INTERVIEW WITH THE GENERAL.--NICHOLAS CAUSES SOLDIERS TO BE SENT IN
SEARCH OF THE PRINCESS.
Unlike any place Nicholas had seen since he left his father's fleet,
Lao-yang exhibited sure signs of the determination and energy of its
commanders. Surrounded by a deep ditch of great width, its formidable
walls were manned at every point with the picked and most disciplined
men from the northern provinces--soldiers who had been fighting for many
years against the invading Tartars--and armed to the teeth with swords,
cross-bows, shields, helmets, and breast and back plates. At short
distances were planted small brass cannon, or bombards, which, although
they had been set aside for so many years that the art of using them had
become forgotten, Woo-san-Kwei had not only brought again into use, but
taught his troops to serve effectually. Then, again, although the
matchlock men were fewer than upon the walls of Pekin, they had been so
well exercised in the use of that weapon that they could handle it
nearly as well as bows and arrows,--a great matter at that period, as
you will understand when I tell you that some few years previously, when
matchlocks were first introduced, to defend a frontier town against the
Tartars, the latter were so much astonished at a weapon which possessed
the magic power of slaying them at so great a distance, that they fled
in dismay, when, making a sortie, or onset, the Chinese destroyed many
thousands. The next assault, however, the Tartars provided their front
ranks with shields of wood, so large and thick, that they were as safe
from bullets, as they would have been behind walls, consequently the
fire of the Chinese proved useless; moreover, before they could reload,
the second rank of the Tartars scaled the walls and fell upon them so
quickly, that even those who had time to load handled their pieces so
clumsily and nervously that the rebound knocked them over, and the whole
garrison were killed. This affair so disgusted the Chinese with the
matchlock, that henceforward they kept it more as a matter of show, or
to use when there was no chance of coming to close quarters, than as a
regular weapon of war.
With greater foresight, the General Woo-san-Kwei had not only re-adopted
the weapon, but, by incessant practice, and offerings of rewards and
promotion to those who exhibited peculiar dexterity, he succeeded in
forming a good body of matchlock men.
When they had passed through the gates, the officer left Nicholas and
Chow to amuse themselves as best they might, while he proceeded to
report the arrival of himself and his prisoners (for in that light he
regarded them) to the prince general.
Had Nicholas entrusted his name, or that of the princess, to the
officer, there can be no doubt that the general would have granted him
an immediate interview; as it was, he had to wait till the following
day. Previously, however, to seeking the audience, he went to the great
square, where, to his surprise, he saw a large body of troops drawn out
under arms, with their banners and wind instruments, as if to receive
some important personage, and officers were galloping to and fro between
the palace and the great gates. The meaning of all this puzzled him.
Truly it would be unfortunate if Woo-san-Kwei should be about to take
his departure upon some expedition. The riddle, was, however, soon
explained; for, even while he was pondering, the general's own bodyguard
passed to the gate; when, drawing themselves up on either side, a
noble-looking horseman, followed by a train of some twenty others, rode
into the city, and was escorted to the palace; but, great as this
personage evidently was, the Chinese soldiers kept a dread and sullen
silence, making no movement except to involuntarily clutch the triggers
of their pieces, or the strings of their bows. As for Nicholas, he
stared with astonishment, grasped the hilt of his sword--the sight was
indeed extraordinary. A Mantchou prince and his train of Tartars, those
most dreaded enemies of the empire, within the very palace of the
barbarian-subduing general, not in chains, but as a friend, received
with honor.
Indignant at the sight, Nicholas rudely grasped the arm of a soldier,
saying, "Can my brother tell a stranger how it is that such barbarian
thieves are within these walls? Surely the kid does not invite the wolf
to its own bosom!"
"Would my brother keep his head upon his shoulders and not be thrown
from the walls like a dead rat, he will not seek to know the
barbarian-exterminating general's secrets," said the surly soldier;
adding, however, directly afterward, "The Tartar dogs may have come to
offer their submission."
Whatever might have been the business of the Tartar prince with the
Chinese general, it did not last an hour, for in less than that time he
left the city, and shortly after the officer who had brought Nicholas
into the town conducted him to the presence of the general, who, in full
military costume, surrounded by a great number of officers, was standing
(a rare thing for a Chinese grandee) at a table, busily engaged in
examining some papers.
Having performed the same ceremony of running up the middle of the
apartment, and bowing to the ground, as at an audience of the Emperor,
he awaited the command of the prince to rise, which being given,
Woo-san-Kwei no sooner saw his features than he said, "This is indeed a
fortunate day, that brings to us the son of Chin-Chi-Loong. Thy
presence, bold youth, is welcome; yet," he added sternly, "so brave a
servant should have died defending his imperial master."
"The silken voice of the illustrious general is music to his servant,
whose words must not fall into the ears of all," replied Nicholas,
glancing at the officers around.
