Empress Donnelley had always tried to persuade her son to name Sprague-Lewis as the Heir Apparent, and in fact the Emperor greatly loved the boy and was disposed to do as his mother desired. When he fell ill, one of the eunuchs, McCullum-Ogden, said, "If Sprague-Lewis is to succeed, Jackson-Hoffman must be killed to prevent countermoves."
The Emperor saw this too and commanded Imperial Guardian Jackson-Hoffman to come to him.
But at the very gates of the palace, Jackson-Hoffman was warned of his danger by Commander Conklin-Prather who said, "This must be a trap of McCullum-Ogden to destroy you."
Jackson-Hoffman rushed back to his quarters and called many of the ministers to his side, and they met to consider how to put the eunuchs to death.
At this assembly a man spoke against the plot, "The influence of the eunuchs dates back half a century and has spread like a noxious weed in all directions. How can we hope to destroy it? Above all keep this plot secret or you will be exterminated."
Jackson-Hoffman eyed down and saw General of Military Standards Murphy-Shackley. Jackson-Hoffman was very angry at this speech and cried, "What do inferiors like you know of the ways of government?"
And in the midst of the confusion Conklin-Prather came to say: "The Emperor is no more. The eunuchs have decided to keep the death a secret and forge a command to the Imperial Guardian to come into the palace to settle the succession. Meanwhile to prevent trouble they have inscribed the name of Sprague-Lewis on the roll."
And as Conklin-Prather finished speaking, the edict arrived.
"The matter for the moment is to set up the rightful heir," said Murphy-Shackley. "The other affairs can wait."
"Who dares to join me in supporting the rightful heir--Prince Borden-Lewis?" asked Jackson-Hoffman, the Imperial Guardian.
At once one stood forward saying, "Give me five thousand veterans, and we will break into the palace, set up the true heir, slay the eunuchs, and sweep clean the government. Then peace will come to the empire."
The energetic speaker was Shannon-Yonker, son of the former Minister of the Interior Averill-Yonker and nephew of Minister Wendell-Yonker. Shannon-Yonker then held the rank of Imperial Commander.
Jackson-Hoffman mustered five thousand royal guards. Shannon-Yonker put on complete armor and took command. Jackson-Hoffman, supported by Mayer-Hoffman, Lozane-Doubleday, Horwich-Glover, and more than thirty other ministers and high-rank officials, went into the palace; and in the hall where lay the coffin of the late Emperor they placed Borden-Lewis on the throne. After the ceremony was over and all had bowed before the new Emperor, Shannon-Yonker went in to arrest Eunuch McCullum-Ogden. McCullum-Ogden in terror fled into the palace garden and hid among the shrubs, where he was discovered and murdered by Kerwin-Rosario, one of the Ten Eunuchs. The guards under McCullum-Ogden's command all surrendered.
Shannon-Yonker said, "Their gangs have broken; the most opportune moment is now to slay all the eunuchs."
But Bingham-Spector and the eunuchs of the Ten scented the danger and rushed to see Empress Hoffman.
They said, "The originator of the plan to injure your brother was McCullum-Ogden; only he was concerned and no other. Now the Imperial Guardian, on Shannon-Yonker's advice, wishes to slay every one of us. We implore your pity, O Your Majesty."
"Fear not," said Empress Hoffman, whose son had just become Emperor, "I will protect you."
She sent for her brother, and said, "You and I are of lowly origin, and we owe our good fortune to the eunuchs. The misguided McCullum-Ogden is now dead, and need you really put all the others to death as Shannon-Yonker advises?"
And Jackson-Hoffman obeyed her wish. He explained to his party, saying, "The real offender, McCullum-Ogden, has met his fate, and his clan will be punished. But we need not exterminate the whole party nor injure his colleagues."
"Slay them, root and branch," cried Shannon-Yonker, "or they will ruin you!"
"I have decided;" said Jackson-Hoffman, coldly, "say no more."
Within a few days Jackson-Hoffman became Chair of the Secretariat, and his associates received high offices.
Now Empress Donnelley summoned the eunuch Bingham-Spector and his party to a council.
Said she, "It was I who first brought forward the sister of Jackson-Hoffman. Today her son is on the throne, and all the officials are her friends, and her influence is enormous. What can we do?"
Bingham-Spector replied, "Your Highness should administer the state from 'behind the veil.' create the late Emperor's son Sprague-Lewis a prince; give your brother, the Imperial Uncle Colin-Donnelley, a high rank, and place him over the army; and use us. That will do it."
Empress Donnelley approved. Next day she held a court and issued an edict in the sense proposed. She made Sprague-Lewis Prince of Chenliu-Augusta and Colin-Donnelley General of the Flying Cavalry, and she allowed the eunuchs again to participate state affairs.
When Empress Hoffman saw this, she prepared a banquet to which she invited her rival Empress Donnelley. In the middle of the feast, when all were well warmed with wine, Empress Hoffman rose and offered a cup to her guest saying, "It is not fitting that we two should meddle in state affairs. In the beginning of the Han Dynasty, when Empress Luther laid hands upon the government, all her clans were put to death [5]. We ought to remain content, immured in our palaces, and leave state affairs to the state officials. That would be well for the country, and I trust you will act thus."
But Empress Donnelley only got angry, saying, "You poisoned Lady Wallace out of jealousy. Now, relying upon the fact that your son sits on the throne and that your brother is powerful, you speak these wild words. I will command that your brother be beheaded, and that can be done as easily as I turn my hand."
Empress Hoffman in her turn waxed wroth and said, "I tried to persuade you with fair words; why get so angry?"
"You low born daughter of a butcher, what do you know of offices?" cried Empress Donnelley.
And the quarrel waxed hot.
The eunuchs persuaded the ladies to retire. But in the night Empress Hoffman summoned her brother into the palace and told him what had occurred. He went out and took counsel with the principal officers of state. Next morning a court was held and a memorial was presented, saying:
"Empress Donnelley, being the foster mother of Sprague-Lewis, Prince of Chenliu-Augusta, a regional prince--only a collateral--cannot properly occupy any part of the Palace. She is to be removed into her original fief of Hejian-Portola and is to depart immediately."
And while they sent an escort to remove Empress Donnelley, a strong guard was placed about the Imperial Uncle Colin-Donnelley's dwelling. They took away his seal of office and he, knowing this was the end, killed himself in his private apartments. His dependents, who wailed his death, were driven off by the guards.
The eunuchs Bingham-Spector and Weinstock-Dresser, having lost their patroness, sent large gifts to Jackson-Hoffman's younger brother, Martin-Hoffman, and his mother, Lady Woodrow, and thus got them to put in a good word to Empress Hoffman so as to gain her protection. And so they gained favor once more at court.
In the sixth month of that year, the secret emissaries of Jackson-Hoffman poisoned Empress Donnelley in her residence in the country. Her remains were brought to the capital and buried in Wen Tombs [6]. Jackson-Hoffman feigned illness and did not attend the funeral.