Chapter 183: Chasing the Deer to the Throne, Saving Robert, and the Gathering Storm

At Tobho Mott's smithy on Iron Street, Tobho Mott sat in a rocking chair at the shop entrance, smoking with a briar pipe.

A dirty little girl walked over, barefoot.

"The Gold Cloaks are coming to catch Gendry, they want to kill him, let him escape quickly."

The little girl turned and ran away, disappearing into the crowd; Tobho Mott stood up and saw a squad of cavalry riding horses along the steep mountain road toward the summit.

Tobho Mott hurried into the smithing room, where heat waves surged and the air smelled of saltpeter, sulfur, and fire.

Gendry was smithing together with a dozen smiths and apprentices.

"Gendry, run, the Gold Cloaks are coming to catch you, go out the back door."

Gendry frowned, "Go? Where do I go?"

Tobho Mott said: "Go to the Dragonpit and find the Wolf King, perhaps he will help you."

The Gold Cloaks had already entered the smithy cursing, so Gendry had no choice but to grab his horned helmet and escape through the back door.

Leading them was the Commander of the City Watch, Janos Slynt; Janos Slynt's head looked just like a hard-boiled egg, and he said huffily: "Is there an apprentice smith named Gendry here?"

Tobho Mott smiled obsequiously: "Lord Slynt, we have over a dozen apprentices here, not one is named Gendry."

Janos Slynt said gloomily: "You aren't being honest?"

Janos Slynt waved a hand lazily at the Gold Cloaks to the side; two Gold Cloaks pinned Tobho Mott's hands and pressed him onto the red-hot charcoal brazier, the Master of Arms' eyebrows instantly catching fire.

"If you don't talk, I'll burn you to death and make you look just like The Hound."

Tobho Mott closed his eyes as the scorching heat licked his face, "If you have the guts, kill me! Janos Slynt, a few days ago, the Wolf King Eddard also came to my shop looking for Gendry; if you kill me, watch out for the Wolf King's retribution."

Janos Slynt was somewhat afraid and had his men move Tobho Mott's face away from the brazier.

Janos Slynt said: "Don't think the Wolf King can shield you; catching Gendry is Queen Cersei's order, and the lion is not afraid of the direwolf. Since you refuse to speak, I have no choice but to cast you into the dungeon."

A group of smiths and smith apprentices watched as Tobho Mott was knocked to the ground, and the Gold Cloaks locked the Master of Arms' wrists with shackles and dragged him away.

In a secret chamber of the Red Keep, the bloated and plump Lysa was kissing Littlefinger. Littlefinger's black silk coat was embroidered all over with plum-colored mockingbirds.

"Petyr, I truly love your lips to death; your mouth is full of the scent of mint, unlike Jon Arryn, who has nothing but bad breath. Every night lately, he demands I fulfill my marital duties in bed; the old geezer, like an old horse plowing a field, I feel nothing at all. You are the one who knows how to cherish me."

Littlefinger pushed Lysa away, "Lysa, we cannot meet all the time, it is too dangerous."

Lysa was puzzled, "Why? The old geezer went to the Mud Gate to inspect the fish market; he won't be back for a while."

Littlefinger looked at the surrounding walls and lowered his voice, "The Spider is monitoring us, and Eddard is also developing eyes and ears in the Red Keep; if we meet in private often, we will be discovered sooner or later."

Lysa was somewhat angry, "Ever since Catelyn came to King's Landing, I have noticed that you want me less and less; is it that you and she have rekindled your old flame? I remember clearly that when you were drunk back then and took my first time, you were shouting Catelyn's name."

Littlefinger looked innocent, "How could that be? On the contrary, since Catelyn arrived in King's Landing, she has been deliberately distancing herself from me."

Lysa was like an angry cow, "Recently, Robin's seizures have stabilized quite a bit, but they still occur. Catelyn and Eddard invited me to live in Winterfell; Maester Norman says the hot springs of Winterfell are miraculous, and if Robin soaks in the hot springs, perhaps his seizures will be cured."

Littlefinger became nervous immediately, but he feigned ease.

"Lysa, you have been deceived. That Maester Norman is Eddard's man; Eddard letting Maester Norman treat Robin is just to take your Robin away."

Lysa's two eyes glared like a yaksha, and she grabbed Littlefinger by the throat, "No one can take my Robin away!"

Littlefinger was slender and weak, with a small build, and Lysa was much heavier than him; it took a great deal of effort for Littlefinger to break free.

"Lysa, don't be agitated. The Wolf King is using medicine to control Robin; without Eddard's medicine, Robin will have even worse seizures, and you will lose Robin completely. Do not go to Winterfell."

Lysa said: "If I don't go to Winterfell, must I stay in the Red Keep forever? I have had enough of Jon Arryn's bad breath and the touch of his withered fingers."

Littlefinger stroked Lysa's red hair, "You can return to the Eyrie. Believe me, the lion and the direwolf will soon be at war; the Red Keep will flow with blood. Only by leaving here will Robin be safe."

Lysa fell into deep thought, "If I leave here, I will lose Maester Norman's treatment; will Robin's condition..."

Littlefinger said: "Norman cannot cure Robin's illness; remember, he is the Wolf King's man. Robin's condition will slowly heal as he grows up. Jon Arryn will take the initiative to send you and Robin away; he will soon know that King's Landing is about to face a bloody battle, and keeping you and Robin here is just to make you Lannister hostages. Maester Colemon will accompany Robin the whole way."

A flash of doubt crossed Lysa's eyes, "I am afraid of the Lannisters. The Eyrie is impregnable and much safer than the Red Keep, but, Petyr, I won't be able to meet you; guarding an empty bed alone in the cold, high Eyrie, I will be lonely. The thing I regret most in this life is marrying Jon Arryn and missing out on you."

