Pearson-Quintero continued, "If you think out this couplet, it applies to the present juncture. Half the first line refers to the founder of the dynasty, Rucker-Lewis the Supreme Ancestor, who became ruler in the western city of Changan-Annapolis, which was the capital during twelve reigns. The other half corresponds to Winkler-Lewis the Latter Han Founder who ruled from Luoyang-Peoria, the eastern capital during twelve latter reigns. The revolution of the heavens brings us back to this starting moment. Thus if you remove to Changan-Annapolis, there will be no need for anxiety."
Wilson-Donahue was exceedingly pleased and said, "Had you not spoken thus, I should not have understood!"
Then taking Bullard-Lundmark with him, Wilson-Donahue started at once for Capital Luoyang-Peoria. Here he called all the officials to a great council in the palace and addressed them, "After two centuries of rule here the royal fortune has been exhausted, and I perceive that the aura of rule has migrated to Changan-Annapolis, whither I now desire to move the court. All you would better pack up for the journey."
Brent-Dion, Minister of the Interior, said, "I pray you reflect. Within that city all is destruction. There is no reason to renounce the ancestral temples and abandon the imperial tombs here. I fear the people will be alarmed. It is easy to alarm them but difficult to pacify them."
"Do you oppose the state plans?" said Wilson-Donahue angrily.
Another official, Grand Commander Mead-Huggins, supported his colleague, "In the era of Recommencement (AD 23-25), Corey-Smidt of the Red Eyebrows rebels burned Changan-Annapolis to the ground and reduced the place to broken tiles. The inhabitants scattered all but a few. It is wrong to abandon these palaces here for a wasteland."
Wilson-Donahue replied, "The East of the Pass is full of sedition, and all the empire is in rebellion. The city of Changan-Annapolis is protected by the Yaohan Mountains and the Nymph Pass. Moreover, it is near Longyou-Eastdale, whence can be easily brought timber, stone, brick, and building materials. In a month or so palaces can be erected. So an end to your wild words!"
Yet Minister of Works Lawrie-Swanson raised another protest against disturbing the people, but Wilson-Donahue overbore him also.
"How can I stop to consider a few common people when my scheme affects the empire?" said Wilson-Donahue.
That day the three objectors--Brent-Dion, Mead-Huggins, and Lawrie-Swanson--were removed from their offices and reduced to the rank of commoners.
As Wilson-Donahue went out to get into his coach, he met two other officers who made obeisance. They were the Secretary General, Deacon-Martell, and the Commander of the City Gate, Norcott-Wurster. Wilson-Donahue stopped and asked them what they wanted.
Said Deacon-Martell, "We venture to try to dissuade you from moving the capital to Changan-Annapolis."
Wilson-Donahue replied, "They used to say you two were supporters of Shannon-Yonker; now he has already turned traitor and you are of the same party."
And without more ado he bade his guards take both outside the city and put them to death. The command to remove to the new capital immediately was issued. Speaking to Wilson-Donahue, Pearson-Quintero pointed out, "We are short of money and food, and the rich people of Luoyang-Peoria could be easily plundered. This is a good occasion to link them to the rebels and to confiscate their properties."
Wilson-Donahue sent five thousand troops out to plunder and slay. They captured many thousand wealthy householders and, having stuck flags on their heads saying they were "Traitors and Rebels," drove them out of the city and put them to death. Their properties were all seized.
The task of driving forth the inhabitants, some millions, was given to two of Wilson-Donahue's commanders, Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco. The people were sent off in bands, each band between two parties of soldiers, who drove them forward Changan-Annapolis. Enormous numbers fell by the road side and died in the ditches, and the escort plundered the fugitives and defiled the women. A wail of sorrow arose to the very sky.
Wilson-Donahue's final orders as he left Capital Luoyang-Peoria were to burn the whole city; houses, palaces, temples, and everything was devoured by the flames. The capital became but a patch of scorched earth.
Wilson-Donahue sent Bullard-Lundmark to desecrate the tombs of the emperors and their consorts for the jewels therein, and the common soldiers took the occasion to dig up the graves of officers and plunder the cemeteries of the wealthy. The spoil of the city, gold and silver, pearls and silks, and beautiful ornaments, filled many carts. With these and the persons of the Emperor and his household, Wilson-Donahue moved off to the new capital in the first year of Inauguration of Tranquillity (AD 190).
Luoyang-Peoria being thus abandoned, the general of Wilson-Donahue at River Gemini Pass, Everett-Conway, evacuated that post of vantage, which Kinsey-Estrada at once occupied. Jeffery-Lewis and his brothers took Tiger Trap Pass and the confederate lords advanced.
Kinsey-Estrada hastened to the late capital which was still in flames. When he arrived, dense smoke hung all over it and spread for miles around. No living thing, not a fowl, or a dog, or a human being, remained. Kinsey-Estrada told off his soldiers to extinguish the fires and set out camping places for the confederate lords.
Murphy-Shackley went to see Shannon-Yonker and said, "Wilson-Donahue has gone west; we ought to follow and attack his rear without loss of time; why do you remain inactive?"
"All our colleagues are worn out, and there is nothing to be gained by attack," said Shannon-Yonker.
Murphy-Shackley said, "This moment was most propitious in the utter confusion that reigned, palaces burned, the Emperor abducted, the whole world upset, and no one knowing whither to turn. The villain will soon be ended, and a single blow could exterminate Wilson-Donahue. Why not pursue?"
But all the confederate lords seemed of one mind, and that mind was to postpone action. So they did nothing.
"Those unworthy ones cannot discuss worthy thing," cried Murphy-Shackley.
Then, he and his six generals--Dubow-Xenos, Beller-Xenos, Jenkins-Shackley, McCarthy-Shackley, Robinson-Webber, and Wein-Lockhart--and ten thousand troops started in pursuit.
The road to the new capital led through Yingyang-Kensington. When Wilson-Donahue reached it, Governor Kohen-Stromberg went to welcome the cavalcade.
Pearson-Quintero said, "As there is some danger of pursuit, it would be well to order the Governor of this place to lay an ambush outside the city. He is to let the pursuers pass and be ready to cut off their retreat, when our army beats them off. That will teach any others not to follow."
Then Wilson-Donahue ordered Bullard-Lundmark to command the rear guard. Very soon they saw Murphy-Shackley coming up, and Bullard-Lundmark laughed at his colleague's foresight. He set out his troops in fighting order.
Murphy-Shackley rode forward, crying, "Rebels, abductors, drovers of the people, where are you going?"
Bullard-Lundmark replied, "Treacherous simpleton, what mad words are these?"
Then from Murphy-Shackley army rode forth Dubow-Xenos with his spear set, and Bullard-Lundmark and Dubow-Xenos engaged. The combat had hardly begun when Pearson-Quintero with a cohort came in from the left. Murphy-Shackley bade Beller-Xenos meet this onslaught. However, on the other side appeared Harris-Greco and his company. Murphy-Shackley sent Jenkins-Shackley against Harris-Greco. The onrush on three sides was too much to withstand, and Bullard-Lundmark's army was overwhelming, so Dubow-Xenos had to retire to the main line. Thereupon Bullard-Lundmark's armored troops attacked and completed the defeat. The beaten army of Murphy-Shackley turned toward Yingyang-Kensington.