Chapter 190: The Advancement of the Wolf King, Turmoil in the Vale, and the Night Raid

About three hundred years ago, the "Conqueror" Aegon rode the great dragon "Black Dread" Balerion and used fire to burn Harrenhal. At that time, "Blackheart" Harren, who ruled the Riverlands and the Iron Islands, and his descendants were the ones who, inside this very tower, were tragically swallowed by dragonfire and burned to death. The "Kingspyre Tower" was named for this.

Today, under the protection of the Old Gods, Eddard used a Weirwood Dagger and the dragonfire of the magic dragon and direwolf in the dead of night to burn to death the shadow assassin birthed by the red priestess Melisandre.

Three hundred years ago, those of True Dragon blood could command magic dragons to burn the majestic Harrenhal; three hundred years later, Stannis, who flows with the thin blood of a Dragonlord, can only rely on the shadow assassin of the red priestess Melisandre to carry out assassinations.

Today, among the three kings claiming the throne in Westeros, Stannis remains the one with the weakest power. Although he has just occupied Duskendale, Rook's Rest, and Claw Isle, his kingdom consists only of Massey's Hook, Dragonstone, Crab Isle, Driftmark, and other islands, plus the better part of the Crownlands.

Melisandre's shadow assassin possesses king's blood; Stannis must have been aware of this assassination attempt by Melisandre. Without a doubt, Stannis's actions constitute backstabbing an ally. If Eddard were willing, he could easily march from Harrenhal to attack Stannis, who has just occupied the Crownlands.

Today, Eddard is at Harrenhal with a Northern Army of twenty thousand, plus over six thousand troops recruited in the Riverlands and over two thousand warriors from the Mountain Clans; Eddard's military strength far exceeds that of Stannis.

However, Stannis is a brave and battle-hardened commander; it is not easy to chew through this tough bone. Once war is waged against Stannis, the Lannisters will profit from it.

Most crucially, this would delay Eddard's annexation of the Vale of Arryn.

The current Vale of Arryn is headed by the widow Lysa and the little brat, Lord Robin Arryn; Lysa is Littlefinger's puppet, left to be manipulated by him.

Littlefinger assassinated Jon Arryn in King's Landing; as Littlefinger's mistress, Lysa naturally cannot shirk the blame. Eddard has already written to his allies in the Vale to inform them of Littlefinger's illicit affair with Lysa and the assassination of Jon Arryn. Lord "Bronze" Yohn of Runestone has already begun to summon allies and gather a great army to march on Lysa at the Eyrie and hold her to account.

A storm is brewing in the Vale; the Vale of Arryn is like a ripe apple waiting to be picked. Eddard's army at Harrenhal is ready at any moment to pacify the Vale and ensure the Vale of Arryn follows the Direwolf.

By comparison, all of Stannis's territories combined are not as attractive as the Vale of Arryn.

The Vale of Arryn not only borders the North and the Riverlands and is surrounded by mountains, but the plains of the Vale are fertile, beautiful, and rich, producing corn, wheat, and pumpkins. The shipping value of Gulltown is very high, and the population of the Vale is much denser than that of the North.

Once Eddard takes the mother and son, Lysa and Robin Arryn, into his fold, the Vale will also fall into the embrace of the Direwolf. In the future, Eddard can rely on White Harbor, the Three Sisters, and Gulltown to build a new coastal economic zone.

With the Vale of Arryn and the support of the North, the Riverlands—a place every strategist must fight for—will also be firmly under Eddard's control. The Riverlands have developed fisheries, handicrafts, and agriculture, making them an important wheat-producing region of Westeros. When the time comes, Eddard can recruit Canyon Knights and Riverlands soldiers to join the Winter Wolves and build his own kingdom.

That night, having resolved the threat of the shadow assassin, Eddard lay on the bed in his bedroom in the Kingspyre Tower of Harrenhal, pillowing his head on the belly of the direwolf Night, with the magic dragon and direwolf snoring softly beside him; Eddard soon drifted into dreamland.

In his dream, Eddard once again dreamed of the Green Seer, the Three-Eyed Crow, who sat perched upon the Weirwood Throne.

Eddard said excitedly, "Green Seer, with the help of you and the Wood Dancer, I successfully evaded the hunt of the shadow assassin. The magic dragon and the Weirwood Dagger helped me kill the shadow assassin birthed by Melisandre."

The Three-Eyed Crow said, "Eddard, you have defeated the shadow assassin of the followers of the Lord of Light, R'hllor. Now your skinchanger talent is unprecedentedly powerful and you can proceed to the next stage of training. The Old Gods are deities belonging to the earth, mountains, rivers, and forests. In the future, you must sip the power of the rivers, the earth, the peaks, and the forests, and pursue the Natural Force?"

Eddard was a bit confused. "Natural Force? I don't understand what that means."

The Three-Eyed Crow explained, "The earth nurtures fruits and vegetables, the rivers nurture fish, the peaks nurture hares, pheasants, and wild boars, and the forests nurture flowers, grasses, and trees; all of these provide energy for humanity. In the future, as long as you pursue the Natural Force, you can do many things; any animal in nature, or even plants, can be used by you."

"Back then, when I was still the Bloodraven, I controlled the intelligence operations of Westeros, and people said I had 'a thousand and one eyes.' In reality, I could use trees to observe this world; the Weirwood Heart Tree is the best, but other trees can also be used."