Littlefinger said: "Believe me, Jon Arryn is dying. Once he dies, Robin will be the Duke of the Eyrie and the Vale, the Warden of the East, and the Canyon Knight will all have to obey Robin's orders, and you, as Jon Arryn's widow, will rule the Vale."

In the King's hall, music flowed, and King Robert Baratheon's hearty laughter echoed through the hall.

Margaery Tyrell wore a crystal-colored long dress, upon which seven roses were engraved in different colors, each rose embroidered with one of the Seven Gods; she was dazzling, and every man in the court found it hard to take his eyes off the little rose from Highgarden.

Queen Cersei sat at the King's right hand; she wore a smile on her face, but her gaze toward Margaery held a trace of resentment and a trace of malice.

In the middle of the hall, two burly men wearing heavy plate armor, with the Baratheon sigil engraved on their chests and wearing antler helms, were fighting with warhammers.

Compared to the real steel-on-steel combat of a tourney, the duel between the two strongmen was even more comical than the dancing of the fool Moon Boy; the strongman Tabit used his warhammer to lightly tap Rustu's backside, and Rustu let out a series of exaggerated howls, no wonder Robert laughed until he was out of breath.

However, Eddard did not laugh; he could not ignore the danger of these two strongmen. They pretended to be fools, yet their physiques were only one size smaller than the Mountain, and they could wield warhammers of the same specifications as Robert's as if they were flying, which proved that these two strongmen could easily crush an ordinary person's neck.

On the surface, the strongmen Rustu and Tabit were a gift presented to Robert by a merchant from Lys, but according to the intelligence Eddard had gathered, these two strongmen were both brought from across the Narrow Sea by the Lannisters. Eddard could not help but wonder, was this Cersei's idea, or a conspiracy of the Imp?

Lancel Lannister and Tygett Lannister by Robert's side were handsome and cute squires, but at critical moments, their martial strength was clearly insufficient to protect Cersei. Robert's new favorites were Cersei's lackeys; as long as the Lannisters willed it, the strongmen could sneak an attack and kill Robert at any time.

Eddard could not forget the terrifying vision in his dream: the tall and strong warrior in the antler helm was struck dead by a single sword stroke from a silver-haired man with a harp, and blood stained the earth and the river; the victim was very likely Robert.

In the dream vision, Eddard suspected that the silver-haired man was Prince Rhaegar Targaryen; after all, silver hair and a harp were both symbols of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. However, the man's face seemed covered by a mist of sorrow; Eddard had not seen the man's face clearly and could not conclude if it was Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.

After all, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen had long since died in battle at the Trident, and he had died precisely under Robert's warhammer. Could it be that the likes of the undead necromancer Ogbeta had bypassed the Wall, come to the South, and resurrected the ghost of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen? Had the ghost of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen crawled out of the grave to take revenge?

At the thought of this, Eddard felt a chill down his spine, but this was unlikely.

Opposite Eddard, Aurane Waters, with silver-gold hair flowing over his shoulders, was plucking a silver harp. Aurane Waters was the Lord of the Tides, the bastard brother of the Count of Driftmark, Monford Velaryon; he was about twenty years old.

With his silver-gold hair and gray-green eyes, from a distance, Aurane Waters looked very much like Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, but if one walked closer, the difference in appearance between Aurane Waters and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen was actually quite large; he had a double chin, and his skin was far from as refined as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen's.

Eddard could not help but wonder, could the one who struck down the antler-helmed warrior in the dream be Aurane Waters? Aurane Waters had spent years mingling in King's Landing and Robert's court, and no one had ever praised his martial prowess; even Robert, who was now severely bloated and whose combat effectiveness had declined, could easily kill an opponent like Aurane Waters.

The strongmen Tabit and Rustu were still wielding their warhammers, staging a court slaughter; to please King Robert, both strongmen wore the same style of armor as Robert, with antler helms on their heads.

Could it be that the antler warrior who died in the prophecy was one of these two? This possibility was very low; both came from across the Narrow Sea and were of slave origin; it was unlikely the Old Gods would send a warning in a dream vision for such small characters.

Renly Baratheon sat smiling next to Ser Loras, the magnificent Baratheon wearing a blue and green brocade robe; Renly's set of exquisite armor, green as a dense forest, was famous in King's Landing, and he also had an antler helm, a magnificent battle helmet adorned with red agate, sapphires, black gold, and cat's eyes.

Stannis Baratheon sat opposite Renly with a gloomy face; every court banquet, the plainly dressed Stannis always seemed out of place with the luxurious feast. Eddard had seen Stannis's armor; the plate armor was practical and unadorned, and the helmet was also an antler helm, but without any decoration.

If the dream prophecy came true, it could be any one of Renly, Robert, or Stannis who died; Eddard's head was about to explode. Damned prophecy, if there was no clear target, what use was a prophecy?

The Redwyne twins, Hobber Redwyne and Horas Redwyne, were fawning over Princess Myrcella Baratheon. This pair of twin brothers both wore magnificent brocade coats, with the grape cluster sigil of Redwyne House pieced together on their clothes using purple gems and black gold.

The magnificent clothing could not hide the mediocre appearance of the Redwyne twins; both had square faces covered in freckles and fluffy orange hair. The servants of the Red Keep had given them nicknames: "Slobbering Ser" Horas and "Horror Ser" Hobber.

Before Eddard arrived in King's Landing, the twins of Redwyne House were already at Robert Baratheon's court. During the Wolf King Festival, Lord Paxter Redwyne rushed to King's Landing to attend the Wolf King Festival, and after he returned to the Arbor, his twin sons remained at court.

