CHAPTER XXXVII.
INTERVIEW WITH THE GENERAL.--NICHOLAS CAUSES SOLDIERS TO BE SENT INSEARCH 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 itscommanders. Surrounded by a deep ditch of great width, its formidablewalls were manned at every point with the picked and most disciplinedmen from the northern provinces--soldiers who had been fighting for manyyears against the invading Tartars--and armed to the teeth with swords,cross-bows, shields, helmets, and breast and back plates. At shortdistances were planted small brass cannon, or bombards, which, althoughthey had been set aside for so many years that the art of using them hadbecome forgotten, Woo-san-Kwei had not only brought again into use, buttaught his troops to serve effectually. Then, again, although thematchlock men were fewer than upon the walls of Pekin, they had been sowell exercised in the use of that weapon that they could handle itnearly as well as bows and arrows,--a great matter at that period, asyou will understand when I tell you that some few years previously, whenmatchlocks were first introduced, to defend a frontier town against theTartars, the latter were so much astonished at a weapon which possessedthe magic power of slaying them at so great a distance, that they fledin dismay, when, making a sortie, or onset, the Chinese destroyed manythousands. The next assault, however, the Tartars provided their frontranks with shields of wood, so large and thick, that they were as safefrom bullets, as they would have been behind walls, consequently thefire of the Chinese proved useless; moreover, before they could reload,the second rank of the Tartars scaled the walls and fell upon them soquickly, that even those who had time to load handled their pieces soclumsily and nervously that the rebound knocked them over, and the wholegarrison were killed. This affair so disgusted the Chinese with thematchlock, that henceforward they kept it more as a matter of show, orto use when there was no chance of coming to close quarters, than as aregular weapon of war.
With greater foresight, the General Woo-san-Kwei had not only re-adoptedthe weapon, but, by incessant practice, and offerings of rewards andpromotion to those who exhibited peculiar dexterity, he succeeded informing a good body of matchlock men.
When they had passed through the gates, the officer left Nicholas andChow to amuse themselves as best they might, while he proceeded toreport the arrival of himself and his prisoners (for in that light heregarded them) to the prince general.
Had Nicholas entrusted his name, or that of the princess, to theofficer, there can be no doubt that the general would have granted himan immediate interview; as it was, he had to wait till the followingday. Previously, however, to seeking the audience, he went to the greatsquare, where, to his surprise, he saw a large body of troops drawn outunder arms, with their banners and wind instruments, as if to receivesome important personage, and officers were galloping to and fro betweenthe 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 takehis departure upon some expedition. The riddle, was, however, soonexplained; for, even while he was pondering, the general's own bodyguardpassed to the gate; when, drawing themselves up on either side, anoble-looking horseman, followed by a train of some twenty others, rodeinto the city, and was escorted to the palace; but, great as thispersonage evidently was, the Chinese soldiers kept a dread and sullensilence, making no movement except to involuntarily clutch the triggersof their pieces, or the strings of their bows. As for Nicholas, hestared with astonishment, grasped the hilt of his sword--the sight wasindeed extraordinary. A Mantchou prince and his train of Tartars, thosemost dreaded enemies of the empire, within the very palace of thebarbarian-subduing general, not in chains, but as a friend, receivedwith 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 barbarianthieves are within these walls? Surely the kid does not invite the wolfto its own bosom!"
"Would my brother keep his head upon his shoulders and not be thrownfrom the walls like a dead rat, he will not seek to know thebarbarian-exterminating general's secrets," said the surly soldier;adding, however, directly afterward, "The Tartar dogs may have come tooffer their submission."
Whatever might have been the business of the Tartar prince with theChinese general, it did not last an hour, for in less than that time heleft the city, and shortly after the officer who had brought Nicholasinto the town conducted him to the presence of the general, who, in fullmilitary costume, surrounded by a great number of officers, was standing(a rare thing for a Chinese grandee) at a table, busily engaged inexamining some papers.
