Chapter 172 Contradiction
Hand of the King, Duke Eddard Stark, rode on a horse and followed the large army along the narrow mountain road, but he was a little out of his mind.
The army passed the Tower of Bliss yesterday, and found that there were still more than a dozen Dorn guards in the tower. Of course, this small tower was captured in less than an hour.
Although this was a small battle not worth mentioning, Duke Ed is still thinking about the tower made of blood-red rocks.
It was in that tower that he found his sister, Lyanna Stark, at the end of the Reaver's War.
At that time, she was so angry that she was lying on a bed covered with roses and blood.
In her arms, there is another baby.
That is the child of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, the child of Duke Eddard's enemy!
He launched a war and overthrew a dynasty, but in the end he discovered that his sister actually gave birth to a son for the enemy with all her life.
"Promise me. Ed, promise me."
He has been unable to refuse his sister's request since he was a child, and it was the same that time.
Duke Ed, who regarded glory as his life all his life, finally brought the child back to Winterfell, claiming to be his illegitimate son, and named him Jon Snow.
Time is like a leech, which has already sucked up this unbearable memory, but the passing glimpse just now reminded Duke Ed of this painful memory.
Lifelike, as if right in front of your eyes.
I need wine.
Just as Duke Ed turned around to get wine from his attendant, a white horse galloped in the opposite direction of marching.
Duke Eddard recognized the knight as Garland, the second son of the Tyrell family.
"Master Ed!" Garland reined in his horse and asked with a little panting, "Didn't you say in the battle plan before that Wangzuocheng would not be attacked?"
"Yes, what's wrong?"
"Then why is the vanguard attacking Wangzhong City?"
"What? This is not an order from me!" Duke Ed was startled, and he didn't bother to drink anymore. He quickly clamped his horse's belly and drove forward with Garland.
After running forward for a while, Duke Ed really heard the faint cry of killing.
This made him even more angry.
There are actually more than a dozen fortresses on the route of Prince's Pass, but the only thing that can really hinder this 70,000-strong army is Tianji City, which guards the southern end of Prince's Pass. This is also Duke Ed's battle plan. Set the focus of attack.
The remaining large and small fortresses and castles along the way can either be removed without much effort, or there is no need to conquer them at all.
The Wangzuo City of the Manwudi family belongs to the latter, because it does not block the marching route of the army. Unless the defenders in the city dare to go out of the castle and advance seven or eight miles to attack actively, otherwise they will not attack the army and logistics. Transport routes pose a threat.
Duke Ed's plan is to leave an army of 3,000 to 4,000 people to monitor Wangzhong City. As long as the other party dare not come out, there is no need for them to attack by force—because in that case, it may take 3,000 to 4,000 people to take it. up.
Even if it is captured, an army must be left to garrison. Otherwise, based on Duke Ed's understanding of the Dornish people, there is a high probability that they will rebel when the army leaves.
So, it's better not to attack.
He came to avenge Jon Arryn, and the only enemy was the "Red Viper". Duke Eddard didn't want to cause unnecessary killings.
Unfortunately, not everyone thinks so.
"Who ordered the attack?" Duke Ed asked angrily.
While speaking, he had already recognized the crests of several families.
The golden antlers on the blue-bottomed fur pattern, this is the Buckwell family of Buckhorn Castle.
Blue net with white background and three whitebait, this is the Bywater family of King's Landing.
A group of black wings on the black and gray checkered pattern, this is the Staunton family of Raven's Rest.
…
Duke Ed took a cursory look, and found that all the people involved in the attack were royal families.
"Who gave the order to attack!" Duke Eddie yelled as he galloped between the queues on horseback.
"Master Ed, it is His Majesty's order." A knight with a brown bear claw printed on his chest replied.
"Your Majesty's order?" Duke Ed was even more angry, "But I am the commander of this army!"
The knight of the Bren family shrugged and said, "I'm sorry, my lord, we thought you had discussed it with His Majesty..."
"No!" Duke Ed said loudly, "Stop attacking immediately!"
After speaking, he turned his horse's head and ran towards the crowned stag banner flying behind.
It didn't take long before he heard King Joffrey's sharp voice:
"What's going on? Why didn't they fight? Who told them to stop?"
"It's me!" Duke Ed slowed down his horse's speed and tone, not wanting to appear too aggressive.
But even so, in the eyes of the young king, he was still offended.
I saw him waving his whip and shouting at the King's Hand:
"Ed Stark! How dare you veto my order!"
"Your Majesty, the command of this army is in my hands, and you are not allowed to order without authorization."
"Of course I can! I'm the king!"
Duke Ed looked at the messy king, and his head ached.
Robert, how did you give birth to such a son?
Thinking that his daughter Sansa was actually engaged to such a person, Duke Ed became even more worried.
Just as the two were in a stalemate, the curtain of the Lungong carriage parked by the road was lifted, revealing the beautiful face of Queen Mother Cersei.
"Lord Ed, even if you are the commander of this army, you don't have to be so overbearing, right? Xiao Qiao just wants to help you clear the obstacles on the road."