"Trees never forget; trees are rooted in the earth. From seed to sprout to towering tree, a century-old tree can witness many things. Even if a tree dies, a part of it still lives on in the soil. Through birds and beasts like eagles, falcons, owls, direwolves, and bears, what you can see is only what is happening right before your eyes; through trees, you can see the past, the future, and travel through time and space."

Eddard was thrilled. "Can I use trees to scout the entire world?"

The Three-Eyed Crow said, "You need to try it yourself and train constantly. Remember, you are a warrior of the Old Gods, and your mission is to resist the White Walkers and end the Long Night. Once the White Walkers break through the Wall, the human hearths of Westeros will be extinguished one by one, a disaster of death will sweep across the entire world, and all civilization will wither and perish in cold and death."

"The game of thrones you are playing in the south is nothing more than the clamor of children before the Great War. Your mission is to conquer all the nobles and commoners of Westeros, to conquer people of different faiths—whether they are followers of the Lord of Light, followers of the Seven, or the Drowned God of the Iron Islands, or the strange gods of the continent of Essos—you must conquer them and unite them to face the Night King and the White Walkers, to face the servants of the Great Other."

"Both I and the Wood Dancer Shiera Seastar are too old. In the future, your magical abilities will have the chance to surpass mine and the Wood Dancer's. In ancient times, the abilities of the Green Seers and Wood Dancers were even more powerful; they could summon earthquakes and tsunamis to destroy the Arm of Dorne, and they could summon seawater to flood the land and form the Neck. Eddard, go and master the Natural Force! Only in this way can you prevail in the Battle of the Long Night, which concerns the survival of human civilization."

When Eddard woke from his dream, dawn had not yet arrived, and the entire Harrenhal was still asleep.

Eddard stroked the Weirwood Bracelet on his wrist. In an instant, he felt the Metal Power of the smiths hammering iron in the smithy, the Tree Power on the Isle of Faces, the Water Power of the Gods Eye, the fire in the kitchens of Harrenhal, the fire in the fireplaces of the Hundred Hearth Hall, the fire power of the magic dragon and direwolf, and the Soil Power of the fertile earth and quicksand for dozens of miles around.

"The power of nature and the Old Gods." Eddard sipped the Natural Force surrounding Harrenhal before dawn; he tasted the freshest river fish, tasted the dew-covered blackberries in the orchard, tasted the bloody beef in the kitchen, and even tasted the fragrance of medicinal herbs.

If this continued, Eddard would not need to eat in the future; by merely sipping the Natural Force, he could become powerful.

Eddard attempted to connect to the Weirwood Heart Tree in the godswood of Harrenhal, but he failed. Currently, Eddard controls the direwolf, the magic dragon, and the black and white bears with great ease, but controlling a great tree and gaining the tree's vision is still very foreign to him. It seems he must train slowly.

The power of magic will aid Eddard's conquest. By the light of an Incense Candle, Eddard took out a map, his gaze lingering on the Eyrie in the Vale, dreaming of the future map of his empire.

The Eyrie, composed of seven magnificent white towers, is hailed as one of the most beautiful castles in Westeros. Many Maesters believe the Eyrie is the most magnificent and splendid castle carved by the gods; even the Father above does not have such a beautiful dwelling. In all of Westeros, only the beauty of Highgarden of House Tyrell in the Reach can be mentioned in the same breath as the Eyrie.

Although this castle is small in scale and can hold at most five hundred people, the barracks, stables, and granaries are all complete, and the granary is almost as large as the one at Winterfell.

Lysa sat on the Falcon Throne carved from weirwood, wearing a black silk robe, while six-year-old Robin was nursing at Lysa's breast.

After returning to the Eyrie from King's Landing, Lysa was once happy. After all, here, she had escaped the vicious Lannisters and lived in the Eyrie, the most precipitous and impregnable castle in Westeros, surrounded by knights and guards of the Vale with sky-blue cloaks and falcon helmets; Lysa felt a sense of security.

If an external enemy wanted to breach the Eyrie, they would need to follow the mountain road and first attack the Bloody Gate, and the Bloody Gate had never been breached. Even if the enemy luckily breached the Bloody Gate, they would still have to take Moon Gate at the foot of the Giant's Lance, then pass through the narrow path and climb the mountain stairs.

During this period, the enemy would be fully exposed to the attacks of the three castles embedded in the mountains—Witch's Tower, Snowy Tower, and Long Sky Tower—and the attacking side would have to face barrages of arrows and rolling stones.

Even if the enemy left the stairs littered with corpses and captured all three castles along the way, they would arrive beneath Long Sky Tower and have to look up six hundred feet to the Eyrie, which was like a palace of the gods. It is precisely because of this that the Eyrie has never been captured by an enemy.

When the news of Jon Arryn's death reached the Eyrie, Lysa put on a black mourning dress, but her heart was blooming with joy; she had finally escaped this marriage forced upon her by her father, Lord Hoster.

Jon Arryn was twenty years older than Lysa's father, Lord Hoster. For so many years, Lysa had had enough of Jon Arryn's bad breath and his fondling, and enough of Jon Arryn's weak seed, which caused her to miscarry time and time again or give birth to stillborns.

When Lysa became a widow, the Eyrie immediately became lively. Many suitors came to the Eyrie in the name of offering condolences to accompany Lysa, but in reality, they were all courting her.

