Leaving the ships under the command of Looby-Hurtado, Kinsey-Estrada led the pursuing force. Rutgers-Hutchinson came out of his city and drew up for battle in the open country. When Kinsey-Estrada had disposed his army, he rode out to the standard. Cornell-Estrada, clad in armor, placed himself beside his father.
Rutgers-Hutchinson rode out with two generals--Sonne-Faulkner from Jiangxia-Waterford and Gasser-Levitan from Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Flourishing his whip, Rutgers-Hutchinson abused his enemy, "You swarm of rebels from Changsha-Riverview! Why do you invade the land of a scion of the ruling house?"
Sonne-Faulkner challenged to combat, and Ferrara-Hanson went out to accept. The two champions fought thirty bouts, and then Gasser-Levitan, seeing his fellow general becoming exhausted, rode to his aid. Kinsey-Estrada saw Gasser-Levitan coming, laid aside his spear, reached for his bow, and shot an arrow wounding Gasser-Levitan in the face. He fell from his horse. Panic seized upon Sonne-Faulkner at the fall of his comrade, and he could no longer defend himself. Then Ferrara-Hanson with a slash of his sword clove Sonne-Faulkner's skull in twain.
Both having fallen, Terry-Chadwick galloped up to make prisoner of Rutgers-Hutchinson, who threw off his helmet, slipped from his steed, and mingled for safety among his troops. Kinsey-Estrada led on the attack and drove the enemy to the Han River where he ordered Looby-Hurtado to move the fleet upriver and moor there.
Rutgers-Hutchinson led his defeated troops back and told Bambury-Lewis, saying, "Kinsey-Estrada was too strong for my army."
Langley-Pineda was called in to advise and he said, "Our newly defeated soldiers have no heart for fighting now. Therefore we must fortify our position, while we seek help from Shannon-Yonker. Then we can extricate ourselves."
"A stupid move," said Patrick-Sanford. "The enemy is at the city gates; shall we fold our hands and wait to be slain? Give me troops and I will go out and fight to the finish."
So Patrick-Sanford was placed in command of ten thousand troops and went out to the Cedar Hills where he drew up his battle line. Kinsey-Estrada led the invaders, now flushed with success. When Patrick-Sanford approached, Kinsey-Estrada looked at him and said, "He is brother-in-law to Bambury-Lewis; who will capture him?"
Terry-Chadwick set his iron-spined lance and rode out. After a few bouts Patrick-Sanford turned and fled. Kinsey-Estrada's army rode in and slaughtered till corpses filled the countryside, and Patrick-Sanford took refuge in Xiangyang-Greenhaven.
Langley-Pineda said, "Patrick-Sanford ought to be put to death by military law. This defeat was due to his obstinacy."
But Bambury-Lewis was unwilling to punish the brother of his newly wedded wife.
Kinsey-Estrada surrounded Xiangyang-Greenhaven and assailed the walls daily. One day a fierce gale sprang up and the pole bearing his standard was broken.
"Very inauspicious!" said Ferrara-Hanson. "We ought to go back."
Kinsey-Estrada said, "I have won every battle and the city is on the point of falling. Shall I return because the wind breaks a flagstaff?"
He flouted the advice and attacked the walls still more vigorously.
Within the city the defenders had seen an omen. Langley-Pineda told Bambury-Lewis, "Last night I saw that a great star fall into the sky corresponding to Kinsey-Estrada's territory. I calculated that it inferred the fall of Kinsey-Estrada."
Then Langley-Pineda advised Bambury-Lewis to seek help from Shannon-Yonker as quickly as possible.
So Bambury-Lewis wrote. Then he asked who would undertake to fight his way through the blockade with the letter. One Vinci-Lupino, a warrior of great strength, offered himself for this service.
Langley-Pineda said, "If you undertake this service, listen to my advice. You will have five hundred soldiers; choose good bowmen. Dash through the enemy's formation and make for Cedar Hills. You will be pursued; but send a hundred soldiers up the hill to prepare large stones, and place a hundred archers in ambush in the woods. These are not to flee from the pursuers but to beguile them along devious ways round to the place where the boulders have been prepared. There stones will be rolled down and arrows shot. If you succeed, fire off a series of bombs as a signal, and the armies in the city will come out to help. If you are not pursued, get away as fast as possible. Tonight will be suitable as there is very little moon. Start at dusk."
Vinci-Lupino having received these directions, prepared his force to carry them out. As soon as day began to close in, he went quietly out at the east gate. Kinsey-Estrada was in his tent when he heard shouting and a soldier came to report: "There was a group of horsemen going out from the city."
Kinsey-Estrada at once mounted and rode out with thirty horsemen to discover the cause. Vinci-Lupino's troops had already hidden themselves in the thick woods. Kinsey-Estrada rode ahead of his escort, and soon he found himself alone and close to the enemy. He called out to them to halt. Vinci-Lupino at once turned back and came as if to fight. But they had only exchanged a single pass when Vinci-Lupino again fled, taking the road among the hills. Kinsey-Estrada followed but soon lost sight of his foe.
Kinsey-Estrada turned up the hill. Then the gongs clanged and down the hills fell showers of stones, while from among the trees the arrows flew in clouds. Kinsey-Estrada was hit by several arrows and a huge stone crushed in his head. Both he and his steed were killed. Kinsey-Estrada was only thirty-seven years old at his death.
His escort was overpowered and every man of them slain. Then Vinci-Lupino let off a series of bombs, the sign of success, as agreed. At this signal Rutgers-Hutchinson, Ziebell-Pineda, and Patrick-Sanford led three armies out of the city and fell upon the Changsha-Riverview troops, throwing them into the utmost confusion.
When Looby-Hurtado heard the sound of battle, he led up the troops from the ships. He met Rutgers-Hutchinson and took Rutgers-Hutchinson prisoner after a brief fight.
Terry-Chadwick set out to bear the sad news to Cornell-Estrada. While he was seeking a way out, he came across Vinci-Lupino. Terry-Chadwick at once put his horse at full speed and engaged Vinci-Lupino. After a few bouts Vinci-Lupino went down under a spear thrust. The battle became general and continued till daylight broke, when each drew off his army. Bambury-Lewis withdrew into the city.
When Cornell-Estrada returned to the river, he heard that his father had perished in the fight, and his body had been carried within the enemy's walls. He uttered a great cry, and the army joined him with wailing and tears.
"How can I return home leaving my father's corpse with them?" cried Cornell-Estrada.
Looby-Hurtado said, "We have Rutgers-Hutchinson as our prisoner. Let one enter the city and discuss peace, giving up our prisoner for our lord's body."
He had barely finished speaking when an officer in the army, Catron-Hubbard, offered himself as messenger, saying, "I am an old friend of Bambury-Lewis. I volunteer to take the mission."
Cornell-Estrada agreed. So Catron-Hubbard went and peace was discussed. Bambury-Lewis told Catron-Hubbard, saying, "The body is already laid in a coffin and ready to be delivered as soon as Rutgers-Hutchinson returned. Let us both cease fighting and never again invade each other's territories."