It seems Paxter Redwyne hoped his sons could secure a place at Robert Baratheon's court, but unfortunately, he tried a bit too hard; few nobles would place all their heirs in a storm center like King's Landing at the same time.

The situation in King's Landing has become increasingly delicate recently, and it is estimated that Paxter Redwyne will regret this; their children are very likely to die in King's Landing, or otherwise be reduced to hostages.

The Redwyne House of the Arbor is among the wealthiest in the entire Seven Kingdoms, and the Arbor's golden wine is world-famous. The Redwyne Fleet is even the most powerful fleet in the Reach; within the scope of the Seven Kingdoms, only the Iron Fleet of the Iron Islands, King's Landing, and the Royal Fleet of Dragonstone can contend with it.

The mother of the Redwyne twins is Mina Tyrell, the sister of Duke Mace of Highgarden.

The Redwyne twins are clearly hostages of great utility and allies worth winning over. Eddard saw Princess Myrcella constantly casting gentle smiles toward the Redwyne twins; could this also be Cersei's arrangement, using the beautiful Princess Myrcella to hook the Redwyne twins?

Perhaps Eddard could find a way to approach the Redwyne children, as Sansa is equally charming. It is a pity that Cersei has long had her eyes on these two sweet and sour grapes of Redwyne House; the direwolf is once again going to snatch food from the lion.

Subsequently, Tabit and Rustu removed their helmets and took off their armor, and Lancel Lannister and Tygett Lannister took the warhammers, carrying them away with great effort.

Tabit is a Summer Islander, with skin like coal. Rustu has long black hair and a thick beard, with a fire tattoo on his neck. The fire tattoo is a common tattoo for slaves of the temple of R'hllor on the continent of Essos, which proves that Rustu may have been a fire slave.

The two strongmen began to wrestle, and Renly Baratheon, Robert Baratheon, Lady Margaery, and Cersei all let out bursts of cheers and laughter. Robert Baratheon also entered the ring to wrestle with the strongmen; with a single exertion of force from the King, both Tabit and Rustu fell to the ground in an exaggerated manner, fawning to the extreme.

When the court banquet ended, Robert Baratheon was already dead drunk and was carried in by the two strongmen, while Kingsguard Boros Blount and Meryn Trant followed beside the massive strongmen, appearing tiny.

Eddard walked out of the hall and met Littlefinger, whose clothes were embroidered with plum-colored mockingbirds.

"Littlefinger, did you not attend the court banquet?"

Littlefinger gave Eddard a mocking smile, "Someone has to serve the country! I have a massive amount of ledgers and taxes that need to be processed, unlike the Wolf Prince, who has such refined interests."

Littlefinger strode toward the courtyard of the Master of Coin, and Eddard's gaze lingered on the mockingbird on Littlefinger's clothes.

The ancestors of Lord Petyr Baelish came from Braavos, and it was not until his grandfather's generation that they came to The Vale to serve House Corbray, being enfeoffed as a knight due to merit; his grandfather was a landed knight, and it was not until the generation of Littlefinger's father that they became a landed knight on the smallest peninsula of the Five Fingers.

The sigil of House Baelish is the head of the Titan of Braavos with fire spitting from its eyes; after arriving in King's Landing, Littlefinger designed a mockingbird sigil for himself, and since Littlefinger's family currently consists only of him, his personal sigil is the family sigil.

A flock of mockingbirds besieged an eagle, and the eagle died miserably. A terrifying vision appeared in Eddard's mind; the crescent falcon is the symbol of House Arryn, could it be that Jon Arryn is ultimately to die at the hands of Littlefinger?

Or perhaps, is the mockingbird hinting at the eunuch Varys? Varys always loves to brag about his little birds; the mockingbird is a deceptive animal, and the information Varys sends is half-true and half-false, making it difficult to fathom.

Gendry was covered in sweat as he ran all the way up Rhaenys Hill, where Lemon, the Lightning Lord, and the Red Priest Thoros of Myr blocked him.

The Lightning Lord said, "Kid, the Wolf King has ordered that no one is allowed to go up the mountain without permission."

Gendry said, "My lord, I have come to seek help from the Wolf King; the Gold Cloaks are catching me."

The Red Priest Thoros of Myr stared at Gendry, "I remember now, a few days ago, I accompanied the Wolf King to see this kid; this is the King's bastard."

Gendry was brought up the mountain by the Winter Wolves to the newly cleared training ground in front of the Dragonpit, where the Winter Wolves were drilling and soldiers stood ready on the arrow towers.

Arya rode the direwolf Nymeria to Gendry's front, and Gendry was greatly startled, "Such a big wolf?"

"This is a direwolf." Arya flipped off the wolf, "Nymeria hasn't even grown up yet!"

Hot Pie and Lommy Greenhands both looked at Gendry with curiosity.

Eddard returned to Rhaenys Hill, and Gendry was brought before him.

"Wolf Prince, why do the Gold Cloaks want to catch me? I heard that they caught Tobho Mott."

Eddard felt that there was no need to tell Gendry about his parentage for the time being, and Eddard said, "Do the Gold Cloaks need a reason to catch people? Your master is a good man, but too stubborn. If he had let you come with me back then, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened. Rest assured, you are absolutely safe in my Winter Wolves."

"You kid have a sturdy body and are material for a soldier; from now on you are one of my Winter Wolves, and you can also help Stark forge iron."

The next day, Eddard arrived at the Throne Room of the Red Keep, where a group of people were waiting to petition the King.