Baron Nestor Royce, Guardian of the Moon Gate, arrived at the Eyrie first. During the time Jon Arryn served as Hand of the King in King's Landing, Nestor Royce was the High Steward of the Vale.

Nestor Royce's wife had been dead for many years; he was tall and strong, bald, and had a birthmark on his face, but he was from a cadet branch of the Royces and had low status. He longed to marry Lysa to elevate his family's status.

Lysa felt Nestor Royce was as stubborn as a stone and very boring, but having suitors was always a good thing. Nestor Royce's plan was very shrewd, but after Jon Arryn died, Lysa suddenly became one of the wealthiest widows in Westeros; her dowry was the entire Vale of Arryn, so there were many suitors.

Subsequently, the Heir of Ironoaks, Morton Waynwood, Lord Eon Hunter of Longbow Hall, Ser Lyn Corbray of Heart's Home, and "Bronze" Yohn Royce of Runestone all rushed to the Eyrie to profess their love and propose to Lysa.

Morton Waynwood presented a pair of Pearl Slippers; Lord Eon Hunter was almost as old and frail as Jon Arryn and suffered from gout, so he presented Lysa with a Silver Arrow; the gift Lyn Corbray gave Lysa was a well-trained falcon; Nestor Royce presented Mole Skin Gloves; the gift Bronze Yohn presented was a lace dress from Myr.

Every woman longs to be pampered and pursued. In those days, being surrounded by a group of suitors who cared for her and inquired after her well-being was the happiest time Lysa had had in recent years.

However, when the letter sent by Eddard arrived at the Eyrie, things began to go wrong.

In the letter, Eddard hoped that Lysa would take Lord Robin Arryn to Harrenhal and hoped that Lysa would send Canyon Knights to participate in the war in the Riverlands.

When she was in King's Landing, her beloved Littlefinger had long taught her that no matter if it was Catelyn, Eddard, Lord Hoster, or Edmure Tully writing to ask for troops, Lysa should ignore the requests and keep the Vale neutral and far from the flames of war.

Eddard asked Lysa to send troops in the letter, and Lysa was not surprised at all; she knew how to respond, as her dearest Petyr had long taught her how to handle it.

What truly shocked Lysa was that Eddard actually said in the letter that rumors of an illicit affair between Lysa and Littlefinger were circulating in King's Landing and the Riverlands.

Lysa panicked instantly. For all these years, her affair with Littlefinger had been hidden from Jon Arryn; she never expected that as soon as Jon Arryn died, this matter would be leaked.

Lysa was terrified. She desperately wanted to write to her dearest Petyr, but Petyr had once warned her not to write letters to contact him privately, because the letters might fall into the hands of enemies.

Without Littlefinger's guidance, Lysa was at a loss. She simply buried her head in the sand like an ostrich; she burned the letter Eddard had sent and began to suspect that these suitors at the Eyrie knew about her affair with Littlefinger.

Already suspicious by nature, Lysa began to wonder if these suitors were attracted to the Eyrie to investigate the rumors about her and Littlefinger?

Lysa began to suspect that these suitors all thought she, Lysa, was a whore who would sleep with anyone. Consequently, Lysa began to disparage, mock, and ridicule her suitors—Bronze Yohn, Eon Hunter, Lyn Corbray, and Morton Waynwood.

Lysa mocked Lord Eon Hunter of Longbow Hall as an "old fart," mocked Bronze Yohn as "scrap metal," mocked Lyn Corbray for loving to sleep with men, mocked Morton Waynwood as a sissy, and cursed Nestor Royce as nothing more than a "watchdog" for the Moon Gate beneath the Eyrie.

These suitors, faced with the irritable Lysa, instantly lost interest in proposing and left the Eyrie one after another.

In the Eyrie, only Captain of the Guard Ser Vardis Egen, Maester Colemon, two hundred guards, and some servants remained.

The pills Eddard had given Robin in King's Landing had all been consumed, and Duke Robin Arryn's epilepsy was acting up every few days just as before; Lysa suspected the entire Vale knew of her affair with Littlefinger, making her even more gloomy.

Lysa sat upright on the weirwood throne in the Eyrie's High Hall, and after Robin finished his milk, he looked up at Lysa with those watery eyes.

"Mother, I really want a giant eagle! The kind of giant eagle the Wolf King Eddard has; with a giant eagle, I could ride on its back and fly."

Lysa stroked Robin's head, "No, my sweet Robin, giant eagles are terrifying monsters. I heard that the bastard Joffrey, who often mocks you in King's Landing, had his scalp torn open by a giant eagle. If you were riding on a giant eagle's back and fell off, what would you do?"

Maester Colemon, whose neck was long and thin like a giraffe's, walked into the hall holding a letter.

"Lady Lysa, Baron Nestor Royce, the Guardian of the Moon Gate, has sent a raven. The letter says that Bronze Yohn, the Earl of Runestone, is gathering troops at Runestone. Bronze Yohn intends to unite with the Hunter House of Longbow Hall, the Waynwood House of Ironoaks, the Redfort House of Redfort, the Belmore House of Strongsong, the Templeton House of Nine Star, and others to march on the Eyrie and demand an explanation."

Lysa was so frightened she hugged Robin's head, "Demand what explanation?"

