Chapter 253 Bad news
Bitter Bridge.
"Grandmother, why did you come in person?" Margaery stepped forward with a smile, and helped Mrs. Olenna out of the carriage.
"Can I still come?" Mrs. Olenna glared at her granddaughter, "I told you to be careful, but I didn't listen! You must be happy if the Tyrell family has no way out, right?"
"It's not good to be half-hearted, grandma, you taught me that."
"I also taught you, don't bet all the chips in one place at once, you forgot, right?"
"But Sam is worthy of our big bet." Margaery shook Mrs. Olenna's arm lightly, "You should also have a good news. The Northern Route Army not only defeated the coalition forces of the northern princes of the Stormlands, but also defeated The 60,000 troops led by the king to the south have already conquered the Bronze Gate City. Now Storm's End has been exposed to the army of the Riverbend, and it is uncertain when it will be captured."
"I haven't heard of anyone who captured Storm's End." Madam Olenna said calmly.
"Before this, you probably haven't heard of anyone who can open up a territory in the Crimson Mountains within two years, and you haven't heard that anyone other than the Dane family can pull out the giant sword [Dawn], let alone Who can bring them back to this world after the extinction of the dragons. Sam can always create miracles, and this time in Storm's End, I believe he can also create history."
"I really don't know what kind of magic that kid cast on you." Madam Olenna complained, then looked into her granddaughter's eyes seriously, and said, "But have you ever thought about it, once you really get married, then The Tyrells are completely bound to the Caesars. We either go to the sky with that kid, or we go to **** with him. There's no other choice."
"I've thought about it. Sam has a dragon, and he can definitely take the Tyrell family into the sky."
Madam Olenna sighed: "I hope you will not regret this in the future."
"No." Margaret said, stroking her flat belly that was not yet pregnant, "otherwise, what else can I do? Grandma, you won't be willing to give me a cup of moon tea, right?"
Madam Olenna snorted coldly and said:
"I want to give you a cup of moon tea, isn't that brat going to hate me to death. I'm afraid the nobles of the River Bend will be split because of this."
"So, you agreed to let us get married early?"
"Yes." Mrs. Olenna nodded, but the expression on her face still showed a bit of reluctance.
"Really? Thank you, grandma!" Margaery cheered excitedly, hugged Mrs. Olenna and kissed her.
After calming down, Margaery asked again: "Then when will we hold the wedding? Should we wait until the war is over?"
"Is it too late to wait until the end of the war?" Mrs. Olenna glanced at her granddaughter's unconceived belly, "Let's hold it as soon as possible."
"But Sam is fighting at the front, so we can't let them withdraw because of this?"
"Of course not. The riverbend army is progressing so smoothly, how can we let them withdraw at this time. Let's go, let's find them in the storm, and then hold a simple wedding in the barracks."
"OK."
The grandmother and daughter left the Bitter Bridge and headed east along Rose Avenue, but when they arrived at Green Valley City, they received bad news from the raven.
"Highgarden was captured by the rebels and the Ironborn?" Margaery stared wide-eyed, looking at the bachelor of the Meidou family in disbelief.
"Yes." The bachelor handed over several letters, "I couldn't believe it at first, but several lords near Highgarden confirmed the news."
Mrs. Olenna still looked very calm. She took the letter and scanned it quickly, then said:
"It's the Oakheart family! Someone saw Madam Egwene mobilize the army to Highgarden, claiming that she was going to support the Stormlands, but unexpectedly..."
"Is there no warning on the Shield Islands?"
"No." Madam Olenna said, "The Oakheart family may not be the only one who betrayed High Court this time."
"Do you need to notify Sam of their withdrawal?" Margaery turned pale.
Mrs. Olenna thought for a moment, and said:
"Let them withdraw their troops. This time not only to deal with the ironborn, I am afraid there are enemies inside the river bend that need to be cleaned up. If one is not careful, it will be a civil strife in the river bend."
"Okay, I'll arrange for someone to deliver the letter." Loras immediately turned and left.
Mrs. Olenna held her granddaughter's cold little hand and said:
"Now you see why I don't want you to rush into marrying Sam."
Margaery opened her mouth, not knowing what to say for a moment.
—————
Boom!
With a loud noise, the ground trembled violently as if being hit by a giant hammer.
But the walls of Storm's End remained unmoved.
Seeing this situation, Samwell secretly sighed, thinking that Storm's End is really indestructible, and gunpowder is useless.