King Robert Baratheon rarely attended court, and generally, Jon Arryn sat on the Iron Throne. When the King is absent, the Hand of the King must act for the King, sit on the Iron Throne, and handle various petitions and disputes.

However, today, Jon Arryn had official business to attend to, and the task of handling petitions fell to Eddard.

Eddard noticed that there were many blacksmiths and weapon masters in the crowd. After Eddard finished handling some disputes in Flour Street, Mud Gate, and Flea Bottom, several blacksmiths stood out.

Weapon Master Rosalind, wearing a heavy gold chain around his neck and a gorgeous brocade coat, said, "Wolf Prince, the Gold Cloaks arrested the weapon master of the Blacksmiths' Guild, Tobho Mott, and threw him into the dungeon without any justifiable reason. Tobho Mott is a good man! He has forged armor and weapons for the Knight of Flowers, Renly Baratheon, and King Robert Baratheon."

The blacksmith nicknamed Iron Belly said, "At the Wolf King Festival, Tobho Mott contributed armor for many famous knights; he has always been conscientious and served the people of King's Landing, the nobles, and the royal family. The hundreds of blacksmiths of the Blacksmiths' Guild request the release of Tobho Mott."

A group of blacksmiths waved their thick arms and roared, "Release Tobho Mott!"

"Release the innocent weapon master!"

Archbishop Lucan walked out of the crowd; he was the son of Lord Walder and had a face like a weasel.

"Lord Eddard, Tobho Mott is one of the long-term patrons of Baelor's Sept; one of the incarnations of the Seven is the Smith, therefore, the High Septon and members of the Church hope to release Tobho Mott."

Both Iron Street and Baelor's Sept are on Visenya's Hill; as one of the wealthiest guilds of craftsmen, the Blacksmiths' Guild has always had a close relationship with the High Septon and the Church.

As one of the few weapon masters in the continent of Westeros who has mastered the forging technology of Valyrian Steel, Tobho Mott has a high status in the Blacksmiths' Guild and also has friends in the Church; therefore, his unfortunate arrest immediately drew support from his peers and the Church.

It seems Cersei did not bribe people from the Church and the Blacksmiths' Guild for the matter of disposing of Tobho Mott; thinking about it, that is correct, Cersei tried to send Gold Cloaks to catch Robert Baratheon's bastard, and Tobho Mott was arrested and imprisoned for protecting Robert Baratheon's bastard; Cersei would not dare to do such a thing with great fanfare and flagrancy.

Eddard sat on the Iron Throne, and he raised his tone.

"Gentlemen blacksmiths, and Archbishop Lucan, I have heard all of your petitions; I will immediately release Tobho Mott and at the same time hold those Gold Cloaks who arrest people indiscriminately accountable."

In the dungeon, Eddard met Tobho Mott, who had suffered some minor injuries, but fortunately, they were not serious.

Tobho Mott said, "Where is Gendry?"

Eddard said, "Gendry has joined the Winter Wolves, and he is very safe. Master Tobho Mott, you are very popular; your peers in the Blacksmiths' Guild and people from the Church have all pleaded for you, but unfortunately, you have set yourself against the Lannisters, and they will not let you go. If you continue to stay in King's Landing, conspiracy and assassination will always be waiting for you."

Tobho Mott said in distress, "What should I do?"

Eddard said, "My men went to your shop and have already taken your family and valuables to the merchant ship Steel Rose; this is a ship from the North. Your apprentices and the blacksmiths under you, more than thirty people, are all willing to go with you. When this ship heads north, it will stop at Gulltown and the Three Sisters; once you leave King's Landing, you can go anywhere."

Tobho Mott said, "Wolf Prince, you saved me, and I am willing to serve Stark. I want to go to Winterfell."

In Winterfell, Robb sat in the study. In the days when Eddard was away, he became the Castellan of Winterfell.

Grey Wind squatted to one side, and Robb said to Jon Snow at his side, "Father has been reminding us about the defense of the West Coast Wolf Castle. Recently, Helen Pyke has been training the navy at Sea Dragon Point. The Acting Castellans of Dawn Watch, Warhorse City, and Stony City are not good at naval warfare. Jon, you go to these Wolf Castles to inspect them and urge them to reinforce the defensive works."

Jon Snow said, "I want to take Ygritte with me; she has never seen the sea."

Jon Snow left with Ghost, and Theon at the side looked unhappy.

Theon said, "Jon is also a landlubber; I am a natural Ironborn, you should let me go to the Wolf Castle at Salt Spear, and I can train the navy."

Robb showed a troubled look, "Theon, you are needed here."

Theon said excitedly, "Why is it that people like Desmond, Shad, and Jacks can all become Acting Castellans of Wolf Castles, but I cannot? They are all from the ranks of common soldiers in Winterfell. I am stronger than any of them, and I should rightfully manage a Wolf Castle. Is it because of my bloodline that I am naturally not trusted?"

Robb was a little angry, "No one is questioning your bloodline. If you go to places like Dawn Watch, Warhorse City, or Stony City, and happen to sleep with the miller's wife again, causing public outrage, what then?"

Theon said angrily, "The miller's wife seduced me; I am not a eunuch, do you expect me to refuse her? Jon also sleeps with Ygritte, why don't you mention that?"

Robb seemed to have put on his Duke mask, using the tone of Lord Robb, "Ygritte is not married. Theon, when you mess around outside, you shame the Starks. Also, I forbid you from bringing whores back to Winterfell."

Theon had always had an affair with the wife of a miller in a village near Winterfell; the miller's wife's son was the same age as Bran and Rickon, and she was a plump young woman.

