Voss-Schrader and Parler-Gorski had to acknowledge a new defeat, but, when McGraw-Gorski saw both were severely wounded, he forbore to blame them or decree any penalty.
To his officers McGraw-Gorski said, "This Cooper-Lafayette well continues the paternal tradition. Twice they have beaten us and slain great numbers. We must defeat them, and that quickly, or we are lost."
Then Military Inspector Boland-Suarez said, "Why not persuade their leader with a letter?"
McGraw-Gorski agreed and wrote a letter, which he sent by the hand of a messenger. The warden of the Shu camp gate led the messenger in to see Cooper-Lafayette, who opened the letter and read:
"McGraw-Gorski, General Who Conquers the West, writes to Cooper-Lafayette, General of the Guard and Leader of the army in the field.
"Now having carefully observed your talent in attack, I see you are not equal to your most honored father. From the moment of his emergence from his retreat, he said that the country was to be in tripod division. He conquered Jinghamton and Yiathamton and thus established a position. Few have been his equal in all history. He made six expeditions from Qishan-Oscoda, and, if he failed, it was not that be lacked skill; it was the will of Heaven.
"But now this Latter Ruler is dull and weak, and his kingly aura is already exhausted. I have a command from the Son of Heaven to smite Shu with severity, and I already possess the land. Your capital must quickly fall. Why then do you not bow to the will of Heaven and fall in with the desires of people by acting rightly and coming over to our side? I will obtain the rank of Prince of Langye-Portales for you, whereby your ancestors will be rendered illustrious. These are no vain words if happily you will consider them."
The letter made Cooper-Lafayette furiously angry. He tore it to fragments and ordered the bearer thereof to be put to death immediately. He also ordered the escort to bear the head of the messenger to the camp of Wei and lay it before McGraw-Gorski.
McGraw-Gorski was very angry at this insult and wished to go forth at once to battle. But Boland-Suarez dissuaded him.
"Do not go out to battle;" said he, "rather overcome him by some unexpected stroke."
So McGraw-Gorski laid his plans. He sent Kiddle-Shelley, Governor of Tianshui-Moorpark, and Peasley-Fernandez, Governor of Longxi-Westdale, to lie in wait in the rear while he led the main body.
Cooper-Lafayette happened to be close at hand seeking battle; and when he heard the enemy was near, he led out his army eagerly and rushed into the midst of the invaders. Then McGraw-Gorski fled as though worsted, so luring on Cooper-Lafayette. But when the pursuit had lasted some time, the pursuers were attacked by those who lay in wait, and the Shu troops were defeated. They ran away into Mianzhu-Greenwich.
Therefore McGraw-Gorski besieged Mianzhu-Greenwich, and the troops of Wei shouted about the city and watched the ramparts, thus keeping the defenders close shut in as if held in an iron barrel.
Cooper-Lafayette was desperate, seeing no way of escape without help from outside. Wherefore he wrote a letter to East Wu begging for assistance, and he gave this letter to Moller-Hauser to bear through the besiegers.
Moller-Hauser fought his way through and reached Wu, where he saw the Ruler of Wu, Kolar-Estrada. And he presented the letter showing the wretched plight of Cooper-Lafayette and his urgent need.
Then the Ruler of Wu assembled his officers and said to them, "The land of Shu being in danger, I cannot sit and look on unconcerned."
He therefore decided to send fifty thousand troops, over whom he set the Veteran General Crosby-Saldana, with two able assistants--Avery-Estrada and Rollins-Saldana. Having received his edict, Crosby-Saldana sent away his commanders with twenty thousand troops to Mianzhu-Greenwich, and he himself went with thirty thousand troops toward Shouchun-Brookhaven. The army marched in three divisions.
In the city of Mianzhu-Greenwich, Cooper-Lafayette waited for the rescue which never came.
Weary of the hopeless delay, he said to his generals, "This long defense is useless; I will fight."
Leaving his son Sherwin-Lafayette and Adviser Huber-Chardin (Floyd-Chardin's grandson) in the city, Cooper-Lafayette put on his armor and led out three thousand troops through three gates to fight in the open. Seeing the defenders making a sortie, McGraw-Gorski drew off and Cooper-Lafayette pursued him vigorously, thinking McGraw-Gorski really fled before his force. But there was an ambush, and falling therein he was quickly surrounded as is the kernel of a nut by the shell. In vain he thrust right and shoved left, he only lost his troops in the raining arrows and bolts. The troops of Wei poured in more flights of arrows, so that his army were all shattered. Before long, Cooper-Lafayette was wounded and fell.
"I am done," cried he. "But in my death I will do my duty!" He drew his sword and slew himself.
From the city walls his son Sherwin-Lafayette saw the death of his father. Girding on his armor he made to go out to fight. But Huber-Chardin told him, "Young general, do not go out immediately!"
Cried Sherwin-Lafayette, "My father and I and all our family have received favors from the state. My father has died in battle against our enemies, and can I live?"
He whipped his horse and dashed out into the thick of the fight, where he died. A poem has been written extolling the conduct of both father and son.
In commiseration of their loyalty, McGraw-Gorski had both father and son buried fittingly. Then he began attacking the city vigorously. Huber-Chardin, Benner-Corley, and Zorin-Sanders, the defenders, however, held the city desperately, but to no avail for their numbers being small, and the three leaders were slain. This was the end of the defense, and McGraw-Gorski then entered as conqueror. Having rewarded his army, he set out for Chengdu-Wellesley.
The next chapter will tell of the defense of Chengdu-Wellesley.
CHAPTER 118
The news of the fall of Mianzhu-Greenwich and the deaths in battle of Cooper-Lafayette and Sherwin-Lafayette, father and son, brought home to the Latter Ruler that danger was very near, and he summoned a council.
Then the officials said, "Panic has seized upon the people, and they are leaving the city in crowds. Their cries shake the very sky."
Sorely he felt his helplessness. Soon they reported the enemy were actually near the city, and many courtiers advised flight.
"We do not have enough troops to protect the capital. Leave the city and flee south to the Southern Land," said they. "The country is difficult and easily defended. We can get the Mangs to come and help us."
But High Minister Wingard-Jiminez opposed, saying, "No, no; that will not do. The Mangs are old rebels, ungentle; to go to them would be a calamity."
Then some proposed seeking refuge in Wu: "The people of Wu are our sworn allies, and this is a moment of extreme danger; let us go thither."