Maester Colemon said: "Rumors are spreading everywhere in the Vale that Jon Arryn, who was deeply loved by the people of the Vale, was murdered by Littlefinger Petyr Baelish, and there are rumors about you and him, Lady, that Littlefinger and you had an improper relationship as early as Riverrun."

Lysa said excitedly: "This is slander! Petyr and I are pure."

Maester Colemon said: "Regardless, Bronze Yohn's actions are tantamount to treason. Lady Lysa, I suggest writing to the Wolf King Eddard immediately. The Wolf King Eddard is your brother-in-law. He is stationed at Harrenhal, and it is said that he has already gathered over twenty thousand of the Northern Army under his command. If Eddard's Northern Army enters the Vale, the likes of Bronze Yohn will be nothing to worry about."

Lysa shook her head, "No! Close the Bloody Gate; no outside forces are allowed to enter the Vale. Bronze Yohn was pursuing me a while ago; he must be committing treason because he couldn't have me. Are there no loyal subjects left in the Vale?"

Maester Colemon said: "The best way is to seek help from the Northern Army and the Riverlands army. If Lady Lysa does not wish to seek outside aid, you can immediately write to Bronze Yohn, demanding an explanation for his act of gathering a large army, and write to warn the nobles following Bronze Yohn that the Eyrie will never tolerate treason."

"The Royce House of Runestone is too powerful; only the Grafton House of Gulltown can rival the Royce House in the Vale. Furthermore, the Corbray House of Heart's Home is also worth winning over. Lady Lysa can write to Earl Gerold Grafton of Gulltown and Lyonel Corbray of Heart's Home to secure their support."

Lysa pondered for a long time, "The method you mentioned might be worth a try. Maester Colemon, go write the letter!" Maester Colemon left the hall.

Robin began to tremble, "Mother, is there going to be a war? Didn't you say the Eyrie is the safest place?"

Lysa said: "My sweet Robin, you don't need to worry, the Eyrie is safe; no one can break through here."

In the Westerlands, on the Ocean Road, Renly sat on a luxurious, massive rose chariot pulled by seven warhorses painted in different colors. Escorted by three thousand knights of The Reach, the rose chariot entered the camp of the Rose and Stag army.

Around the rose chariot, one hundred blooming roses were engraved with different metals and gemstones such as gold, silver, bronze, tin, sapphire, and cat's eye. On the chariot hung silver warhammers, golden battle-axes, and steel longswords, as well as dragonbone longbows, goldenheart longbows, and yew longbows.

The soldiers of The Reach, upon seeing such a magnificent rose chariot and the beloved King Renly, scrambled to cheer and shout.

This camp was located south of Crakehall and east of the Ocean Road, just two days' ride from Crakehall, the castle of the Westerlands noble Crakehall House.

Brienne stood guard by King Renly's side. Looking out, Brienne saw the crowned stag banner of House Baratheon fluttering at the highest point of the central command tent.

On shields, tents, and banners, the heraldry of the nobles of The Reach was everywhere. Brienne saw the rose emblem of the Tyrell House, the golden tree emblem of the Rowan House of Goldengrove, the green oak leaf emblem of the Oakheart House of Old Oak, the golden crane emblem of the Crane House of Red Lake, the striding hunter emblem of the Tarly House, and the green apple and red apple emblems of the Fossoway House.

The fox and flower emblem of the Florent House of Brightwater Keep was absent. Earl Alester Florent of Brightwater Keep led four thousand cavalry and infantry of the Florent House, plus troops from various parts of The Reach, totaling twenty thousand, marching toward King's Landing along the Rose Road. Before reaching King's Landing, they would rendezvous with the Stormlands army to attack King's Landing together.

In addition, the Hightower House of Oldtown and the Redwyne House of the Arbor, although supporting King Renly, had not yet sent troops to participate in the war.

Earl Leyton Hightower of the Hightower House had always liked studying magic. Ever since the Wolf King Eddard hatched dragons, Leyton Hightower had become increasingly obsessed with studying magic. It is said that Earl Leyton Hightower bought dragon eggs and stayed in the Hightower with his daughter, "Mad Maid" Malora Hightower, studying magic books in hopes of hatching dragons.

As for Earl Paxter Redwyne, because his twin sons, Hobber and Horas, were detained in King's Landing by the Lannisters and had become hostages, Earl Paxter Redwyne was worried about his sons' safety and therefore did not send troops to support Renly.

Amidst the cheers of the surrounding knights and soldiers, Renly stepped off the rose chariot and walked toward the central command tent.

It was a tent woven with gold thread, as spacious as a palace, covered with carpets from Myr, and the tables were filled with ivory cups and porcelain produced in Winterfell.

Because King Renly had been riding the rose chariot along the way, visiting manors, listening to petitions from the people, and handling some civil disputes, King Renly had been delayed for a few days. Master of War Randyll Tarly, Master of Laws Mathis Rowan, and Hand of the King Mace Tyrell had arrived two days earlier than Renly.

Renly sat on the Rose Stag Throne, "My lords, how is the war situation?"

Earl Mathis Rowan said: "The commander of the Westerlands army is Earl Roland Crakehall, the lord of Crakehall. He is very cunning. Roland Crakehall first led his cavalry to rout our vanguard, then withdrew his troops back to Crakehall. In Crakehall Forest, there are also Westerlands infantry everywhere, often coming out to harass us."

Earl Randyll Tarly said: "Your Grace, the vanguard commander you appointed, Pamm Crane, is completely incompetent. If I had commanded the vanguard, I would have taken Crakehall by now."