That day, Theon was kissing the miller's wife in the mill when the miller rushed in; he beat Theon, and Theon backhanded the miller to the ground. The next day, the miller brought his relatives to Winterfell to complain to Robb. For this, Robb and Roderick scolded Theon and made Theon pay the miller a sum of money.

This matter had always made Theon feel very frustrated. In the Iron Islands, it is only natural for a man to possess a salt wife; in Winterfell, sleeping with a miller's wife and bringing a whore back to Winterfell leads to being pointed at.

This brat Robb actually imitated Eddard's tone, "I forbid you" this and that. The she-wolves of House Stark have birthed so many little wolves, yet they won't give me one, even the bastard Jon has a share. They don't even allow me to feed the dragons! Even that fat fool Sam can feed dragons, yet I have stayed in Winterfell for ten years and am still not as trusted as a pig-headed Knight.

After all, this is not my castle, not my people. Theon began to miss the Iron Islands and Pyke.

Longships, the sea, and conquest are the life of the Ironborn.

At night, Eddard returned to the Wolf King's courtyard on Rhaenys Hill, and Jory Cassel hurried up to meet him.

"Wolf Prince, two Silent Sisters seek an audience."

Eddard frowned, "Silent Sisters? They cannot speak, what do they want with me?"

Jory Cassel gave Eddard a wink, "In any case, they came from the abandoned Alchemists' Guild, using the underground passage; this way, the Spider and the little birds cannot find them."

The visitors feared the surveillance of the Spider, which is why they deliberately took the underground passage.

The Alchemists' Guild, located at the foot of Visenya's Hill, is now deserted because Eddard not only emptied the wildfire from the underground passages but also sent all the alchemists to Winterfell. However, the underground passage from the Alchemists' Guild basement to the Dragonpit basement still exists.

Eddard met the two Silent Sisters in the basement of the Dragonpit; both were dressed in gray robes and covered their faces with hoods, revealing only their eyes.

The torches flickered, and when the two Silent Sisters lowered their hoods, Eddard's eyes widened; it was Stannis and Jon Arryn.

Eddard said in surprise, "So it is you."

Jon Arryn said, "Eddard, the things we discuss today, once leaked, could easily be classified as treason, which is why we took the underground passage to visit you."

Stannis handed over two letters, "A few days ago, Prime Minister Jon Arryn and I both received these two anonymous letters. The letters claim that Robert Baratheon and Cersei's three children, Joffrey Baratheon, Myrcella Baratheon, and Tommen Baratheon, are all bastards born of Cersei's affair with Jaime. The informant claims that Robert has a bastard daughter in a brothel and a bastard son on Iron Street."

So Jon Arryn had been busy investigating the bastards these past few days; no wonder he was absent from the petitioning in the Throne Room. Eddard couldn't help but wonder who had sent the anonymous letters; it must be either Varys or Littlefinger.

Jon Arryn said, "The informant even provided a copy of Grand Maester Malleon's 'The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms'. Lord Stannis and I have verified it; the children born of the marriage between Baratheon and Lannister are all black-haired. Stannis and I were both shocked. When we went to the brothel to find Bella, we discovered you had already taken her away."

Stannis's jaw tightened, his face full of anger, "Wolf Prince, you took Robert's bastard; it is obvious you knew long ago that Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are Lannister bastards, not Robert's children. You are not my friend, but I always thought you were loyal to Robert. Why did you deliberately hide such a major matter as Robert's children being bastards?"

Eddard said, "Because this matter is of great importance, I do not have the certainty of victory, so I will not act rashly. You two also understand the risks involved, otherwise you wouldn't have disguised yourselves as Silent Sisters, trembling with fear in the middle of the night to visit me through the underground passage."

Jon Arryn said, "Eddard, you, I, and Stannis joining forces are enough to topple the Lannisters. I have already sent Lysa Arryn and Robert back to the Eyrie."

Stannis tucked his hands under his armpits, "I may not participate."

Eddard was surprised, "Lord Stannis, Robert and Cersei's children are all bastards. In the future, if Robert has no legitimate heirs, the Iron Throne should belong to you. Why are you in such a hurry to withdraw?"

Stannis shrugged, "This old man's plan is too crazy; it will get us all killed. He actually wants to seek the support of the Gold Cloaks, capture Cersei and her children, then convene a Great Council to declare these children bastards, strip them of their right to inherit the Iron Throne, and then magnanimously pardon the Lannisters and exile Cersei and her children."

"Unless Tywin dies of diarrhea on the toilet, how could Duke Tywin sit by and watch his daughter and grandsons be judged by the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms?"

Jon Arryn said, "Only this way is the most fair and reasonable, the most honorable. If Duke Tywin dares to raise an army to resist, Robert will crush the Lannisters just as he crushed Rhaegar back then."

Jon Arryn always carried the shackles of honor, which made him appear timid and indecisive when handling matters.

Eddard said, "Your method is very likely to get Robert killed. Many in the court are Lannister men. From the Kingsguard and squires to the Gold Cloaks, how many are loyal to Robert?"

Stannis snorted, "Eddard, it's good that you still have some sense. According to my plan, take the Royal Fleet and the Winter Wolves to attack the Red Keep. After capturing the Lannisters, execute them all and hang them on the walls of the Red Keep. This way, the threat will be resolved once and for all."

Jon Arryn shook his head stubbornly, "In that case, we would all become traitors. People would say we slaughtered the Lannisters for power. Besides, what honor is there in executing children like Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella?"

Eddard held the anonymous letter, "Robert's marriage to the Lannisters was a product of political compromise. The one we should really be wary of is the person who sent us the anonymous letter. This person is clearly someone in the Small Council; his goal is to throw King's Landing and the Seven Kingdoms into chaos to profit from it."

