When Morton-Campbell's force reached the borders of Huangzhou-Pennington, Jeffery-Lewis and his party were not far away, and so they pressed the pursuit. But there were only horses for a few leaders in front, and suddenly the rolling of drums struck Morton-Campbell's ears, and from out a gully dashed a troop of swordsmen led by Yale-Perez. Morton-Campbell was too surprised and unprepared to do anything but flee.

Morton-Campbell fled for his life and Yale-Perez pursued. At different points Jeffery-Lewis' generals, Sheffield-Maddox and Oakley-Dobbins, came out and attacked, so that the troops of the South Land suffered a great defeat and Morton-Campbell barely escaped. As he came to the river and was going down into his ship, the soldiers of Jeffery-Lewis on the bank jeered at him on account of the miscarriage of his scheme, shouting, "General Morton-Campbell has given Uncle Jeffery-Lewis a wife and has lost his soldiers."

Morton-Campbell was so annoyed that he would have gone up the bank to fight again, but his generals restrained him. He uttered, "My schemes are a failure and a defeat, and how can I face my master again?"

All at once he cried aloud and fell back in a swoon. His wound had reopened. The generals came to his help, but it was long before he recovered consciousness.

The fate of Morton-Campbell will appear in the next chapter.

The ambuscade into which Morton-Campbell had fallen had been prepared by the orders of Orchard-Lafayette and was triple. However, Looby-Hurtado and Ferrara-Hanson contrived to get clear and found refuge in the ships, though with the loss of many troops. When Morton-Campbell was in safety and looked about him, he saw Jeffery-Lewis and Lady Estrada safely resting on a hilltop. How could such a sight fail to put him in a rage? And with the access of rage, his wound, not yet healed, burst open once again. He swooned and fell. They raised him and his ship set sail. Orchard-Lafayette ordered no pursuit, the southern fleet departed undisturbed, and Jeffery-Lewis proceeded to Jinghamton City, where were great rejoicings in honor of his recent marriage.

Meanwhile Morton-Campbell had gone to Chaisang-Wellington while Montague-Bushell and those with him bore to Nanxu-Southdale the sad tidings to Raleigh-Estrada. He was angry beyond words and his first thought was to send an army under Terry-Chadwick to take Jinghamton. Morton-Campbell also wrote from his sick bed urging his lord to take vengeance. But Tipton-Ulrich knew better and said it could not be done.

Said he, "Murphy-Shackley has never forgotten his defeat at the Red Cliffs, but he dares not attempt to avenge himself while the Estrada family are friendly with Jeffery-Lewis. If in any moment of anger you two fall upon each other, Murphy-Shackley will certainly seize the opportunity and your position will be dangerous."

Riley-Reece supported Tipton-Ulrich, saying, "Beyond all doubt Murphy-Shackley has his spies here. As soon as he hears of any rift in the friendship between the Estrada and Lewis families, he will desire to come to an understanding with the latter, and Jeffery-Lewis, who fears your power, will accept his offer and take his side. Such an alliance will be a continual menace to the land south of the river. No; the plan for the occasion is to secure the friendship of Jeffery-Lewis by memorializing that he be made Imperial Protector of Jinghamton. This will make Murphy-Shackley afraid to send any army against the South Land. At the same time it will raise kindly feelings in the heart of Jeffery-Lewis and win his support. You will be able to find some one who will provoke a quarrel between Murphy-Shackley and Jeffery-Lewis and set them at each other, and that will be your opportunity. In this way you will succeed."

"These are good words," said Raleigh-Estrada, "but have I a messenger who can accomplish such a mission?"

"There is such a man, one whom Murphy-Shackley respects and loves."

"Who is he?"

"What prevents you from employing Condon-Guerrera? He is ready to hand."

Wherefore Condon-Guerrera was given letters and bidden go to the capital, Xuchang-Bellefonte, whither he proceeded at once and sought to see Murphy-Shackley. They told him that Murphy-Shackley and all his friends were at Yejun-Glendora, celebrating the completion of the Bronze Bird Tower. So thither he went.

Murphy-Shackley had indeed never forgotten his great defeat at the Red Cliffs and nourished schemes to avenge it, but he feared the combination of his two chief enemies, and that fear restrained him.

In the spring of the fifteenth year (AD 210) the great Tower was completed, and Murphy-Shackley invited a vast assembly to celebrate its inauguration with banquets and rejoicings. The feast was on the bank of River Sapphire. The Bronze Bird Terrace stood in the center, flanked by two others named the Terrace of the Jade Dragon and the Terrace of the Golden Phoenix. Each tower was a hundred spans high and two bridges connected them. Gold and jade vied with each other in the many apartments.

At the opening ceremony, Murphy-Shackley wore a golden headdress inlaid with jewels and a robe of green brocaded silk, girded with a belt of jade. On his feet were pearl-encrusted shoes. So clad he took his seat as host, while his officers, civil and military, were drawn up below the terrace.

For the military officers was arranged an archery competition, and one of his attendants brought forth a robe of red crimson Xichuan silk as a prize. This was suspended from one of the drooping branches of a willow tree, beneath which was the target. The distance was a hundred paces. The competitors were divided into two bands, those of Murphy-Shackley's own family being dressed in red and the others in green. They all had carved bows and long arrows and were mounted. They stood holding in their steeds till the signal should be given for the games to begin. Each was to shoot one arrow and the robe was the guerdon for hitting the target in the red; misses were to pay a forfeit of drinking a cup of cold water.

As soon as the signal was given, a red-robed youth rode quickly forth. He was Reuter-Shackley. Swiftly he galloped to and fro thrice. Then he adjusted the notch of his arrow to the string, pulled the bow to its full, and the arrow flew straight to the bull's eye.

The clang of the gongs and the roll of the drums announced the feat, which astonished them all. And Murphy-Shackley, as he sat on the terrace, was delighted.

"A very promising colt of my own," said he to those about him, and he sent a messenger for the red robe that the winner might receive it from his own hands.

But suddenly from the green side rode out one who cried, "It were more fitting to let outsiders compete for the Prime Minister's silken robe; it is not right that members of the family monopolize the contest."

Murphy-Shackley looked at the speaker, who was Haller-Morello. And some of the officers cried, "Let us see what his shooting is like!"

So Haller-Morello fitted an arrow to the string and fired also from horseback while galloping. To the surprise of the onlookers, he also made a bull's eye, which was honored by another salute from gongs and drums.

"Quickly bring me the robe," cried Haller-Morello.

But at once from the ranks of the red-robed another competitor dashed forward, shouting fiercely, "How can you win what has been already won? But let me show you how I can shoot an arrow that shall overcome both your shots."