"You are a coward!" Joffrey cried. "Unless the Dornishmen in the city surrender, we should go in and kill them all!"
"You can't kill the Dornishmen to surrender!"
"Then kill all the Dornishmen who refuse to surrender!"
"Then I am afraid that you will only kill more and more."
"Impossible! People will only kill more and less!"
"Lord Ed." Queen Mother Cersei interrupted, "Although you are the commander of this army now, don't forget that I am the regent and guardian of the whole territory. Qualifications."
Duke Ed's face turned blue with anger, he really wanted to throw the Prime Minister's badge on his chest to the face of the mother and son, and then walked away with the northern army.
But in the end, he still didn't do it.
He's got Jon Arryn to avenge, and Robert Baratheon, he's got justice for him.
He can't just walk away.
Seeing that Duke Eddard had nothing to say, Joffrey smiled triumphantly, and then said to the herald beside him:
"Go and issue an attack order! I'm going to have dinner in Wangzuoka City today!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
And Duke Ed's mouth moved, but he didn't stop it after all.
Soon, the siege horn sounded again.
After Duke Eddard left, "Kingslayer" James Lannister came to the window of the Wheel Palace and whispered to his sister:
"Didn't father tell us not to let Joffrey interfere in military affairs?"
Cersei glared at her younger brother: "Father still wants me to marry again! If I don't take this opportunity to let Xiao Qiao build up his military achievements and prestige, so that he can be qualified to intercede for me in front of my father, do I still count on you? "
"I can help you talk to your father."
"Say what?" Cersei looked disdainfully.
James looked sincerely: "Say we really love each other..."
"You're crazy!" Cersei exclaimed, and then lowered her voice, "This will make people doubt Little Joe's legitimacy!"
"Then make it public." James said indifferently, "We can officially get married, just like the brothers and sisters of the Targaryen family."
Cersei looked at her younger brother in disbelief, as if she didn't expect him to make such a proposal:
"And then? Little Joe was kicked off the Iron Throne?"
"What's so good about the iron chair? If you don't want it, you don't want it. Joffrey can inherit Casterly Rock City in the future."
Cersei was trembling with anger at her younger brother's thoughts: "Go and inherit Casterly Rock City yourself! My son wants King's Landing!"
After finishing speaking, he lowered the car curtain to isolate his brother from the outside.
—————
In the deep night, Samwell was able to see the lighthouse on the pier of Starfall City from a distance.
"Master Jon, we are just ahead."
"Okay." Earl Jon Royce nodded, and instructed the attendants behind him, "Go and notify everyone, prepare to land."
After the attendants left, Samwell couldn't help but glanced at the bronze armor of the Earl of Runestone City beside him, and asked:
"It is said that there is magic on your armor, is this true?"
"It's true. Otherwise, there is no set of bronze armor that can be passed down for thousands of years without being damaged."
Samwell swallowed quietly: "Then wearing it, will it be able to resist all injuries?"
Earl Jorn laughed loudly: "Master Caesar, if this is the case, then the Royce family should have sat on the Iron Throne long ago. In fact, there are countless Royce who still died in battle wearing this set of bronze armor.
Robar Royce II, the last bronze king, once led the ancestors of the valley against the invading Andals, and finally died wearing this armor in the Battle of the Seven Stars.
William Royce, an outstanding knight who served the Black Party during the Dance of the Dragons, also wore bronze armor and died at the hands of a mob that stormed the dragon's lair. Even the Valyrian steel sword of the Royce family Also lost.
There are many, many examples... Lord Caesar, in this world there is no armor that can resist all harm, just as there is no sharp sword that can destroy all evil. "
Speaking of this, Earl Jorn glanced at the giant sword [Dawn] behind Samwell.
Samwell noticed the other person's eyes and asked, "Do you know the sword behind me?"
"Of course." Earl Jon's tone was a bit sighed, "The great sword [Dawn], I didn't expect the Dane family to let you take this sword, and you can really use it."
Samwell frowned: "I didn't expect you to know [Dawn] so well."
Earl Jorn's eyes suddenly became extremely deep, as if he had passed through a long time, and his tone was also filled with endless vicissitudes, as if from a distant era:
"We Remember."
Samwell was stunned for a moment before realizing that Earl Jorn spoke the language of the Royce family.
This seemingly irrelevant question and answer made Samwell feel that the Royce family probably knew a lot of secrets inherited from the ancient era.
"What do you remember?" Samwell asked tentatively.
But Earl Jorn no longer answered, but just quietly looked at the lights on the pier, as if lost in memory.
Seeing this, Samwell didn't ask any more questions.
Both of them fell silent, only the sound of waves lapping on the ship's side was heard.
Soon, seventeen large ships slowly docked.
The soldiers disembarked one by one, and the horses chewed, trying not to make any noise.
Samwell also got off the boat, and saw Natalie Dane who came to greet her at a glance.
The Countess of Starfall City was wearing a large cloak, and when she saw Samwell, she waved excitedly and showed an intoxicating sweet smile.
(end of this chapter)