Renly smiled, "Earl Randyll, no need to be impatient. A mere Crakehall cannot stop us. I heard that Roland Crakehall's son, the 'Strong Pig' Lyle, was captured by the Wolf King Eddard at Harrenhal. The 'Strong Pig' Lyle is one of the strongest knights in the Westerlands; he performed brilliantly in many tourneys. With the 'Strong Pig' gone, we will surely be able to capture Crakehall."

Earl Randyll Tarly was unimpressed, "Your Grace, performing well in a tourney is two different things from being a threat on the battlefield. The 'Strong Pig' is indeed a figure in tourneys, but in my opinion, his father, Roland Crakehall, is the real formidable enemy. Roland is not one to charge into battle, but he knows how to fight."

Earl Mathis Rowan nodded in agreement, "Tywin chose Roland Crakehall to stay behind in the Westerlands to guard against the army of The Reach when he marched to the Riverlands, precisely because Roland Crakehall is shrewd, good at fighting, and experienced."

Mace Tyrell said: "Crakehall Forest has slowed the advance of the cavalry of The Reach. The Westerlands army uses this forest to constantly ambush and raid us."

Renly was distracted, "It's just a forest; it won't stump me. Let those cowards stay in the forest! Once we take Crakehall, we can penetrate deep into the heart of the Westerlands."

Earl Randyll Tarly said in a gruff voice: "Your Grace, letting the enemy stay in Crakehall Forest is highly detrimental, because the enemy could kill their way out of the forest at any time to raid our supply trains in the rear. We must clear the enemy out of Crakehall Forest."

"I have a plan. It has been hot these past few days; we can set fire to Crakehall Forest directly. Within three days, the Westerlands soldiers in the forest will have to flee in wailing agony, and if they don't come out, they will be burned alive in the forest."

Renly shook his head, "No, there are so many farmlands and villages around Crakehall Forest. If the fire gets out of control, it will harm the innocent. As King, I only eradicate the Lannisters and will not do things that harm the common people. Only in this way can I win the hearts of the people."

Mathis Rowan said dryly: "Your Grace, this is truly noble, but in doing so, our army has fallen into a passive position. Your mercy will be exploited by the Lannisters."

Randyll Tarly said: "Your Grace, our army has another huge hidden danger. None of the scouts we sent to the east to investigate have returned alive. Earl Tywin's Westerlands army is only a few days' ride from here. If Tywin leads his cavalry here, we might still be in the dark."

Renly smiled, "No need to worry. Earl Tywin is fighting the Riverlands nobles in the Riverlands. I heard that the Northern Army has already arrived in the Riverlands. To hold onto the few castles he has occupied in the Riverlands, Earl Tywin can only keep his main army in the Riverlands. He cannot possibly run here to support Crakehall."

"I have decided. I will take the cavalry of The Reach, along with our armored iron fist, and break Crakehall with the Knight of Flowers."

In King's Landing, in the Throne Room, Regent Queen Cersei sat on the Iron Throne.

Cersei had fallen in love with the Iron Throne. Due to the deteriorating security in King's Landing, all petitions and rulings in the Throne Room were canceled, and Cersei simply moved the Small Council meetings to the Throne Room.

Cersei sat alone on the high Iron Throne, while Tyrion, Grand Maester Pycelle, Master of Coin Littlefinger, Master of Whisperers Varys, Master of Ships Aurane Waters, and Master of Laws Osmund Kettleblack sat at the long table below the Iron Throne.

Hand of the King Tyrion tilted his head, "Let's begin today's agenda."

Cersei was wearing a sea-green silk gown, her expression gloomy, "Stannis only has four thousand men, yet he has captured Claw Isle, Rook's Rest, and Duskendale! Especially Duskendale! We easily lost the second largest port in the Crownlands."

Tyrion said: "Your Grace, Stannis had fewer than five thousand men before he set out, but now, it is said his strength has exceeded ten thousand. The Leygood House of Duskendale, the Stauton House of Rook's Rest, and the various nobles of Claw Isle have all sworn allegiance to Stannis."

Cersei said angrily: "I swear to take back Duskendale! I have decided to send the 'Flame' Nurus to lead the mercenaries and the City Watch on an expedition."

The 'Flame' Nurus wore the pure white plate armor of the Kingsguard. Kingsguard Captain Ser Barristan had refused to serve the Lannisters, and after he left King's Landing, Nurus filled the vacancy left by Ser Barristan.

Nurus had brute strength, but this man had a flame tattoo on his neck, was of slave origin, and spoke with a heavy Free Cities accent. Such a person could never win the love of the soldiers.

Tyrion said: "Your Grace, to be honest, it is unlikely that Nurus is a match for Stannis. Keep the mercenaries and the City Watch in King's Landing! Security in the city has deteriorated severely, and the Red Keep is not safe either."

Grand Maester Pycelle said: "If we could organize a counterattack at Stokeworth and Rosby, perhaps we could slow the advance of Stannis's army."

Varys showed a sweet smile, "Grand Maester Pycelle, Duskendale could not stop Stannis, let alone small castles like Rosby and Stokeworth. In fact, Earl Gyles Rosby has already fled to King's Landing with his family and many subjects yesterday."

Cersei on the Iron Throne suppressed her anger, "This old idiot who only knows how to cough actually abandoned his castle voluntarily? He should have defended his territory."

