Chapter 435 Beginning
Samwell and Daenerys walked hand in hand on the south bank of the Blackwater River. Across the wide river, they could clearly see the towering city wall of King's Landing on the opposite bank.
Jun's Landing is built along the water, with the south wall close to the Heishui River and the east facing the Heishui Bay.
"That's Port King's Landing, and behind it is the Riverside Gate, but the people of King's Landing prefer to call it the Mud Gate." Samwell introduced to Daenerys, "The highland in the southeast corner is Aegon Hill, located in The red castle on top of the hill—”
"It's the Red Castle." Daenerys said, her purple eyes sparkling with longing and anticipation.
"Yes, that is the Red Castle, the place where the Targaryen family lived for generations, and is now occupied by a false king."
Daenerys looked at the red castle in a daze, and didn't speak for a while.
The black dragon Drogon beside him didn't know whether he sensed his master's thoughts, or was attracted by something in the Red Castle. He walked around anxiously and roared.
The movement frightened the defenders on the other side. The giant crossbows deployed at the head of the city were adjusted to the right angles, aimed at the direction of the dragon, and ready to shoot at any time.
Samwell was not nervous when he saw this. Across such a wide river, unless the city on the other side was equipped with anti-aircraft guns, it would be impossible to shoot over.
Daenerys walked up to the black dragon, reached out and stroked its hard scorching scales to calm it down again.
"Are we attacking from here?" she asked over her shoulder.
Samwell shook his head:
"This used to be the city wall of King's Landing. Crossing the river would be attacked by the defenders at the top of the city, and the river beach on the other side is too narrow to be convenient for the army to deploy. So after discussing with the officers, I decided to place the river crossing upstream.
About two miles up the river westward from here, there used to be a ferry. The water surface is much narrower than here, and of course the current is more turbulent.
There used to be a pontoon bridge at that ferry crossing, and cattle and horse convoys could pass over the bridge. Of course, after learning that I gathered an army in Tongmen City to prepare for the Northern Expedition, the pontoon bridge had already been burned down by the Lannister family.
The river beach there is wide and flat, and there is no city protection on the other side, which is convenient for the army to cross the river and assemble. After gaining a firm foothold on the other side, it would not be too late to march eastward to attack King's Landing. "
Hearing this, Daenerys asked: "So are you going to rebuild the pontoon bridge at the ferry upstream?"
"Yes." Sam Will said, "I discussed with the craftsmen of the army. It is not difficult to rebuild a pontoon bridge there, but how to ensure that the pontoon bridge is not destroyed by the enemy.
It may take two or three days for the more than 100,000 troops to cross the river through the pontoon bridge. If you count the logistics, it will definitely take longer.
To ensure that the pontoon bridge is not destroyed during this period, we must control the channel of the Blackwater River. "
Daenerys nodded thoughtfully:
"That's why you have been delaying crossing the river, are you waiting for the return of the Stormland Fleet?"
"That's right." Samwell said with a relaxed tone, "Tywin Lannister on the opposite side should be more anxious now. Although he intercepted the raven from Braavos, the news of the turmoil will still pass through The other way passed through the Narrow Sea.
At that time, after Tormo Frega knows that he has been cheated, he will definitely turn his face against the Lannister family. "
At this time, a cavalryman came quickly from the north, got close and got off his horse. After being inspected by the guards, he came to Samwell and delivered a letter, saying:
"Your Majesty, a letter from the House of Baal Ammon."
The Bar Ammon family is the lord of Sharp Point City. Its territory is just at the top of Marseille Cape, across the sea from Dragonstone Island and Tidehead Island, monitoring the throat from the Narrow Sea into Blackwater Bay.
Samwell looked at the letter with a slightly heavy expression on his face.
Daenerys asked after seeing this:
"What's the matter, Sam?"
Samwell put away the letter and said:
"Sure enough, the Ironmen have come to Blackwater Bay. They just captured the Spice Town on Chaotou Island."
"Tidehead Island..." Daenerys had a complex look on her face, "Is that the territory of the Velaryan family?"
"Yes."
The Valyrian family, like the Targaryen family, are families that fled the Valyrian Peninsula before the doomsday.
However, they are not one of the forty dragon king families, so they have always existed as a vassal family of Targaryen.
In the early days of the Targaryen dynasty, the Velaryan family maintained a pivotal influence in the Seven Kingdoms. The first captain of the Kingsguard Iron Guard and the Minister of the Sea were both from the Velaryan family in history.
The one who pushed the glory of this ancient family to the extreme was the "Sea Serpent" Earl Corliss Velaryon, who built a huge fleet, sailed to sea nine times, and brought back countless rare treasures. It is said that the Velaryon family was even richer than the royal family at that time.
Unfortunately, prosperity and decline seem to be an inescapable fate for any family.
During the Dance of the Dragons, the Velaryon family sided with the Black Party and suffered heavy losses in the war, thus embarking on a road of decline.
After the War of the Reavers, Velaryon, as a loyalist of the Targaryen family, was naturally suppressed by the Baratheon family.
Not long ago, Stannis led the army to attack King's Landing. The Velaryon family, as the loyal family of Dragonstone Island, also participated in the battle. As a result, the last bit of power of the family was also reduced to ashes in the violent [Wildfire].
The current Velaryon family has been fragmented, and the inheritance is almost cut off. It is said that the current Earl of Chaohead Island is only a six-year-old child.
Obviously he was unable to lead this extremely weak ancient family to resist the ironmen's plunder.
The Velaryon family and the Targaryen family have the same root, and they have intermarried for generations, so their relationship is extremely close.
So Daenerys immediately looked worried when she heard that Chaohead Island was looted.
"Don't worry, the Baal Ammon family also said that Earl Lucas has led the army through the throat, and they will help the Velaryan family drive the ironborn away." Samwell held Daenerys' hand, said comfortingly.
"Yeah." Daenerys put away her worries and smiled at her husband again, "Now that the Stormland fleet has arrived at Blackwater Bay, shall we start crossing the river?"
"Yes, it's about time." Samwell looked at the towering castle on the other side again. Under the sunlight, it was like a huge beast crawling by the river, watching everything quietly.
A strong emotion surged in Samwell's chest, almost gushing out.
White Dragon seemed to feel the mood of his master, his wings flapped, setting off bursts of hot wind and waves.
The black dragon also joined in the fun.
Two giant dragons, one black and one white, roared at King's Landing City, and the sound waves echoed on the surface of the wide Heishui River, setting off waves.
"Let's go, let's go back and prepare." Samwell took his wife's hand,
"Three days later, cross the river!"
(end of this chapter)