Stannis said gloomily, "You want me to compromise with the Lannisters? That is impossible. I will fight the Lannisters to the end in my own way."

Eddard explained patiently, "I do not mean to compromise with the Lannisters; I mean that we should wait until we have a sure victory before taking the initiative. The Mountain stayed in King's Landing with hundreds of soldiers. My men have confirmed that Tywin has left troops ranging from a few hundred in Stokeworth, Harrenhal, and Rosby near King's Landing."

"Commander of the City Watch Janos Slynt has long been bought off by the Lannisters. Now King's Landing has a population of over four hundred thousand and tens of thousands of transients; no one knows how many people the Lannisters have hidden here. Acting rashly might implicate Robert and cost him his life, and we would have to be buried with him."

Stannis said dejectedly, "Robert is doomed; a Red Priestess from Asshai saw it in the flames. None of us can save him; there are no lies in the holy fire."

Melisandre? Eddard said, "Is this Red Priestess of yours in King's Landing? I would like to meet her."

Stannis said, "She is on Dragonstone. Her predictions are very accurate. Before you came to King's Landing, she predicted you would be the champion of the Wolf King's Tourney. She also predicted that pirates from the Stepstones would harass the Dragonstone and Driftmark regions, so I sent the Royal Fleet to defend Dragonstone in advance."

Jon Arryn said gloomily, "Red Priestesses and sorcerers occasionally get one or two things right, but it's just luck. How can you believe them? You should have kept the Royal Fleet in King's Landing to deal with the Lannisters."

Stannis gritted his teeth, "King Robert does not love me. If, as Master of Ships and Duke of Dragonstone, my own territory were attacked by pirates, believe me, King Robert would casually appoint Moon Boy as Master of Ships and kick me off the Small Council."

Eddard said, "Pirate attacks are merely a minor ailment; the Lannisters are the true heart-disease. You should immediately summon your Dragonstone vassals and have Renly Baratheon summon his Stormlands vassals. We can control King's Landing in one fell swoop. By then, Cersei, Jaime, the Imp, and those children will be at our mercy. As long as you and Renly cooperate..."

Stannis lifted his chin, "I will never cooperate with Renly! By right, Storm's End should belong to me, but Robert gave me Dragonstone instead. This is simply unfair! During Robert Baratheon's rebellion, it was I who held off the Reach's army at Storm's End, I who captured Dragonstone, and when Balon rebelled, I who crushed the Iron Fleet..."

"Looking at the Seven Kingdoms, besides you, Wolf King Eddard, whose military record can surpass mine? Why should I seek to cooperate with Renly? Besides playing with words at court banquets and being knocked off his horse by experts at the Tourney, what else can he do?"

Eddard was truly impressed by these brothers of House Baratheon. He said slowly, "Lord Stannis, if you refuse to cooperate with Renly and refuse to summon your Dragonstone vassals, we are very likely to end up on the losing side of the court struggle."

Stannis said stubbornly, "Delaying will only lead to failure. Listen, Wolf Prince, you take your Winter Wolves, plus Jon Arryn's Prime Minister's guard, and we will have enough to capture the Red Keep. There are over two thousand Gold Cloaks in King's Landing, scattered across seven gates and patrolling the streets; the number of Gold Cloaks in the Red Keep is only a few hundred, and the Lannisters' Red Cloaks are even fewer."

"As long as we bribe the gate guards, a clean strike will wipe out the Lannisters in King's Landing and rescue my brother Robert from the lion's mouth. We must not forgive the Lannisters."

Jon Arryn frowned, "Killing from Rhaenys Hill to Aegon's High Hill—unless everyone in King's Landing is asleep, the Red Keep will surely receive word and close the gates to resist. That castle is very hard to breach. Don't forget, even if we capture the Red Keep, there is still Maegor's Holdfast. We will be seen as rebels."

Stannis sighed, "Fighting for justice, why fear being labeled a rebel? Jon Arryn, you are old, and your courage has left you. Where is the courage you had when you raised the banner for Robert and Eddard to resist the Mad King Aerys? Being timid will surely lead to failure. Fortunately, it is not too late for me to withdraw now."

Stannis put on the Silent Sister's hood and disappeared into the dark underground passage, heading toward Visenya's Hill.

Jon Arryn said helplessly, "With Stannis withdrawing, our chances of winning are even lower. I should have noticed sooner that Robert's children were bastards; the children all have golden hair, the Lannister gold... Alas! It is all my dereliction of duty."

Eddard thought for a moment, "Lord Jon, Stannis only withdrew temporarily because of a disagreement; he would never turn to the Lannisters. How about this: let's temporarily abandon King's Landing."

Jon Arryn said in surprise, "Abandon King's Landing? Do you mean to leave Robert in King's Landing to face the Lannisters alone?"

Eddard said, "I mean, find a way to have Robert leave King's Landing with us. I am currently hatching a Dragon Egg; there are no Weirwoods here in the Dragonpit, but the Isle of Faces has a thousand Weirwoods. We can invite Robert to go to the Isle of Faces with us. After leaving King's Landing, we will head directly to Harrenhal."

"Harrenhal is located in the Riverlands, the territory of my father-in-law, Lord Hoster, and it is also very close to the Vale. It is the most magnificent castle in all of Westeros. Once we arrive there, we will tell Robert that Cersei had an affair with Jaime and that the children are all bastards. If Robert doesn't believe it, he can summon Cersei to Harrenhal. At this time, the Lannisters will likely occupy King's Landing and openly rebel. As long as Robert is alive, no one will support the Lannisters."

