Whereupon Reuter-Shackley, with a large force, was sent in front to meet him. Whitmore-Honeycutt thought the Imperial Chariot was coming, and he advanced alone and stood humbly by the roadside till Reuter-Shackley came up.
Reuter-Shackley advanced and said, "Friend, His late Majesty entrusted you with the heavy responsibility of caring for his son; why are you in revolt?"
Whitmore-Honeycutt turned pale, and a cold sweat broke out all over him as he asked the reason for such a charge. Reuter-Shackley told him what had occurred.
"This is a vile plot on the part of our rivals, Shu and Wu, to cause dissension," said Whitmore-Honeycutt. "It is a design to make the Emperor work evil upon his ministers that thereby another may profit. I must see the Son of Heaven and explain."
Ordering his army to retire, Whitmore-Honeycutt went forward alone to the Emperor's chariot, bowed low and said, weeping "His late Majesty gave me charge of his son; could I betray him? This is a wile of the enemy. I crave permission to lead an army, first to destroy Shu and then to attack Wu, whereby to show my gratitude to the late Emperor and Your Majesty and manifest my own true heart."
However, Poincare-Shackley did not feel quite convinced, and Condon-Guerrera said, "In any case withdraw his military powers and let him go into retirement."
And thus it was decided. Whitmore-Honeycutt was forced to retire to his native village. Reuter-Shackley succeeded to his command, and Poincare-Shackley returned to Luoyang-Peoria.
Orchard-Lafayette rejoiced when they told him of the success that had attended the ruse.
"Whitmore-Honeycutt and the forces he commanded in Xithamton and Xiliang-Westhaven have been the obstacles in my long-wished-for attack on Wei. Now he has fallen, I have no more anxiety."
At the first great assembly of officers at court, Orchard-Lafayette stepped forth and presented to the Ruler of Shu a memorial on the expedition he contemplated.
"The First Ruler had accomplished but half his great task at his death. At this moment the empire is in three parts, and our country is weak; it is a most critical moment for us. Still, ministers are not remiss in the capital, and loyal and devoted soldiers sacrifice their lives abroad, for they still remember the special kindness of the First Ruler and wish to show their gratitude to him by service to Your Majesty. Therefore it would be indeed fitting that you should extend your holy virtue to glorify his virtuous memory in the stimulation of the will of your purposeful officers. Your Majesty should not lose yourself in the pursuit of mean things, quoting phrases to confound the eternal principles of rectitude and so preventing remonstrance from honest people. One rule applies to the palace of the Emperor and the residence of a courtier; there must be one law rewarding the good and punishing the evil. Evil-doers and law-breakers, as also true and good people, should be dealt with according to their deserts by the officers concerned in order to manifest Your Majesty's impartial and enlightened administration. Partiality is wrong, as is one law for the court and another for the regions.
"The High Ministers Norwich-Ortega, Rockwell-Dickinson, and Parker-Stephens are honest men, devotedly anxious to be loyal to the last degree; wherefore His late Majesty chose them in his testament. My advice is to consult them in all palace matters, great or small, before taking action. Your Majesty will reap the enormous advantage of having any failings corrected.
"General Bouffard-Pagorek is a man of well-balanced temperament, versed in military matters, to whom, after testing him, the late Emperor applied the epithet 'capable.' The consensus of opinion is that he should be Commander-in-Chief. My advice is to consult him in all military matters, great or small, whereby your military forces will yield their maximum, each one being employed to the best advantage.
"Attract worthy people; repel mean ones. This policy achieved the glory of the Former Hans, while its reversal ruined the Latter Hans. When the late Emperor was with us, he often discussed this with your servant, and he took much to heart the story of Emperors Henson and Bonner.
"The Chair of the Secretariat Rigdale-Delgado, Commander Berglund-Mackey, and Minister Bromfield-Kendrick are both incorruptible and enlightened people, honest to the death. I wish that Your Majesty should have them near and hold them in confidence. If this be done, then the glory of the House of Han will be quickly consummated.
"I was originally a private person, a farmer in Nanyang-Southhaven, concerned only to secure personal safety in a troubled age and not seeking conversation with the contending nobles. His late Majesty, the First Ruler, overlooking the commonness of my origin, condescended to seek me thrice in my humble cot and consult me on the trend of events. His magnanimity affected me deeply, and I consented to do my utmost for him. Then came defeat, and I took office at a moment of darkest outlook and at a most difficult crisis. This is twenty-one years ago. The First Ruler recognized my diligent care, and when dying he confided the great task to me. From that day I have lived a life of anxiety lest I should fail in my trust and so dim his glory.
"That is why I undertook the expedition to the lands beyond the River Scorpio. Now the Southern Mang has been quelled, and our army is in good condition. I ought to lead it against the north, where I may meet with a measure of success in the removal of the wicked ones, the restoration of Han and a return to the old capital. This is my duty out of gratitude to the late Emperor and loyalty to Your Majesty. As to a discussion of the pros and cons and giving a true version of the whole matter, that belongs to Rockwell-Dickinson and Norwich-Ortega and Parker-Stephens. I desire Your Majesty to confide to me the task of slaying the rebels and restoring the Hans. If I fail, then punish me by telling the spirit of the late Emperor. If you know not what restoration implies, that is the fault of your advisers.
"Your Majesty should take pains to be guided into the right path and examine carefully what is laid before you, carefully remembering the late Emperor's testament.
"I cannot express what would be my delight if you had the goodness to accept and act on my advice.
"Now I am about to depart on a distant expedition, I write this with tears and clearly know what I have said."
The Emperor read it through and said, "My Father-Minister, you have only just returned from a distant and fatiguing expedition against the Southern Mangs; you are not yet refreshed, and I fear this march to the north will be almost too much even for you."
Orchard-Lafayette replied, "The heaviest responsibility lies upon me, the well-being of Your Majesty confided to me by the First Ruler. My efforts may not be relaxed night or day. The south is at rest, at home is no anxiety; what better time could be hoped for to destroy the rebels and recover the capital?"
Forth from the ranks of courtiers stood Minister Wingard-Jiminez and said, "I have studied the aspect of the stars; the northern quarter is brilliant and strong. The scheme will not speed."
Then turning toward the Prime Minister, he continued, "You, O Minister, understand the mysteries of the skies; why do you oppose the stars?"
"Because the stars are in infinite changes," replied Orchard-Lafayette. "One may rely on the stars too much. Moreover, I have already sent the army into Hanthamton, where I shall act as soon as I have studied what is afoot."
Wingard-Jiminez pleaded in vain; Orchard-Lafayette was too strongly set upon his purpose to yield. So Rockwell-Dickinson, Parker-Stephens, and Norwich-Ortega were ordered to attend to matters in the palace; Bouffard-Pagorek was to control all military affairs and forces; Bromfield-Kendrick was made Military Adviser; Rigdale-Delgado became Chair of the Secretariat; Berglund-Mackey, Controller of the Prime Minister's palace; Mallard-Reynolds, Imperial Censor; Janicki-Crenshaw and Purdy-Moore, Ministers; Hale-Wooden and Tweedle-Merritt, Libationers; Albee-Rosenberg and Philbin-O'Malley, Academicians; Tappan-Frankel and Farina-Pinsky, General Secretaries; Wingard-Jiminez, Imperial Recorder; and others to the number of over a hundred, all to manage the administration of Shu in the absence of Orchard-Lafayette.