"This is but wisdom, youth," replied the prince, motioning to the
officers to withdraw from the apartment, after which he said, "Let the
noble youth open his lips;" whereupon Nicholas gave a faithful recital
of his adventures from the time that Woo-san-Kwei had himself left Pekin
for the army. During the recital, the general listened attentively, at
intervals giving vent to exclamations of surprise, rage, or approval.
When, however, Nicholas related the escape of the princess, he said,
warmly, "Noble youth, thy wisdom, like thy bravery, is beyond thy years;
and when these rebel dogs have been swept from the earth, thou shalt
have the kingdom that thy father seeketh." Then, when the enthusiasm of
the moment had passed, bethinking himself, he said, "But truly the
servant of the Mings forgets his duty to the daughter of his murdered
Emperor; lead me to her, O youth."
Then Nicholas, for the first time in his life, trembled; an arrow
through his heart would have been more welcome than that command, and
falling upon his knees, as if he had betrayed a sacred trust, he said,
"These words should be my last, O general. The princess is in the power
of the rebel Li-Kong."
So like a thunder-clap did these words fall upon the mind of the
Woo-san-Kwei, that for a moment he was speechless, but recovering
himself, he said, "Thou dog, if these words are true thou shalt die;"
but becoming calmer, he commanded Nicholas to finish his story, and when
the youth had brought it up to the moment of the audience, the general
said, "Thou art, indeed, a brave youth; but this rogue Leang, knows he
the road the woman thieves took?" Then, however, without waiting for an
answer, and knowing that action was more likely to recover the princess
and her attendant than useless sorrow or anger, he ordered the
attendance of one of his officers, telling him to send out parties of
soldiers in different directions in search of the princess.
Then Nicholas fell upon his knees, and prayed to lead the party himself.
"This cannot be, brave youth, for thou art too serviceable to have thy
person risked in a province so wild that no stranger can journey through
without a guide."
"Then, O illustrious prince, thy servant dares not meet the heavenly
eyes of the Prince Yong-Li, in whose service he has undertaken this long
journey," said Nicholas.
"Truly it was an unfortunate day for the son of Woo when he fell under
the displeasure of the young Emperor, his royal master," said the
general, gloomily.
"Can it be under heaven that Yong Li has forgotten the great services of
his most illustrious general?"
"Such is his servant's misfortune," said the general.
"Then," said Nicholas, "let thy servant seek the young Emperor, and upon
his knees pray of him to open his heavenly ears to the fragrant advice
of the great Woo-san-Kwei."
"This cannot be, for his majesty (_may he continue the circle of
succession_) has left Lao-yang in anger."
"This, then, is indeed an unfortunate day, O my general," said
Nicholas, with astonishment; adding, "Surely the cause must have been
great for so much anger from so mild a prince."
"Let the noble youth open his ears, and he shall hear how this calamity
fell out," said the general; adding, "When his majesty, after the death
of his father, so happily escaped the hands of the great thief Li, he
fled to the army of his servant, and desired that the whole of the
Tartar-subduing army of Leao-tong should be immediately led to Pekin for
the purpose of destroying the rebels. Alas! the grief of the prince had
destroyed his reason; the plan was not possible, for in my absence the
barbarians would have overrun the northern province. Well, for a time
the prince submitted to his servant's advice, till one day an envoy
arrived from the dog Li, who commanded me to proclaim him Emperor
throughout the province, offering, as the price of my obedience, a
kingdom; threatening, if I refused, to march against this city with a
million of men."
"The illustrious general could make but one answer to so infamous a
proposal," said Nicholas.
"And that was to offer a reward of ten thousand taels to the brave man
who should lay the head of so black a dragon at my feet," said the
general; adding, "Soon after came the news that Li was on his march,
with a vast army, to chastise me for the insult, and I began to prepare
to receive him; but, finding that the number of my troops was so small
that the multitudinous army of the rebels would hew them to pieces in
the first battle, rather than suffer such a disgrace, and permit so
vile a criminal to remain unpunished, I dared to propose to make peace
with the Tartar king conditionally, that he would help me to drive this
rogue from the land. This proposition was indignantly resisted by the
prince, when (may I be pardoned for so daring an act) I became but the
more resolved, and immediately sent a special envoy to the Tartar, who,
in return, sent by his brother, the great Amavan, a promise to add to my
little army one hundred thousand of his bravest troops. Scarcely,
however, had a day elapsed after the departure of my envoy to the
Tartar, then the royal Yong-Li left the city in anger."
"Truly, general, the prince was wise, for although in war and council
all men are mice by the side of the great Woo-san-Kwei, surely in this
his wisdom must have failed him, for, O general, is it reasonable to
bring in tigers to chase away dogs?" said Nicholas, warmly.
To which Woo-san-Kwei made no reply, but terminated the audience to keep
down his anger.