"By then, Robert and I will hold Harrenhal, and you will return to the Vale to summon the Canyon Knights. The Riverlands army will block the Westerlands Army, and my Northern Army will march south along the Kingsroad. Stannis will lead the Narrow Sea lords to blockade the sea routes. If Renly escapes King's Landing, he will assemble an army in the Stormlands to attack King's Landing, and the Lannisters will soon collapse."

Jon Arryn's eyes lit up, "Eddard, this plan of yours is simply perfect. I can go back now."

Eddard said, "It is too dangerous for you to return to the Red Keep. Stay in the Dragonpit! Rhaenys Hill is full of my Winter Wolves."

Jon Arryn said, "If I stay on Rhaenys Hill, the Lannisters will surely grow suspicious. I must go back."

Eddard said, "Walking from here to Visenya's Hill is too far for an old man of over eighty like you. I will send you there."

Thus, Eddard and Jon Arryn followed the underground passage of Silent Sisters Street, walking all the way from beneath the Dragonpit to beneath the Alchemists' Guild, and upon reaching the exit, Eddard said, "Is there someone waiting to meet you above?"

Jon Arryn said, "Yes, my squire Hugh; he has become a Knight now. During the Wolf King's Tourney, Robert personally dubbed the boy a Knight."

Eddard felt suspicious, "Is Ser Hugh trustworthy?"

Jon Arryn said, "Of course, he is from The Vale and came to King's Landing with me; I was the one who promoted him."

Just like you promoted Littlefinger, Eddard could only hope Ser Hugh would not betray them.

In the Maidenvault of the Red Keep, Cersei finished reading the intelligence sent by her informant and trembled with rage.

"This group of Braavos Troupe actors is simply lawless."

Tyrion sipped some Plum Wine, "Sister, don't be so sensitive; it's just a play, the story of the lioness and the stag."

In Cersei's emerald eyes, anger flickered.

"It is clearly targeting me! That lioness has three little lions, which is a veiled insult to me. They actually say the lioness committed adultery with a lion to try and steal the stag's kingdom; isn't this slandering me?"

Which part of this play wasn't true? Where was the slander? It seems my sister is guilty and trying to act innocent; with Cersei's acting skills, she should be the one who is an actress.

Tyrion had gone to see the play himself, and only halfway through, he concluded that the lioness was Cersei, the lion was Jaime, and the stag was King Robert.

After watching it, the common folk all began to whisper; this was spreading the Lannister scandal widely among the streets of King's Landing! Tyrion began to wonder which of them—Varys, Littlefinger, or Eddard—had come up with such a play targeting the Lannisters.

Cersei said hatefully, "I want to execute these Braavos actors! They must have been hired by Eddard; I heard that the guards around Eddard are Braavosi, and the financial advisor of Winterfell is also Braavosi."

Jaime said indifferently, "No need. Someone definitely wanted to disgust the Lannisters and hired these actors to perform such a play. Everyone will forget it after watching; who will remember?"

Cersei clenched her fists, "This matter concerns Joffrey Baratheon's right of succession and the reputation of the Lannisters. I will never back down; I should have gotten rid of Robert long ago, and Eddard and Jon Arryn—they all must die!"

Tyrion said, "Don't be used as a pawn by others. I suspect this is the handiwork of Varys or Littlefinger; these two conspirators have always feared that the world would be at peace."

Cersei said contemptuously, "Varys is a eunuch, and Littlefinger's lands are not even as big as a dog kennel in the Red Keep; they pose no threat."

Tyrion said, "That is why they are brewing conspiracies between the lions and the direwolves; once we are both battered and exhausted, these small characters will start reaping the benefits."

Cersei suppressed her anger, "Must I endure these slanders? Eddard has found Robert's bastard; what is he trying to do? He will definitely take the opportunity to slander the bloodlines of Joffrey Baratheon, Tommen Baratheon, and Myrcella Baratheon."

Tyrion revealed a terrifying smile, "The innocent are self-evident; why should a lion fear rumors and gossip?"

After Tyrion left, Cersei said with disgust, "I will not be misled by the Imp; I must take the initiative and kill every enemy."

At the harbor, Eddard watched as over a dozen ships of the Royal Fleet sailed toward Dragonstone; only a few ships remained in the harbor.

Stannis had left; he had resigned from Robert under the pretext of suppressing pirates in the Stepstones, and Robert had readily agreed. Although Cersei was displeased, she did not voice any opposition; after all, keeping Stannis in King's Landing was even more disadvantageous to the Lannisters.

Commanding the last warship was none other than the famous Onion Knight, Davos Seaworth.

Ser Davos Seaworth had an ordinary appearance, was thin, and possessed a thick gray beard. His left hand, except for the thumb, had the first joints of his fingers cut off; this was the punishment personally inflicted by Stannis on the smuggler back then.

During the Siege of Storm's End back then, Stannis held Storm's End with a small force, facing a blockade by the army of The Reach on both land and sea. The defenders of Storm's End starved to death in large numbers, falling to the point of cannibalism. Fortunately, Davos Seaworth rowed a small boat, bypassed the blockade of the Redwyne Fleet, and delivered onions and supplies, allowing Storm's End to finally hold out until the day Eddard lifted the siege.

Davos's attire was as simple as the Stannis he served; the pouch on his chest contained the finger joints he had lost, which were his lucky charms. Eddard stopped him at the pier.

"I heard that a red woman has come to Dragonstone?"

The Onion Knight nodded, "Melisandre of Asshai; I do not like that woman."

"When will Stannis return?"

Davos lowered his voice, "Wolf Prince, I believe Lord Stannis will not be returning for the time being. King's Landing is full of terrible rumors; surely you have heard them too—people are saying that Queen Cersei's children are bastards."

