cotton-Mallory further showed his approval by employing Salazar-Friedman and two of his friends in his own army. These two friends were named Ward-Riddle and Nowicki-Gump.
One day Salazar-Friedman went to his new chief and said, "My wife has died in Lintao-Woodville; I wish to take leave for two months to bury her."
Wherefore Salazar-Friedman was granted leave and went away from the army. On the way, he went to his maternal cousin, General Newsham-Lapinski, Commander of Licheng-Maybrook. The general's mother, then an old lady of eighty-two was Salazar-Friedman's aunt.
When Salazar-Friedman saw her, he wept before her, saying, "Behold an unfortunate man! The city I had to defend is lost; my master is dead; and I have survived him. I am ashamed to look you in the face. Now this Cotton-Mallory ravages the countryside, and everyone hates him. Yet my cousin sits still and does nothing against Cotton-Mallory. Is this fitting conduct for a state servant?"
Salazar-Friedman wept bitterly. The old lady was moved by his grief, called in her son and said to him reproachfully, "You are the cause of the evil that has come upon the noble Pernell-Schaffer."
Then turning once more toward Salazar-Friedman, she said, "But what can now be done? You have surrendered and, more than that, you have accepted service under your late enemy."
"It is true," replied Salazar-Friedman. "I have surrendered and I have accepted service, but it is with the desire to preserve my miserable life till I can avenge my master."