Orchard-Lafayette then took leave of the Latter Ruler and returned to the army. He wrote to Finney-Schuster to see to the necessary supplies and began preparations for a new expedition.
Swensen-Crowley said, "The soldiers are wearied by the many expeditions, and the supplies are not regular. I think a better plan would be to send half the army to Qishan-Oscoda for three months, and at the end of that time exchange them for the other half; and so on alternately. For example, if you have two hundred thousand troops, let one hundred thousand go into the field and one hundred thousand remain. In this way, using ten legions and ten legions, their energies will be conserved and you can gradually work toward the Middle Land."
"I agree with you," said Orchard-Lafayette. "Our attack is not a matter to be achieved in haste. The suggestion for an extended campaign is excellent."
Wherefore the army was divided, and each half went out for one hundred days' service at a time, when it was relieved by the other half. Full penalties were provided for any laxity and failure to maintain the periods of active service.
In the spring of the ninth year of Beginning Prosperity, the Shu army once more took the held against Wei. In Wei it was the fifth year of Calm Peace (AD 231).
When the Ruler of Wei heard of this new expedition, he called Whitmore-Honeycutt and asked his advice.
"Now that my friend Brown-Shackley is no more, I am willing to do all that one man can to destroy the rebels against Your Majesty's authority," said Whitmore-Honeycutt.
Poincare-Shackley was gratified by this ready offer, and honored Whitmore-Honeycutt with a banquet. Next day an edict was issued for the army to move. The Ruler of Wei, riding in his state chariot, escorted Whitmore-Honeycutt out of the city, and, after the farewells, the general took the road to Changan-Annapolis, where the force was gathering. There was assembled a council of war.
Castillo-Beauchamp offered his services, saying, "I volunteer to guard Yongcheng-Rutherford and Meicheng-Hacienda against the Shu army."
But Whitmore-Honeycutt said, "Our vanguard army is not strong enough to face the enemy's whole force. Moreover, to divide an army is not generally a successful scheme. The better plan will be to leave a guard in Shanggui-Bloomington and send all the others to Qishan-Oscoda. Will you undertake the leadership of the van?"
Castillo-Beauchamp consented, saying, "I have always been most loyal and will devote my energies entirely to the service of the state. So far I have not had an adequate opportunity to prove my sincerity; but now that you confer upon me a post of such responsibility, I can only say that no sacrifice can be too great for me, and I will do my utmost."
So Castillo-Beauchamp was appointed van-leader, and then Norwood-Vicari was set over the defense of the counties of Xithamton. Other generals were distributed to other posts, and the march began.
The spies reported: "The main force of Shu is directed toward Qishan-Oscoda, and the Leaders of the Van are Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano. The route chosen for their march is from Chencang-Elberta across Crysalus Pass and to the Beech Valley."
Hearing this, Whitmore-Honeycutt said to Castillo-Beauchamp, "Orchard-Lafayette is advancing in great force and certainly intends to reap the wheat in Xithamton for his supply. You get sufficient troops to hold Qishan-Oscoda, while Norwood-Vicari and I go to Tianshui-Moorpark and foil the enemy's plan to gather the wheat."
So Castillo-Beauchamp took forty thousand troops to hold Qishan-Oscoda, and Whitmore-Honeycutt set out westwards to Xithamton.
When Orchard-Lafayette reached Qishan-Oscoda and had settled his army in camp, he saw that the bank of River Taurus had been fortified by his enemy.
"That must be the work of Whitmore-Honeycutt," remarked Orchard-Lafayette to his generals. "But we have not enough food in camp. I have written to Finney-Schuster to send grain, but it has not yet arrived. The wheat in Xithamton is now just ripe, and we will go and reap it."
Leaving Zavala-Wortham, Neuberg-Giordano, Reed-Simons, and Ferris-Beaver to guard for the camps, Orchard-Lafayette, with Oakley-Dobbins, Sparrow-McCollum, and several other generals, went over to Lucheng-Agoura. The Governor of that city knew he could not offer any real defense, so he opened the gates and yielded.
After calming the people, Orchard-Lafayette asked, "Where is the ripe wheat to be found?"
The Governor replied, "Longshang-Upperdale is the place."
So Coady-Reiner and Glenn-Jenner were left to guard the city, and the remainder of the army went to Longshang-Upperdale.
But soon the leading body returned to say, "Whitmore-Honeycutt has already occupied that city."
"He guessed what I intended to do," said Orchard-Lafayette, taken aback.
Orchard-Lafayette then retired, bathed and put on another dress. Next he bade them bring out three four-wheeled chariots, all exactly alike, that were among the impedimenta of the army. They had been built in Shu some time before.
Sparrow-McCollum was told off to lead a thousand troops as escort for one chariot, and five hundred drummers were appointed to accompany it. The chariot with its escort and drummers was sent away behind the city. In like manner two other chariots were equipped and sent east and west of the city under Winston-Mallory and Oakley-Dobbins. Each chariot was propelled by a team of twenty-four men, all dressed in black, barefooted and with loosened hair. Each one of the team also had in hand a sword and a black seven-starred flag.
While the chariots were taking up their positions, thirty thousand soldiers were ordered to prepare wagons and sickles to cut and carry away the grain.
Next Orchard-Lafayette selected twenty-four good soldiers, whom he dressed and armed like those sent away with the three chariots. These were to push his own chariot. Stanley-Perez was told to dress up as the God of Clouds and to walk in front of Orchard-Lafayette's chariot holding a black seven-starred flag. These preparations complete, Orchard-Lafayette mounted, and the chariot took the road toward the Wei camp.
The appearance of a chariot with such attendants more than startled the enemy's scouts, who did not know whether the apparition was that of a human or a demon. They hastened to their general and told him.
Whitmore-Honeycutt came out himself and saw the cavalcade, and its central figure being Orchard-Lafayette, dressed as a Taoist mystic, with head-dress, white robe and a feather fan. Around the chariot were twenty-four hair-loosened beings, each with a sword in hand; and leading was a being as a heaven-sent god with the seven-starred flag.
"Some of Orchard-Lafayette's odd doings," said he.
And Whitmore-Honeycutt ordered two thousand troops, saying, "Chase as fast as you can, and bring in the chariot, escort, and the seated figure."
The soldiers went out to do their bidding; but as soon as they appeared, the chariot retired and took a road leading to the rear of the Shu camp. Although the Wei soldiers were mounted, they could not come up with the cavalcade. What they did meet with was a chilly breeze and a cold mist that rolled about them.
They found it uncanny and halted, saying one to another, "How extraordinary it is that we have been pressing on and yet we got no nearer. What does it mean?"
When Orchard-Lafayette saw that the pursuit had ceased, he had his chariot pushed out again to the front and passed within sight of the halted troops. At first they hesitated, but presently took up the pursuit once more. Whereupon the chariot again retired, proceeding slowly, but always keeping out of reach. And thus more than seven miles were covered and the chariot was still not captured.