Tyrion said: "Earl Gyles only had fewer than a thousand soldiers under his command; how could he be a match for Stannis? It is better that the people of Rosby fled into King's Landing; that castle could not be held at all. Once the city fell, the army would surely have been swallowed up by Stannis."

Littlefinger wore a sly smile, "To say nothing else, did the dozens of wagons of grain brought back by Lord Gyles not solve the urgent needs of the Red Keep? I hear that Lady Tanda has also abandoned Stokeworth and is currently rushing toward King's Landing with her family's wealth, grain, and livestock."

Cersei said indignantly, "Lady Tanda is a boring old woman, and Lord Gyles is a doddering old man who does nothing but cough. At a critical moment, such people will only hide within the high walls of the Red Keep; they cannot possibly provide us with any help."

Varys wore a fawning smile, "Your Grace, Stannis and Renly could attack King's Landing at any moment; every extra person is an extra bit of strength!"

Grand Maester Pycelle said, "King's Landing is surrounded by enemies, and the city is short on grain. If Lord Tywin does not bring troops to rescue King's Landing soon, the city will be hard to hold. Perhaps we should declare a truce with Stannis."

Cersei said dismissively, "If it were any other enemy, perhaps we could negotiate a truce, but this is Stannis; such a man is unyielding."

Littlefinger said, "The Iron Throne needs to develop allies. After King Robert died, Renly and Stannis usurped the title of King, and Eddard's Northern Army has marched into the Riverlands. The situation is in their favor; they are unlikely to agree to a reconciliation with the Iron Throne."

"I suggest we form an alliance with the Iron Islands, Dorne, and the Vale of Arryn."

Grand Maester Pycelle said in surprise, "The ironborn of the Iron Islands are fickle; they are a group of strange people who worship the Drowned God. Dorne has always maintained that it was Lord Tywin's subordinates who killed Princess Elia Martell of Dorne; how could Dorne possibly ally with the Iron Throne? As for the Vale of Arryn, Lysa is the daughter of Lord Hoster and Catelyn's sister; how could she possibly ally with the Iron Throne?"

"Furthermore, Jon Arryn died on the day King Robert died, amidst the chaos. Lysa must believe that the Lannisters killed Jon Arryn; how could she possibly ally with the Iron Throne?"

Tyrion mused, "Pycelle, you old fool, it was Littlefinger who killed Jon Arryn and framed the Iron Throne."

Littlefinger said leisurely, "I grew up in Riverrun and was the ward of Lord Hoster; I am very familiar with both Lysa and Catelyn. As far as I know, Lysa's relationship with Lord Hoster was not good. Look, the Northern Army has marched all the way to the Riverlands, yet the Vale of Arryn has not sent a single soldier to the Riverlands. Isn't that obvious? The Vale may not necessarily send troops to fight in the Riverlands."

Cersei, on the Iron Throne, immediately became interested and leaned forward, "You mean the Vale of Arryn can be won over?"

Littlefinger said, "Of course, but we must show sufficient sincerity. Lysa suspects the Lannisters killed Jon Arryn. I suggest Princess Myrcella be betrothed to Robin Arryn and sent to the Eyrie to be Lysa's ward. In this way, Lysa will surely lead her great army to fight for the Iron Throne."

Cersei began to struggle with the idea, "That brat Robin Arryn, how is he worthy of Myrcella? He suffers from seizures frequently; I doubt he can even live to adulthood."

Littlefinger laughed, "If Robin dies before growing up, the engagement will naturally be dissolved. Your Grace, you would be the one profiting!"

Tyrion made a face, "In that case, Myrcella would become Lysa's hostage. Even if Lysa agrees to support the Iron Throne, you want me to believe that Lysa would be willing to lead the Canyon Knights to oppose the Starks of her sister's house and the Tullys of her own family? How is that possible?"

Littlefinger said with a straight face, "Our enemies are not just the Starks and the Tullys. The Vale is separated from Claw Isle by only Crab Bay. If Lysa agrees to an alliance with the Iron Throne, we can have her send the Canyon Knights to attack Claw Isle and Duskendale, which Stannis has just occupied. In this way, Stannis, in order to deal with the Canyon Knights, would naturally have no heart to attack King's Landing."

Tyrion was still considering Littlefinger's suggestion when Varys suddenly spoke up.

"My lords, I fear Lady Lysa cannot ally with the Iron Throne. According to the latest intelligence brought back by the Little Birds, a terrible rumor has suddenly appeared in the Vale, saying that our respectable Lord Littlefinger had an affair with Lady Lysa, and all sorts of rumors are circulating that it was Lord Littlefinger who assassinated the respectable Jon Arryn."

Wonderful! Tyrion looked at Littlefinger's face. He still wore his signature sly smile, but a flash of annoyance and confusion clearly crossed his eyes. Littlefinger had his own intelligence network in King's Landing, but across Westeros, his information was far inferior to Varys's.

The high officials of the Small Council and Cersei all looked at Littlefinger. Littlefinger said brazenly, "What an interesting rumor. I murdered Jon Arryn? How could that be? It's fortunate they didn't say I murdered King Robert."

Tyrion said, "Then, the rumor that you had an affair with Lysa Arryn is also false?"

Littlefinger smirked, "If I were really going to sleep with a married woman, I would rather choose Catelyn than Lysa."

