Chapter 180 Bloody Battle
Traveling north for more than ten days, there is still an endless, undulating sand sea in front of us.
It seems that there will never be an end.
"How far is the sky and the city?" Samwell asked Lucas Dane beside him while drinking the bland oatmeal.
"According to our current speed, it will take about three days."
"Three days..." Samwell touched the beard stubble growing on his chin.
"Brother!" At this time, Dickon Tarly ran over excitedly with a bow and arrow, "We shot a few stupid birds, do you want some barbecue for breakfast?"
"Okay." Samwell nodded, a little envious of his younger brother's vigorous spirit.
After staying in the sea of sand for so long, he felt that he was almost depressed.
Fortunately, my brother's roasted stupid bird tastes good, which boosted Samwell's spirit a little.
After breakfast, everyone got on their horses and continued northward.
Didn't go far, the sentry rider galloped back to report, saying that the flag of the Royce family was found ahead.
Meet allies?
Might as well have been faked by crafty Dornishmen.
Samwell was secretly vigilant, fearing that he would encounter the same oolong incident as last time, so he specially sent a few valley cavalry to confirm.
Release the falcon at the same time, follow and observe.
It was not until he confirmed that the cavalry team of the Royce family on the opposite side was that Samwell let down his vigilance and led the army to approach.
"Lord Caesar."
"Lord Jon."
It’s been a long time since I saw Earl Jorn, who was still wearing that simple and mysterious set of bronze armor, and his spirit was still hale and hearty, as if such a long march hadn’t affected him at all. It’s hard to imagine that this person is over fifty years old.
"I heard that you actually captured Sandstone City, it's unbelievable!" Earl Jorn said loudly.
Samwell laughed loudly: "There is no way, someone sent it to my arms, I have to take it."
Earl Jorn raised his white eyebrows slightly: "Which kind-hearted person helped so much?"
Samwell pointed to the illegitimate daughter who was tied to the horse: "Of course it is the kind Miss Obaya Sand."
Obara blushed with anger, staring at Samwell with hatred.
"Obaia Sand?" Earl Yonn looked at the illegitimate daughter on horseback, thought for a while before suddenly asking, "The eldest daughter of the Red Viper?"
"Exactly."
Earl Jorn laughed loudly: "It seems to be a good story, let's go, Lord Caesar, let's talk while walking."
Samwell flattered him and his companions, and gave a brief account of his previous combat experience. Of course, he skipped some things that are inconvenient to disclose.
While telling the story, Samwell also noticed that the cavalry squad led by Earl Jorn basically had no losses. It seems that this person is a real dog, unlike himself, who said he wanted to be a dog, but saw the Kogel family's treasury I couldn't help being reckless.
"As expected of Randyll Tarly's son." Earl Jorn said with emotion, "Sandstone City can be captured with two hundred cavalry. Although it is impossible to occupy, it can be called a classic battle in Westeros."
"You're flattering yourself." Samwell said modestly, and then asked, "How is the battle in Tianji City?"
"There is still fierce fighting. However, we are in the south of Tianji City, and we can't see the situation in the north. We only hear the shouts of killing that started more than half a month ago and have not stopped until now."
"More than half a month? Why so little time?" Samwell frowned.
After the division of troops from Black Harbor City, he drifted on the sea for nearly a month before coming to Starfall City, and then walked out of the Dane family territory for a few days, and spent nine days in the guard tower on the border, and then followed in the sand sea. The Dornish people played hide-and-seek for more than half a month, and then they met Obara and planned to capture Sandstone City... All in all, almost three months have passed, why is it that the first army of the Iron Throne just fought halfway through? The sky and the city for more than a month?
Why did they go there before?
Two months on the road?
Or waited for two months under Tianji City, only to send troops to attack after seeing that the city wall has not collapsed?
Earl Jorn also saw Samwell's doubts, shrugged, and said:
"Actually, I am also very strange about the situation in Tianji City, so when there was no movement before, I didn't dare to act rashly. I kept circling in the sand sea, avoiding the Dornish people's pursuit."
Good guy, it turns out that you have been playing hide-and-seek for more than two months, no wonder your subordinates have no losses.
"So what's your plan now?" Samwell asked.
"We have tracked down a food delivery team from Hongqiu City to Tianji City, and we are about to do it. It just so happens that you are here, so let's go together."
"Okay." Samwell would naturally not refuse.
—————
The sky and city attack and defense battle is at its most intense moment.
As the gateway to the west of Dorne, the nobles, soldiers and provisions of half of Dorne have gathered in Tianji City at this moment, as well as the most capable general of Dorne—Prince "Red Viper" Oberyn.
This man's combat style is so fierce, of course, there is no need to say much, and Dorne has never lacked brave soldiers.
On the other side, under the strict order and urging of King Joffrey, the army of the Iron Throne launched an attack like crazy.
In this way, the tragic battle of Tianjicheng can be imagined.
Countless arrows, stones, and boiling oil kept falling from the top of the city, causing large areas of destruction.
