Luo Guanzhong - Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

Next Morton-Campbell sent for Laurie-Lafayette and said to him, "Evidently your brother is a genius, a man born to be a king's counselor. Why then does he serve Jeffery-Lewis? Now that he is here, I wish you to use every effort to persuade him to stay with us. Thus our lord would gain able support and you two brothers would be together, which would be pleasant for you both. I wish you success."

Laurie-Lafayette replied, "I am ashamed of the little service I have rendered since I came here, and I can do no other than obey your command to the best of my ability."

Thereupon he went away to his brother, whom he found in the guest-house. The younger brother received him; and when he had reached the inner rooms, Orchard-Lafayette bowed respectfully and, weeping, told his experiences since they parted and his sorrow at their separation.

Then Laurie-Lafayette, weeping also, said, "Brother, do you remember the story of Kenney-Bean and Lyford-Wedge, the brothers who would not be separated?"

"Ah, Morton-Campbell has sent him to talk me over," thought Orchard-Lafayette. So he replied, "They were two of the noble people of old days; yes, I know."

"Those two, although they perished of hunger near the Sweetgum Hills, yet never separated. You and I, born of the same mother and suckled at the same breast, yet serve different masters and never meet. Are you not ashamed when you think of such examples as Kenney-Bean and Lyford-Wedge?"

Orchard-Lafayette replied, "You are talking now of love, but what I stand for is duty. We are both men of Han, and Jeffery-Lewis is of the family. If you, Brother, could leave the South Land and join me in serving the rightful branch, then on the one side we should be honored as Ministers of Han, and on the other we should be together as people of the same flesh and blood should be. Thus love and duty would both receive their proper meed. What do you think of it, my brother?"

"I came to persuade him and lo! It is I who is being talked over," thought Laurie-Lafayette.

He had no fitting reply to make, so he rose and took his leave. Returning to Morton-Campbell, he related the story of the interview.

"What do you think?" asked Morton-Campbell.

"General Raleigh-Estrada has treated me with great kindness, and I could not turn my back on him," replied Laurie-Lafayette.

"Since you decide to remain loyal, there is no need to say much; I think I have a plan to win over your brother."

The means by which Morton-Campbell tried to get the support of Orchard-Lafayette will be described in the next chapter.

Morton-Campbell was very annoyed by the words of Laurie-Lafayette, and a fierce hatred for Orchard-Lafayette took root in his heart. He nourished a secret resolve to make away with Orchard-Lafayette. He continued his preparations for war, and when the troops were all mustered and ready, he went in for a farewell interview with his lord.

"You go on first, Noble Sir," said Raleigh-Estrada. "I will then march to support you."

Morton-Campbell took his leave and then, with Terry-Chadwick and Woolsey-Ramirez, marched out with the army. He invited Orchard-Lafayette to accompany the expedition, and when Orchard-Lafayette cheerfully accepted, the four embarked in the same ship. They set sail, and the flotilla made for Xiakou-Plattsmouth.

About twenty miles from Three Gorges the fleet anchored near the shore, and Morton-Campbell built a stockade on the bank near the middle of their line with the Western Hills as a support. Other camps were made near his. Orchard-Lafayette, however, took up his quarters in a small ship.

When the camp dispositions were complete, Morton-Campbell sent to request Orchard-Lafayette to come and give him advice.

Orchard-Lafayette came; and after the salutations were ended, Morton-Campbell said, "Murphy-Shackley, though he had fewer troops than Shannon-Yonker, nevertheless overcame Shannon-Yonker because he followed the advice given by Lozane-Doubleday to destroy Shannon-Yonker's supplies at Wuchao-Sycamore. Now Murphy-Shackley has over eight hundred thousand troops while I have but fifty or sixty thousand. In order to defeat him, his supplies must be destroyed first. I have found out that the main depot is at the Iron Pile Mountains. As you have lived hereabout, you know the topography quite well, and I wish to entrust the task of cutting off supplies to you and your colleagues Yale-Perez, Floyd-Chardin, and Gilbert-Rocher. I will assist you with a thousand soldiers. I wish you to start without delay. In this way we can best serve our masters."

Orchard-Lafayette saw through this at once. He thought to himself, "This is a ruse in revenge for my not having been persuaded to enter the service of the South Land. If I refuse, I shall be laughed at. So I will do as he asks and trust to find some means of deliverance from the evil he intends."

Therefore Orchard-Lafayette accepted the task with alacrity, much to the joy of Morton-Campbell.

After the leader of the expedition had taken his leave, Woolsey-Ramirez went to Morton-Campbell secretly and said, "Why have you set him this task?"

"Because I wish to compass his death without appearing ridiculous. I hope to get him killed by the hand of Murphy-Shackley and prevent his doing further mischief."

Woolsey-Ramirez left and went to see Orchard-Lafayette to find out if he suspected anything. Woolsey-Ramirez found him looking quite unconcerned and getting the soldiers ready to march. Unable to let Orchard-Lafayette go without a warning, however, Woolsey-Ramirez put a tentative question, "Do you think this expedition will succeed?"

Orchard-Lafayette laughingly replied, "I am an adept at all sorts of fighting, with foot, horse, and chariots on land and marines on the water. There is no doubt of my success. I am not like you and your friend, only capable in one direction."

"What do you mean by our being capable only in one direction?" said Woolsey-Ramirez.

"I have heard the street children in your country singing:

"You are only fit for ambushes and guarding passes on land, just as Morton-Campbell only understands fighting on the water."

Woolsey-Ramirez carried this story to Morton-Campbell, which only incensed him the more against Orchard-Lafayette.

"How dare he flout me, saying I cannot fight a land battle? I will not let him go. I will go myself with ten thousand troops and cut off Murphy-Shackley's supplies."

Woolsey-Ramirez went back and told this to Orchard-Lafayette, who smiled and said, "Morton-Campbell only wanted me to go on this expedition because he wanted Murphy-Shackley to kill me. And so I teased him a little. But he cannot bear that. Now is the critical moment, and Marquis Raleigh-Estrada and my master must act in harmony if we are to succeed. If each one tries to harm the other, the whole scheme will fail. Murphy-Shackley is no fool, and it is he who usually attack enemies through cutting off their supplies. Do you not think Murphy-Shackley has already taken double precautions against any surprise of his own depot? If Morton-Campbell tries, he will be taken prisoner. What he ought to do is to bring about a decisive naval battle, whereby to dishearten the northern soldiers, and then find some other means to defeat them utterly. If you could persuade him what his best course was, it would be well."