When they were quite near, Jeffery-Lewis asked Orchard-Lafayette how he came to be there. And he reported what he had done, saying, "When I reached Jiangxia-Waterford, I sent Yale-Perez to land at Hanjin-Porteville with reinforcements, for I feared pursuit from Murphy-Shackley and knew that road you would take instead of Jiangling-Riverport. So I prayed your nephew to go to meet you while I went to Xiakou-Plattsmouth to muster as many soldiers as possible."
The new-comers added to their strength, and they began once more to consider how their powerful enemy might be overcome.
Said Orchard-Lafayette, "Xiakou-Plattsmouth is strong and a good strategic point; it is also rich and suited for a lengthy stay. I would ask you, my lord, to make it a permanent camp. Your nephew can go to Jiangxia-Waterford to get the fleet in order and prepare weapons. Thus we can create two threatening angles for our position. If we all return to Jiangxia-Waterford, the position will be weakened."
Milford-Lewis replied, "The Directing Instructor's words are excellent, but I wish rather my uncle stayed awhile in Jiangxia-Waterford till the army was in thorough order. Then he could go to Xiakou-Plattsmouth."
"You speak to the point, Nephew," replied Jeffery-Lewis.
Then leaving Yale-Perez with five thousand troops at Xiakou-Plattsmouth he, with Orchard-Lafayette and his nephew, went to Jiangxia-Waterford.
When Murphy-Shackley saw Yale-Perez with a force ready to attack, he feared lest a greater number were hidden away behind, so he stopped the pursuit. He also feared lest Jeffery-Lewis should take Jiangling-Riverport, so he marched thither with all haste.
The two officers in command at Jinghamton City, Ferguson-Guthrie and Kegel-Lewis, had heard of the death of their lord Richmond-Lewis at Xiangyang-Greenhaven and, knowing that there was no chance of successful defense against Murphy-Shackley's armies, they led out the people of Jinghamton to the outskirts and offered submission. Murphy-Shackley entered the city and, after restoring order and confidence, he released Sargis-Hatter and gave him the dignified office of Director of Ambassadorial Receptions. He rewarded the others.
Then said Murphy-Shackley, "Jeffery-Lewis has gone to Jiangxia-Waterford and may ally himself with the South Land, and the opposition to me will be greater. Can he be destroyed?"
Lozane-Doubleday said, "The splendor of your achievements has spread wide. Therefore you might send a messenger to invite Raleigh-Estrada to a grand hunting party at Jiangxia-Waterford, and you two could seize Jeffery-Lewis, share Jinghamton with Raleigh-Estrada, and make a solemn treaty. Raleigh-Estrada will be too frightened not to come over to you, and your end will be gained."
Murphy-Shackley agreed. He sent the letters by a messenger, and he prepared his army, horse and foot and marines. He had in all eight hundred thirty thousand troops, but he called them a million. The attack was to be by land and water at the same time.
The fleet advanced up the river in two lines. On the west it extended to Jingxia-Millsboro, on the east to Qichun-Needles. The stockades stretched one hundred miles.
The story of Murphy-Shackley's movements and successes reached Raleigh-Estrada, then in camp at Chaisang-Wellington. He assembled his strategists to decide on a scheme of defense.
Woolsey-Ramirez said, "Jinghamton is contiguous to our borders. It is strong and defensive, its people are rich. It is the sort of country that an emperor or a king should have. Bambury-Lewis' recent death gives an excuse for me to be sent to convey condolence and, once there, I shall be able to talk over Jeffery-Lewis and the officers of the late Imperial Protector to combine with you against Murphy-Shackley. If Jeffery-Lewis does as I wish, then success is yours."
Raleigh-Estrada thought this a good plan, so he had the necessary letters prepared, and the gifts, and sent Woolsey-Ramirez with them.
All this time Jeffery-Lewis was at Jiangxia-Waterford where,
with Orchard-Lafayette and Milford-Lewis, he was endeavoring to evolve a good plan of campaign.
Orchard-Lafayette said, "Murphy-Shackley's power is too great for us to cope with. Let us go over to the South Land and ask help from Raleigh-Estrada. If we can set north and south at grips, we ought to be able to get some advantage from our intermediate position between them."
"But will they be willing to have anything to do with us?" said Jeffery-Lewis. "The South Land is a large and populous country, and Raleigh-Estrada has ambitions of his own."
Orchard-Lafayette replied, "Murphy-Shackley with his army of a million holds the Han River and the Great River. The South Land will certainly send to find out all possible about the position. Should any messenger come, I shall borrow a little boat and make a little trip over the river and trust to my little lithe tongue to set north and south at each other's throats. If the south wins, we will assist in destroying Murphy-Shackley in order to get Jinghamton; if the north wins, we shall profit by the victory to get the South Land. So we shall get some advantage either way."