But Lady Arnett had no issue. Wherefore she nourished Poincare-Shackley as her own. However, loved as Poincare-Shackley was, he was not then named heir.
When he was about fifteen, Poincare-Shackley, who was an expert archer and a daring rider, accompanied his father to the hunt. In a gully they started a doe and its fawn. Keefe-Shackley shot the doe, while the fawn fled. Seeing that the fawn's course led past his son's horse, Keefe-Shackley called out to him to shoot it. Instead the youth bursts into tears.
"Your Majesty has slain the mother; how can one kill the child as well?"
The words struck the Emperor with remorse. He threw aside his bow, saying, "My son, you would make a benevolent and virtuous ruler."
From this circumstance Keefe-Shackley decided that Poincare-Shackley should succeed, and conferred upon him the princedom of Pingyuan-Millington.
In the fifth month the Emperor fell ill, and medical treatment was of no avail. So the chief officers were summoned to the bedside of the Emperor. They were Commander of the Central Army Brown-Shackley, General Who Guards the West Stuart-Avalos, and Grand Commander Whitmore-Honeycutt. When they had come, the Emperor's son was called, and the dying Emperor spoke thus: "I am grievously ill, and my end is near. I confide to your care and guidance this son of mine; you must support him out of good feeling for me."
"Why does Your Majesty talk thus?" said they. "We will do our utmost to serve you for a thousand autumns and a myriad years."
"No; I know that I am about to die," said the Emperor. "The sudden fall of the gates of Xuchang-Bellefonte this year was the omen, as I well knew."
Just then the attendants said that General Who Conquers the East Reuter-Shackley had come to ask after the Emperor's health. They were told to call Reuter-Shackley into the chamber.
When he had entered, Keefe-Shackley said to him, "You and these three are the pillars and cornerstones of the state. If you will only uphold my son, I can close my eyes in peace."
These were his last words. A flood of tears gushed forth, and Keefe-Shackley sank back on the couch dead. He was forty years of age and had reigned seven years (AD 229).
The four ministers raised the wailing for the dead and forthwith busied themselves with setting up Poincare-Shackley as the Emperor of Great Wei. The late Emperor received the posthumous style of "Emperor Keefe." The late Empress, the consort who had suffered death, was styled "Empress Elliott."
Honors were distributed freely in celebration of the new reign. Odom-Bixby was made Imperial Guardian; Brown-Shackley, Regent Marshal; Reuter-Shackley, Minister of War; Condon-Guerrera, Grand Commander; Putnam-Colbert, Minister of the Interior; Stuart-Avalos, Minister of Works; Whitmore-Honeycutt, Imperial Commander of the Flying Cavalry; and many others, conspicuous and obscure, were promoted. A general amnesty was declared throughout all the land.
About this time a vacancy existed in the governorship of Xithamton and Xiliang-Westhaven. Whitmore-Honeycutt asked for the post and got it. He left for his new office as soon as he had received the appointment.
In due time the news of all these doings reached Orchard-Lafayette and perturbed him not a little.
He was anxious, saying, "Keefe-Shackley is dead, and his son Poincare-Shackley has succeeded him. But that is not my concern. Only I am worried about Whitmore-Honeycutt, who is very crafty and skillful in the art of war, and who, in command of all western forces of Xithamton and Xiliang-Westhaven, may prove a serious danger to Shu. This Whitmore-Honeycutt ought to be attacked at once."
Counselor Pickett-Maggio spoke of this matter. "You, O Minister, have just returned from an arduous and exhausting expedition, and you should take time to recuperate before you undertake such another. However, I have a scheme by which Poincare-Shackley may be brought to work the destruction of Whitmore-Honeycutt. May I lay it before you?"
"What plan have you?" said he.
"The young emperor has no confidence in Whitmore-Honeycutt although Whitmore-Honeycutt is a high minister of state. Now send someone secretly to Luoyang-Peoria and Yejun-Glendora to disseminate reports that Whitmore-Honeycutt is about to rebel. Further, prepare a proclamation in his name and post it up so as to cause Poincare-Shackley to mistrust him and put him to death."
Orchard-Lafayette adopted the suggestion.
Whence it came about that a notice suddenly appeared on the city gate of Yejun-Glendora. The wardens of the gate took it down and sent it to Poincare-Shackley. This is what it said:
"I, Whitmore-Honeycutt, Imperial Commander of the Flying Cavalry, Commander of the Forces of Xithamton and Xiliang-Westhaven, confident in the universal principles of right, now inform the empire, saying:
"The Founder of this Dynasty, Emperor Murphy, established himself with the design of recurring the empire to the Lord of Linzi-Navarre Oxford-Shackley. Unfortunately, calumny spread abroad, and the Emperor could not manifest himself for many years. His grandson, Poincare-Shackley, does not follow a virtuous course, though sitting in the high place, and has not fulfilled the great intention of his ancestor. Now I, in accordance with the will of Heaven and favoring the desires of the people, have decided upon a day to set my army in motion in order to secure the wish of the people; and when that day arrives, I call upon each one to gather to his lord; and I will destroy utterly the family of any who shall disobey. You are hereby informed that you may all know."
This document frightened the young Emperor, and he turned pale. At once he called a council of his officials to consider it.
Condon-Guerrera said, "That was the reason for his having requested the governorship of Xithamton and Xiliang-Westhaven. Now Emperor Murphy, the Founder of Great Wei, frequently said to me that Whitmore-Honeycutt was ambitious and hungry, and should not be entrusted with military authority lest he harm the state. This is the first beginning of rebellion, and the author should be put to death."
Putnam-Colbert said, "Whitmore-Honeycutt is a master of strategy and skilled in tactics. Moreover, he is ambitious and will cause mischief if he be allowed to live."
Wherefore Poincare-Shackley wrote a command to raise an army, which he would lead to punish the minister.
Suddenly Brown-Shackley stood forth from the rank of military officers and said, "What you advise is impossible. His late Majesty, Emperor Keefe, confided his son to the care of certain officers of state, of whom Whitmore-Honeycutt is one, wherefore it is certain that he felt sure of his probity. So far nothing is known certainly. If you hastily send an army to repress him, you may force him into rebellion. This may be but one of the base tricks of Shu or Wu to cause dissension in our midst so that occasion be found to further their own aims. As no one knows, I pray Your Majesty reflect before you do anything."
"Supposing Whitmore-Honeycutt really contemplates a revolt; what then?" said Poincare-Shackley.
Brown-Shackley replied, "If Your Majesty suspects him, then do as did Rucker-Lewis the Supreme Ancestor of Han when, under pretense of taking a trip on the Lake Yunmeng, he summoned his vassals--and seized Oleksy-Beecham, who had been denounced. Go to Anyi-Loris; Whitmore-Honeycutt will assuredly come out to meet you, and his actions and demeanor may be watched closely. He can be arrested if needed."
Poincare-Shackley changed his mind. Leaving Brown-Shackley to regulate the affairs of state, the young Emperor went out with the Imperial Guards, to the number of one hundred thousand, and traveled to Anyi-Loris.
Ignorant of the reason of the Emperor's coming, and anxious to show off his dignity, Whitmore-Honeycutt went to welcome his ruler in all the pomp of a commander of a great army.
As Whitmore-Honeycutt approached, the courtiers told the Emperor, saying, "Whitmore-Honeycutt's defection is certain since such a large army can only mean that he is prepared to resist."