He drove the white dragon to land in the camp of the Chinese army.
"It seems that Melisandre is right." Samwell jumped off the dragon's back, and said to Earl Randyll, "The walls of Storm's End are woven with powerful magic, and gunpowder has no effect on it."
Earl Randall nodded upon hearing the words, and seemed not surprised by this:
"Storm's End is not that easy to fight. Surrounding it without attacking it, and capturing all the surrounding Stormlands first is the best choice."
Samwell also nodded in agreement, although he was still a little disappointed.
He has been thinking about this castle for a long time.
Eagle Island has limited potential, and Samwell has long wanted to occupy a bigger and better castle, let alone a castle like Storm's End, which is ranked even in the Seven Kingdoms and has great political significance.
But he also knew that unless he was willing to climb into Melisandre's bed and sacrifice some attribute points in exchange for the Shadow Killer, his father's countermeasure would be the best solution.
After hesitating for a moment, Samwell still decided not to rush.
Anyway, the Lannister family is still confronting the northern princes, and it is impossible to take care of intervening in the battle for the Stormland for a while.
So, there is still enough time for the river bend to eat away at the storm.
After they capture the rest of the Stormlands territory and subdue the major families, it will be easier to slowly besiege Storm's End.
Perhaps at that time, the interior of Storm's End would be divided because of the illegitimate son Duke's behavior of watching Hewan attack the city and pull out the fortress, and the civil strife broke out first.
Even if the Bastard Duke can stabilize the situation at that time, besides storming Storm's End, Riverbend has a better choice—
Attack King's Landing.
Compared with Storm's End, King's Landing is much easier to attack, especially when Stannis Baratheon helped them consume the "little devil"'s big killer - [Wildfire], when the Lannister family was attacked from both sides , the Riverbend army has a high probability of capturing King's Landing.
Once the false king is driven off the Iron Throne, the **** Duke of Storm's End will lose his legitimacy, and the Stormland nobles themselves will overthrow him.
Thinking of this, Samwell suppressed his eagerness and asked, "Father, what do you plan to do next?"
Earl Randall seems to have made a plan long ago, saying:
"I have received news that the Southern Route Army led by Earl Rowan has arrived at Crow's Nest Castle and is preparing to enter the southern part of Cape Wrath through the rainforest. In this way, there is only Griffin's Nest Castle left between us and the Southern Route Army .I will give you an army, and you go and fight it down, so that the two armies can join together. I will personally lead the army back and sweep the territory in the northeast of the imperial forest."
Before, in order to save time, the Northern Route Army went all the way south to Storm's End after breaking through the Tongmen City. They didn't manage the stormy northern castles like Fallen Wood City and Hay Hall.
"Yes." Samwell nodded, "How many people will be left to besiege the city?"
"Five thousand is enough." Earl Randall said, "There are not many soldiers and horses in the city, and the illegitimate duke is not a courageous person from his previous performance, and he probably dare not come out."
Samwell has no objection to this. Judging from the original book, the illegitimate son of the Baratheon family really has no outstanding abilities. This time, he was favored by the old lion only because of his status, and used to divide the princes of the storm. Sick of Stannis by the way.
"By the way, where is the Arbor Island fleet now?" Samwell looked at the bay south of Storm's End and asked, "Without sea power, it would be difficult to completely cut off Storm's End from the outside world."
"Paxter Redwyne has not sent a message, and I don't know where he is now. However, according to the plan before the war, the Arbor Island fleet will first capture Ismond Island and Tath Island, and then Come to Shipbreaker Bay and blockade Storm's End with the army."
Samwell was also a little helpless. The lord of Qingting Island was a hard-core deer party, and he didn't want to cooperate with horse parties like them. His attitude of disgust and rejection was not concealed at all.
As one of the three major fleets in Westeros, Earl Paxter also has arrogant capital. Even if the Ma Party gains power and completely controls the Reach, he can lead his army back to Qingting Island and become his own island owner.
Moreover, to blockade Storm's End, the assistance of the Qingting Island Fleet is really indispensable. From this point of view, it is the Horse Party who wants to ask the leader of the Deer Party.
Seeing his son frowning, Earl Landau comforted him:
"Don't worry about Paxter, he knows the importance, and we have the support of Mrs. Olenna, even if he doesn't want to, he will cooperate well this time."
"Okay." Samwell didn't think about it any more, and turned his head to gather the army and prepare to enter Griffin's Roost.
(end of this chapter)