Having performed the same ceremony of running up the middle of theapartment, 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 afortunate day, that brings to us the son of Chin-Chi-Loong. Thypresence, bold youth, is welcome; yet," he added sternly, "so brave aservant 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 theofficers to withdraw from the apartment, after which he said, "Let thenoble youth open his lips;" whereupon Nicholas gave a faithful recitalof his adventures from the time that Woo-san-Kwei had himself left Pekinfor the army. During the recital, the general listened attentively, atintervals 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 shalthave the kingdom that thy father seeketh." Then, when the enthusiasm ofthe moment had passed, bethinking himself, he said, "But truly theservant of the Mings forgets his duty to the daughter of his murderedEmperor; lead me to her, O youth."
Then Nicholas, for the first time in his life, trembled; an arrowthrough his heart would have been more welcome than that command, andfalling 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 powerof the rebel Li-Kong."
So like a thunder-clap did these words fall upon the mind of theWoo-san-Kwei, that for a moment he was speechless, but recoveringhimself, he said, "Thou dog, if these words are true thou shalt die;"but becoming calmer, he commanded Nicholas to finish his story, and whenthe youth had brought it up to the moment of the audience, the generalsaid, "Thou art, indeed, a brave youth; but this rogue Leang, knows hethe road the woman thieves took?" Then, however, without waiting for ananswer, and knowing that action was more likely to recover the princessand her attendant than useless sorrow or anger, he ordered theattendance of one of his officers, telling him to send out parties ofsoldiers 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 thyperson risked in a province so wild that no stranger can journey throughwithout a guide."
"Then, O illustrious prince, thy servant dares not meet the heavenlyeyes of the Prince Yong-Li, in whose service he has undertaken this longjourney," said Nicholas.
"Truly it was an unfortunate day for the son of Woo when he fell underthe displeasure of the young Emperor, his royal master," said thegeneral, gloomily.
"Can it be under heaven that Yong Li has forgotten the great services ofhis most illustrious general?"
"Such is his servant's misfortune," said the general.
"Then," said Nicholas, "let thy servant seek the young Emperor, and uponhis knees pray of him to open his heavenly ears to the fragrant adviceof the great Woo-san-Kwei."
"This cannot be, for his majesty (_may he continue the circle ofsuccession_) has left Lao-yang in anger."
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sp; "This, then, is indeed an unfortunate day, O my general," saidNicholas, with astonishment; adding, "Surely the cause must have beengreat for so much anger from so mild a prince."
"Let the noble youth open his ears, and he shall hear how this calamityfell out," said the general; adding, "When his majesty, after the deathof his father, so happily escaped the hands of the great thief Li, hefled to the army of his servant, and desired that the whole of theTartar-subduing army of Leao-tong should be immediately led to Pekin forthe purpose of destroying the rebels. Alas! the grief of the prince haddestroyed his reason; the plan was not possible, for in my absence thebarbarians would have overrun the northern province. Well, for a timethe prince submitted to his servant's advice, till one day an envoyarrived from the dog Li, who commanded me to proclaim him Emperorthroughout the province, offering, as the price of my obedience, akingdom; threatening, if I refused, to march against this city with amillion of men."
"The illustrious general could make but one answer to so infamous aproposal," said Nicholas.
"And that was to offer a reward of ten thousand taels to the brave manwho should lay the head of so black a dragon at my feet," said thegeneral; 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 prepareto receive him; but, finding that the number of my troops was so smallthat the multitudinous army of the rebels would hew them to pieces inthe first battle, rather than suffer such a disgrace, and permit sovile a criminal to remain unpunished, I dared to propose to make peacewith the Tartar king conditionally, that he would help me to drive thisrogue from the land. This proposition was indignantly resisted by theprince, when (may I be pardoned for so daring an act) I became but themore 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 mylittle army one hundred thousand of his bravest troops. Scarcely,however, had a day elapsed after the departure of my envoy to theTartar, then the royal Yong-Li left the city in anger."
"Truly, general, the prince was wise, for although in war and councilall men are mice by the side of the great Woo-san-Kwei, surely in thishis wisdom must have failed him, for, O general, is it reasonable tobring in tigers to chase away dogs?" said Nicholas, warmly.
To which Woo-san-Kwei made no reply, but terminated the audience to keepdown his anger.