Littlefinger often boasted in King's Landing that he had deflowered Catelyn and Lysa back in Riverrun. Tyrion had heard it many times; no one took it seriously, and no one cared. But thinking about it carefully, if Littlefinger had an affair with Lysa and killed Jon Arryn, it would be perfectly logical. Why had no one in King's Landing discovered it before?

Varys said, "Regardless of whether Lord Littlefinger admits to an affair with Lysa, the fact is that some of the lords of the Vale believe it. I hear that one of the most powerful nobles in the Vale, Bronze Yohn, the Lord of Runestone, has already begun calling on the nobles of the Vale to unite to avenge Jon Arryn and hold Lysa at the Eyrie accountable."

Littlefinger seemed to collapse instantly. The sly smile at the corner of his mouth began to tremble, stiffen, and disappear, and the mischief in his eyes vanished without a trace. It was clear that this news was a heavy blow to Littlefinger.

This news was of great significance to Tyrion. Unrest had appeared in the Vale, which meant that the powerful alliance of the Stark Direwolves of the North, the Tully leaping trout of the Riverlands, and the House Arryn crescent falcon of the Vale had developed cracks.

Tyrion immediately said, "If we can help Bronze Yohn get rid of Lysa and install a new Heir to the Vale, then the Vale could very well pledge loyalty to the Iron Throne."

Cersei was excited, "If the Vale allies with the Westerlands, we can reverse the unfavorable situation on the battlefield. The question is, whom do we send to the Vale of Arryn?"

Littlefinger pulled himself together, "Your Grace, I am the most suitable candidate. I am a native of the Vale, worked at the customs in Gulltown for many years, and have friends in many families in the Vale of Arryn."

Cersei said, "Very well, Lord Littlefinger. If you can win the support of the Vale of Arryn for me, you will be a Duke when you return to King's Landing."

Littlefinger smiled, "Your Grace, I will certainly not fail the mission."

Littlefinger wanted to slip away? How could it be that easy? Tyrion quickly blocked him, "Wait! I believe Lord Petyr Baelish is the most unsuitable candidate. Just imagine, rumors of Littlefinger's affair with Lysa are circulating throughout the Vale, and the people and nobles of the Vale believe Littlefinger is the murderer of Jon Arryn."

"Sending Littlefinger there, wouldn't that be adding fuel to the fire?"

Cersei pondered for a long time, "That seems to be the case."

Littlefinger was still trying to make a futile struggle, "Once I arrive in the Vale of Arryn, I will make those nobles of the Vale believe in my innocence. I will make them loyal servants of the Iron Throne."

Tyrion said, "Lord Littlefinger, the Crownlands are currently engulfed in the flames of war, and Stannis's Royal Fleet has blockaded Blackwater Bay. Even if you wanted to go to the Vale of Arryn, it would be very difficult, unless you had one of Eddard's giant eagles. You must remain in King's Landing."

Late at night, in the camp of Renly's Westerlands Army, the tents stretched for dozens of miles.

Jaime led six thousand light cavalry and charged into the camp of the Reach. Many enemies had not even had time to put on their armor before they were cut down by the Westerlands cavalry.

The Golden Girl used sparrows to help the Westerlands Army scout. After Jaime and the Mountain joined forces, they wiped out every scout of the Reach. After night fell, the Golden Girl bewitched the owls and squirrels in the wild to scout for them.

Every day, the Golden Girl marched with the Westerlands cavalry. She rode on the back of that lion, and every time she ate, she would sprinkle a handful of gold dust over her food.

The Westerlands cavalry were all afraid of the Golden Girl and began to whisper. Some said she was a spy sent by the Starks, one of the Forest Witches that the Wolf King Eddard had brought back from Beyond the Wall.

Some said the Golden Girl came from House Banefort of the Hollow Hill and had the blood of the Hooded King, while others said she was a bloodthirsty witch from the Free Cities across the Narrow Sea.

Even more frightening was that after entering the Westerlands, in a forest on the wasteland, the Westerlands cavalry encountered a pack of wolves, fewer than ten. Jaime was planning to shoot them, but the Golden Girl stopped him. With just one seductive glance, the wild wolves began to submit to her, following her like puppies.

After the Mountain Gregor joined Jaime's team, one of his men unwisely reached out to touch the Golden Girl's thigh. As a result, the Golden Girl smiled slightly, and the next second, this mad dog of the Mountain was surrounded by wild wolves; his arms, throat, and face were all torn open.

Even the brutal Mountain fell silent; after all, no matter how brutal a mad dog was, it dared not provoke a beast tamer who rode a lion. From then on, the Mountain and his men stayed far away from the Golden Girl.

The wild wolves helped the Westerlands cavalry wipe out the scouts and sentries of the Reach in the wild, and they easily reached the camp of the Reach's army.

Being attacked at night is the worst for an army, because many soldiers died before they could even put on their armor or pick up their weapons. In the darkness, it was impossible to tell how many enemies there were; everywhere was blood, slaughter, corpses, and shouting.

The wild wolves tore open the throats of some unlucky soldiers of the Reach; these men probably thought it was a Stark sneak attack.

The camp was filled with flames, and Renly's army was falling apart.

A cavalryman holding a shield with a bee crest charged at the Mountain but was decapitated by the Mountain's Two-Handed Greatsword, blood gushing out. Jaime brandished his Gilded Sword like a whirlwind, cutting down a cavalryman with a green apple crest, then faced a cavalryman with a gold tree crest. After a few rounds, Jaime pierced the man's throat with his sword and began searching for his next prey.