Twenty days, twenty days of **** repetitions.
The offensive and defensive sides joined forces to turn Tianji City into a huge flesh and blood mill.
Blood flowed down the city wall, mottled and ferocious, making the tall Tianji City look like a restricted horror oil painting.
The rock and soil under the city wall have become soft and muddy due to drinking blood, which also makes the red mountain range redder.
All kinds of strangely shaped corpses were laid out under the wall, like a messy slaughterhouse.
Although every evening, a raging flame would be ignited outside the city to burn the corpses, but it still couldn't stop more corpses from piling up.
Whenever the corpse is burned, there will be an indescribable burnt smell in the air, which can make any normal person completely lose his appetite.
Queen Cersei retreated ten miles because she couldn't stand the smell.
The originally ambitious young king, after seeing the siege battle these days, did not have the arrogance and self-confidence at the beginning.
This kind of primitive and **** siege battle, without a big heart, it is difficult to persist even as a bystander.
However, the king's patience was also exhausted in this seemingly never-ending battle-although he didn't have much patience.
The young king, who had never had any experience in war, did not understand why it was so difficult to conquer a city. Along the way, countless towers, fortresses, and castles were so vulnerable to the front of the army. The city was a bit more difficult to fight, but it was declared broken after only ten days of persistence, and the battle was by no means as **** and cruel as Tianji City.
So Joffrey doesn't understand why the sky and the city are so difficult to conquer.
It also makes his pre-war boasting seem like a clown.
Anxiety, anger, and even fear were accumulating, and the king's temper became more irritable day by day.
In his opinion, it must be the soldiers who were cheating and cheating and refused to go all out, which made him unable to realize his dream of conquering the sky and the city.
In the combat meeting almost every morning, Joffrey would scold all the nobles attending the meeting bloody, and at the same time issue "ultimatums" again and again, demanding that the army break through the city on the same day.
Of course, every "ultimatum" cannot be achieved, and the king can only be incompetent and furious every time, cursing.
This unfulfilled threat only continued to damage the king's prestige.
But today, I don’t know if someone mentioned the king, or the king himself finally woke up. He actually killed someone!
Boom—
When a bleeding head was thrown in front of the nobles, most of them didn't realize it. They thought it was the head of some Dornishman.
But immediately, they recognized that it belonged to their own!
Second son of Earl of Buckwell, lord of Antlers, Ser Manwy!
"Your Majesty!" Duke Eddard couldn't hide the anger in his words, "What crime did Sir Manwy commit?"
Joffrey snorted softly: "He's not fighting well."
"Sir Manwhi has been fighting on the city for three consecutive days, so you think such a heroic knight is 'ineffective in fighting'?"
"He comes home in a mess every time, doesn't he?"
These words completely angered the nobles in the camp, all kinds of questioning, yelling, and uproar came one after another, and it became a mess.
"Shut up! Shut up, everyone!" King Joffrey obviously felt offended, "I am the king! I have the right to execute nobles who do not fight well! The same goes for you! If you still can't win the **** day and City, I will kill again!"
After speaking, Joffrey walked away.
Didn't notice at all, the nobles looked at his back, full of disdain, anger, and even hostility.
A battle meeting ended hastily like this. To be honest, it would be better not to have it. This is completely counterproductive.
As soon as Duke Ed left the camp, he heard someone calling his name behind him.
He stopped and turned his head to see the lord of Golden Tree City in the Reach, Count Matus Rowan.
"Lord Ed, we can't let the king go on messing around like this!" Earl Matus complained unceremoniously.
Although Earl Matus is just one of the vassals of the Duke of Highgarden, there are too many powerful and rebellious families in the Reach, and the Golden Tree Rowan is one of them. The entire northern part of the Reach is their territory, which is Mace The Duke of Tyrell had to be polite when he saw this man.
"What else can I do?" Duke Ed's brows seemed to be frowning forever.
"You are the Hand of the King and the commander of this army. You can completely refuse to let the king intervene in military affairs."
Duke Ed remained silent.
Count Matus yelled impatiently: "Lord Ed, I suggest that you send the king directly to the rear to accompany the queen mother. It's just a sky-reaching city. As long as he doesn't make trouble, we will be able to take it sooner or later."
Duke Ed sighed, and said: "You don't understand the queen mother, nor the king. If I really do this, I will even lose the command of the battlefield. At that time, the situation will only get worse."
"Lord Ed, no matter what difficulties you have, I must remind you that if the king dares to kill again, I can't guarantee that the knights under him will continue to fight for him. And if he dares to kill the people of Hewan... Hehe, believe me If you don’t believe me, I will immediately withdraw all the troops from Jinshu City!”
Duke Ed could only nod silently.
After Earl Matus left, he called his attendants and ordered:
"Go get my armor."
The attendant froze for a moment.
Duke Ed glanced at the towering and hideous city wall ahead, gritted his teeth and said:
"Today, I will personally lead the army to attack the city!"
(end of this chapter)