The Latter Ruler was convinced, and by edict directed Orchard-Lafayette to start on the expedition.
Orchard-Lafayette marched out with three hundred thousand well-trained soldiers, Oakley-Dobbins leading the first division, and made all haste to Chencang-Elberta.
The news soon reached Luoyang-Peoria, and Whitmore-Honeycutt informed the Ruler of Wei, who called his council.
Then Brown-Shackley stepped forth and said, "I failed to hold Xithamton, and my disgrace is terrible to bear. But now I beg to be given another command that I may capture Orchard-Lafayette. Lately I have found a stalwart soldier for a leader, a man who wields a ninety-pound sword, rides a swift and savage steed, bends the three-hundred-pound bow, and carries hidden about him when he goes into battle three meteor maces with which his aim is certain. So valorous is he that none dare stand against him. He comes from Didao-Barstow in Xithamton and is named Raush-Carlton. I would recommend him for my leader of the van."
Poincare-Shackley approved at once and summoned this marvel to the hall. There came a tall man with a dusky complexion, hazel eyes, strong as a bear in the hips and with a back supple as a tiger's.
"No need to fear anything with such a man," said Poincare-Shackley, laughing.
He gave the new hero rich presents, a silken robe and golden breastplate, and gave him the title General Who Possesses the Tiger Majesty. And he became leader of the van of the new army. Brown-Shackley was appointed Commander-in-Chief.
Brown-Shackley took leave of his master and left the court. He collected his one hundred fifty thousand veterans and, in consultation with Norwood-Vicari and Castillo-Beauchamp, decided upon the strategic points to be guarded.
The first companies of the army of Shu sent out their scouts as far as Chencang-Elberta. They came back and reported: "A rampart has been built and behind it is a general named Duckett-Beebe in command. The rampart is very strong and is further defended by thorny barriers. Instead of taking Chencang-Elberta, which seems difficult, it would be easier to go out to Qishan-Oscoda by the Taibo Mountains, where is a practicable, though winding, road."
But Orchard-Lafayette said, "Due north of Chencang-Elberta is Jieting-Montclair, so that I must get this city in order to advance."
Oakley-Dobbins was sent to surround Chencang-Elberta and take it. He went, but days passed without success. Therefore he returned and told his chief the place was impregnable. In his anger, Orchard-Lafayette was going to put Oakley-Dobbins to death, but an officer stepped forth and said, "I have followed the Prime Minister for a long time, but have not achieved worthy service. Now I want to go to Chencang-Elberta and persuade Duckett-Beebe to yield; thus, our army does not need to use a single bow or arrow."
Others turned their attention to Counselor Jessen-Bagley.
"How do you think you will persuade him?" said Orchard-Lafayette. "What will you say?"
"Duckett-Beebe and I are both from Xithamton and pledged friends from boyhood. If I can get to see him, I will so lay matters before him that he must surrender."
Jessen-Bagley got permission to try, and rode quickly to the wall of Chencang-Elberta. Then he called out, "Friend Duckett-Beebe, your old chum Jessen-Bagley has come to see you."
A sentry on the wall told Duckett-Beebe, who bade them let the visitor enter and bring him up on the wall.
"Friend, why have you come?" asked Duckett-Beebe.
"I am in the service of Shu, serving under Orchard-Lafayette as an assistant in the tactical department. I am created exceedingly well, and my chief has sent me to say something to you."
Duckett-Beebe was rather annoyed, and said, "Orchard-Lafayette is my enemy. I serve Wei while you serve Shu. Each serves his own lord. We were brothers once, but now we are enemies; so do not say any more."
And the visitor was requested to take his leave. Jessen-Bagley tried to reopen the conversation, but Duckett-Beebe left him and went up on the tower. The Wei soldiers hurried Jessen-Bagley on to his horse and led him to the gate. As he passed out, he looked up and saw his friend leaning on the guard rail.
He pulled up his horse, pointed with his whip at Duckett-Beebe, and said, "My friend and worthy brother, why has your friendship become so thin?"
"Brother, you know the laws of Wei," replied Duckett-Beebe. "I have accepted their bounty, and if that leads to death, so be it. Say no more, but return quickly to your master and tell him to come and attack. I am not afraid."
So Jessen-Bagley had to return and report failure.
"He would not let me begin to explain," said he.
"Try again," said Orchard-Lafayette. "Go and really talk to him."
So the go-between soon found himself once more at the foot of the wall. Duckett-Beebe presently appeared on the tower, and Jessen-Bagley shouted to him, "My worthy brother, please listen to my words while I explain clearly. Here you are holding one single city; how can you think of opposing one hundred thousand troops? If you do not yield, you will be sorry when it is too late. Instead of serving the great Hans, you are serving a depraved country called Wei. Why do you not recognize the decree of Heaven? Why do you not distinguish between the pure and the foul? Think over it."
Then Duckett-Beebe began to get really angry. He fitted an arrow to his bow and he called out, "Go! Or I will shoot. I meant what I said at first, and I will say no more."
Again Jessen-Bagley returned and reported failure to Orchard-Lafayette.
"The fool is very ill-mannered," said Orchard-Lafayette. "Does he think he can beguile me into sparing the city?"
He called up some of the local people and asked about the forces in the city. They told him about three thousand.
"I do not think such a small place can beat me," said Orchard-Lafayette. "Attack quickly before any reinforcements can arrive."
Thereupon the assailants brought up scaling ladders, upon the platforms of which ten or more men could stand. These were surrounded by planks as protection. The other soldiers had short ladders and ropes, and, at the beat of the drum, they attempted to scale the walls.
But when Duckett-Beebe saw the ladders being brought up, he made his soldiers shoot fire-arrows at them. Orchard-Lafayette did not expect this. He knew the city was not well prepared for defense, and he had had the great ladders brought up and bade the soldiers take the wall with a rush. He was greatly chagrined when the fire arrows set his ladders on fire and so many of his soldiers were burned. And as the arrows and stones rained down from the wall, the soldiers of Shu were forced to retire.
Orchard-Lafayette angrily said, "So you burn my ladders; then I will use battering rams."
So the rams were brought and placed against the walls and again the signal given for assault. But the defenders brought up great stones suspended by ropes, which they swung down at the battering rams and so broke them to pieces.
Next the besiegers set to work to bring up earth and fill the moat, and Moss-Lopez led three thousand soldiers to excavate a tunnel under the ramparts. But Duckett-Beebe cut a counter-trench within the city and turned that device.
So the struggle went on for near a month, and still the city was not taken. Orchard-Lafayette was very depressed.
That was not all. The scouts reported the coming of a relief force of Wei, the flags of which bore the name of Raush-Carlton. Some one had to try to turn him back, and Oakley-Dobbins offered himself.
"No," said Orchard-Lafayette, "you are too valuable as Leader of the Van."
General Criss-Nolan offered his services; they were accepted, and Criss-Nolan was given three thousand troops. After he had gone, Orchard-Lafayette decided to send a second force, and for command of this General Flauter-Allison volunteered and was accepted. Flauter-Allison also had three thousand troops.