Jaime saw the yellow central tent burning. The crest on it had already been partially burned, but it could still be seen that it was the Crown of the Stag. Jaime saw a gorgeous Rose Chariot parked in front of the tent, and then, Jaime saw the big woman from Tarth, Brienne the Beauty.

Brienne was on horseback, her longsword stained with blood. Several Westerlands cavalrymen lay around her. Behind Brienne, the Knight of Flowers Loras was protecting Renly as he mounted his horse.

Jaime spurred his horse to kill Renly, but Brienne blocked his path.

Renly, like a stray dog, fled into the night under the protection of the Knight of Flowers and some personal guards.

"Girl, get out of the way!" Jaime's longsword slashed at Brienne. Brienne parried with her sword, sparks flying. Jaime felt a sharp pain in his wrist; the steel sang. Jaime fought Brienne for a long time but could not gain any advantage.

At this moment, the horns of the Reach sounded in the distance, and a troop of cavalry with hunters engraved on their breastplates charged over. This was Randyll Tarly's team. Before sending out the troops, Lord Tywin had repeatedly warned Jaime to be careful of Randyll Tarly; the discipline of the soldiers from Horn Hill was unique in the Reach.

Sure enough, after the Horn Hill cavalry joined the battlefield, the cavalry of the Reach in the camp began to regain their courage. The attack of the Westerlands cavalry was blocked, and Jaime had no choice but to leave Brienne behind and lead the Westerlands army to retreat in an orderly fashion.

Failing to kill Renly and failing to capture Brienne was a pity for one of the Knights of Flowers, but for the Westerlands, it was a perfect night after all; at least, the Reach's army that attacked the Westerlands had been routed.

Jaime believed that this was a night of victory worth remembering for the Westerlands, for Casterly Rock, and for Lannisport.

In Lannisport, Helene Pyke stood at the prow of the Queen, with thirty-three longships behind her.

Helene Pyke led this fleet of longships, bypassed the Iron Islands, and hid on a deserted island south of Saltcliff in the Iron Islands, a three-day voyage from Saltcliff.

Subsequently, this Winter fleet began to advance south at full speed, moving away from the West Coast, and only when they appeared in the waters southwest of Lannisport did Helene Pyke order the fleet to advance northeast toward Lannisport.

Taking the long way would waste more time, but it could avoid the ships of the Iron Islands, the Farman fleet of Fair Isle, and the ships of the Westerlands.

Because The Reach followed Renly Baratheon and the Westerlands supported Joffrey Baratheon, there were very few merchant ships on the West Coast; Helene Pyke only encountered a few merchant ships from the Westerlands and fishing boats from the Iron Islands along the way, and since Helene Pyke flew the Golden Kraken Banner of House Greyjoy and many of her sailors and crew were Ironborn, she did not encounter any obstacles along the way.

When they approached Lannisport at midnight, it happened to be a west wind, and the longships of the Winter fleet drank their fill of the wind, charging into the docks of Lannisport.

Two ships responsible for patrol and vigilance, one a galleon named Lion and the other a rowing warship named Lady Joanna, were targeted by Helene Pyke, who brought the Queen and used fire arrows to ignite the canvas of the galleon; Wildfire Beads smashed onto the galleon, and the emerald-green Wildfire began to blaze, causing many sailors to scream and fall to the ground.

The crossbowmen on the Lion began to fight back and even revealed their rams in preparation for a charge, but they were soon caught in the middle and ravaged by the rams of the Winter fleet's Queen, Lianna, and King of the North; after a brief and bloody boarding action, the Winter fleet captured the Lion.

The attack by more than thirty Ironborn longships and the Golden Kraken Banner fluttering at their prows made the crew of the Lannisport Fleet think that the Iron Fleet of King Balon had arrived, and those Lannister crewmen awakened from their sleep by the horns instantly lost the courage to resist.

Some crewmen of the Westerlands ships chose to abandon ship and flee, jumping onto the docks, and what remained was a massacre.

The warships of the Winter fleet used fire arrows and Wildfire Beads to burn ship after ship; a total of more than forty Lannisport warships, armed merchant ships, and fishing boats were moored at the port docks, and one ship was even filled with warhorses.

Screams and flames were everywhere, and by the time the City Watch of Lannisport arrived at the docks, Helene Pyke had long since led the Winter fleet into the gray, vast ocean under the cover of night.

At the prow of the Queen, James Codd said excitedly: "Helen, you disobeyed the Wolf King's orders this time and attacked rashly, yet you actually succeeded."

Helen said indifferently: "A small victory. The Lannisport Fleet cannot defeat the Ironborn in a head-on fight, and they are even less of a match for an Ironborn night raid."

"The surviving crew and sailors of the Lannisport Fleet all saw our Golden Kraken Banner; Duke Tywin will certainly think it was a sneak attack by King Balon, and Duke Tywin will surely attack the Iron Islands; the lion and the golden kraken will bleed on the West Coast!"

Thanks to Yingfeilian, Youhai, Time Is A King, A Person's Loneliness, Wind Blowing Swaying, Yueyetingchuixue, Musehuilang, Simarillion, 20220508170335295, and zhuhuabjss for the monthly tickets, thank you for your support!

(End of this chapter)