Such remarks were circulating in temples, brothels, canteens, taverns, and markets. Eddard did not doubt for a moment that someone was deliberately spreading them, even though it was the truth.

Davos looked at King's Landing, "I was born and raised in Flea Bottom; I hope King's Landing remains safe, but I feel that this city is about to be drenched in blood."

Eddard was curious, "How do you know?"

Davos said, "Because I am a smuggler, from Flea Bottom, a sewer rat. When a ship is about to sink, the first to know are not the captain or the first mate, but the rats in the hold."

Eddard watched Davos's ship depart and returned to the Mud Gate with Shield Dawson and Syrio Forel.

Walking on the street, a beggar blocked their path. The beggar was covered in sweat, had a thick beard and long hair, and a sturdy build.

"Lord Eddard, may we step aside to speak?"

Eddard recognized the voice, "It's you?"

The eunuch Varys appeared before Eddard dressed as a beggar. Eddard had no choice but to let his guards stand watch to the side and followed Varys into a room in a dark courtyard.

Varys said, "Wolf Prince, I know that you, Lord Jon Arryn, and Lord Stannis had a friendly exchange at the Dragonpit. Now that Lord Stannis has left, you have lost an important ally."

Eddard said coldly, "Lord Jon and Lord Stannis disguised themselves as Silent Sisters, yet they still couldn't escape your surveillance. Lord Varys, do you truly possess sorcery?"

Varys giggled, "Wolf Prince, I take the King's money, so I am here to monitor all the lords. However, in King's Landing, I am the only one who wholeheartedly desires peace. I swear by the manhood I lost that I am truly doing this for the sake of this country."

You are doing it for your own interests; Eddard understood that Varys was secretly supporting the Targaryen, though as for whether it was a True Dragon or Young Griff, Eddard could not be sure.

Varys claimed to be a slave from Myr, but no one knew if he was lying about that. It was truly a decline that the Seven Kingdoms allowed someone of unknown origin to be in charge of intelligence.

Eddard leaned forward, "Then, loyal and patriotic Lord Varys, what exactly is your advice?"

Varys said, "Regardless of what plan you and Lord Jon Arryn have reached, I suggest you stop immediately. These past few days, rumors have been spreading everywhere in King's Landing that Queen Cersei's children are bastards."

"Do not doubt it; these are all the handiwork of Littlefinger. He has always believed that chaos is a ladder and has been painstakingly sowing suspicion and distrust between the lions, the direwolves, and the stags, fanning the flames everywhere. If you take action against the Lannisters, you will fall right into Littlefinger's trap; the Seven Kingdoms will fall into war, and countless commoners will die in this game of thrones."

Eddard said, "But the Lannisters might kill King Robert at any moment."

Varys reached out and touched Eddard's wrist, "Lord Eddard, if you take action against the Lannisters, Robert will die even faster. Back then, Robert could have carried out sweeping reforms, but the rebel army chose compromise. Thus, I, Ser Barristan, and the Kingslayer could all continue to serve the King; the royalists who had become rebels in various places reduced their fiefs, knelt in allegiance, and the mountains and rivers remained the same."

"When Jon Arryn forced Robert to marry Cersei, this result was destined, because the Lannisters are greedy. The golden lion is devouring poor Robert at every moment; do you think the millions of Gold Dragons Duke Tywin lent out were white flowers?"

"You have no chance of winning. Tywin has arranged hundreds of people disguised as Silent Sisters on Visenya's Hill, the Imp has recruited hundreds of mercenaries in Flea Bottom, and the number of mercenaries Cersei has hidden is even greater, though their loyalty is questionable. In the Crownlands, in Stokeworth, Sow's Horn, and Rosby, there are also many soldiers Duke Tywin arranged in advance."

"The Mountain, who lives in Duke Tywin's residence in King's Landing—his men look like only a few hundred, but in reality, there are more. The captains of the major gates of King's Landing are all Lannister men, including the upright 'Ironhand', the Captain of the Mud Gate, Ser Jaremy Mallister. My little birds are mixed in among the commoners of King's Landing, and I can tell you that the Lannisters have many mercenaries mixed in among the people."

"Even as we speak, the mercenary groups from across the Narrow Sea, the Brave Companions and the Mummers, have already set sail with their fleets, leaving the waters of Stannis's territory and heading north; they were all hired by the Lannisters with heavy gold. Are they going to Gulltown or White Harbor? No one knows. Duke Tywin spent gold to hire mercenaries, proving he had long been prepared for war."

Eddard pondered for a long time, "You mean that Stannis taking the Royal Fleet was to guard against mercenary groups, not pirates?"

Varys shrugged, "The only thing I am certain of is that pirates and mercenaries all love gold, and the Lannisters are the least lacking in gold. Without a doubt, Duke Tywin foresaw that the Royal Fleet controlled by Stannis was a huge threat to the Lannisters. The Stepstones are the least lacking in pirates, so Duke Tywin tried every means to spend money to make the pirates of the Stepstones attack, temporarily luring the Royal Fleet away, and Stannis indeed took the bait."

Thanks to Dote MR Little Rocket Forever Happy, 20200430095403506, Maple Leaf Red as Fire, Submissive, Ignorant Young Man, Lin'an Farmer, Dark Wolf Lone King, Truant Bear Child, Dr. A Ryker, Thousand Rocks Ten Thousand Turns Profound Phase Born, $Red Demon Wolf$, Slow-moving Swim, Physical Persuasion, Sword Art Online Little Army, Zhanlu Radiance, Agenor, Ah Feng I Am, 20220803091833778, God Heaven Bright, Cloud Manifests in the Forest, for the monthly tickets sent; thank you for your support!

(End of this chapter)