Chapter 79

She suppressed her anger and had the servants send the Braavosi to the guest rooms.

Translation: She suppressed her anger and had the servants send the Braavosi to the guest rooms.

She suppressed her anger and had the servants send the Braavosi to the guest rooms.

We'll keep concise.

As the Braavosi left the hall, Ser Rodrik and the others immediately surrounded them.

Translation: After the Braavosi left the hall, Ser Rodrik and the others immediately gathered around.

"Arya?" Ser Rodrik asked hesitantly.

Translation: "Arya?" Ser Rodrik asked hesitantly.

"Of course." Mey replied.

Translation: "Of course." Mei Yi replied.

"Damn the Braavosi! They're using Miss Arya to threaten us!" Ser Robar exclaimed angrily.

Translation: "Damn Braavosi! They're using Miss Arya to threaten us!" Ser Roose finally understood the situation and shouted angrily.

They first sent us gold, rubies, and ice direwolf sculptures made of Valyrian steel, then lowered their stance to reach a trade agreement with us, only revealing their purpose at the end. Seeing we wouldn't admit it, they revealed that Arya was in their hands! Mace Sevwin gritted his teeth, pounding his fist, "I said why they'd send such precious gifts! It seems the Faceless Men hold a high position in the temple."

Translation: "They first sent us gold, rubies, and Valyrian steel ice direwolf sculptures, then lowered their stance to reach a trade agreement with us, only revealing their purpose at the end. Seeing we wouldn't admit it, they revealed that Arya was in their hands!" Mace Sevwin gritted his teeth, pounding his fist, "I said why they'd send such precious gifts! It seems the Faceless Men hold a high position in the temple."

They first sent us gold, rubies, and Valyrian steel ice direwolf sculptures, then lowered their stance to reach a trade agreement with us, only revealing their purpose at the end. Seeing we wouldn't admit it, they revealed that Arya was in their hands! Mace Sevwin gritted his teeth, pounding his fist, "I said why they'd send such precious gifts! It seems the Faceless Men hold a high position in the temple."

"Now what are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to let the killers of Bran and Rickon go free!" Ser Rolje Kaeso glared, speaking low.

Translation: "What should we do now? Are we really going to let the killer of Bran and Rickon go free?" Rogger Kaijo glared, speaking in a low voice.

He slumped in the corner of his seat, pressing his fists hard against his temples.

Translation: He slumped in a corner of the seat, pressing his fists hard against his temples.

Mey just wanted to sigh to the heavens.

Translation: Mei Yi only wanted to sigh to the heavens.

They had just arrived at Winterfell, so they naturally wouldn't know anything about the Faceless Men, and the chance they'd have heard in advance that the Faceless Men were captured and hung upside down in the godswood is even lower. Therefore, the only possible explanation is that they learned of this through some magical means, and it's very likely that it was Arya's dream.

Translation: They had just arrived at Winterfell, so they naturally wouldn't know anything about the Faceless Men, and the chances of having heard in advance that the Faceless Men had been captured and hung upside down in the godswood were even lower. Therefore, the only possibility is that they indeed learned of this through some miraculous means, and it's very likely to be Arya's dream.

Why would Arya tell them such a dream? As a threat? As a warning?

Translation: Why would Arya tell them such a dream? As a threat or a warning?

"My lady, why not just kill them and pretend they never came?" Mace Sevwin glared at Mey, speaking angrily.

Translation: "Your Highness, why not just kill them and pretend they never came?" Mace Sevwin glared at Mei Yi and said angrily.

"Are you mad? They're guests—do you also want to act like the Freys?" Rolje said.

Translation: "Are you crazy? They're guests, do you also want to become a Frey?" Rogger said.

"What kind of guests are they? Who has guests like that? They, in the host's presence, used the host's sister's life to barter for the killer of their brother! Under heaven, who has guests like that?" Mey turned his head, indignant.

Translation: "What kind of guests are they? Is there such a thing as a guest? They, in front of the host, used the host's sister's life to blackmail an exchange for the killer of the brother! Under heaven, is there such a guest?" Mace turned his head, indignant.

"At least they ate the bread we offered." Rolje said.

Translation: "At least they ate the bread we served." Rogger said.

"That's because they didn't mention Arya before eating the bread! What kind of guest right is one obtained through deceit and calculation?" Ser Mey questioned.

Translation: "That's because they didn't mention Arya before eating the bread! What kind of right is a guest right obtained through deceit and calculation?" Ser Mace questioned.

"Anyway, it's not possible." Rolje said bluntly.

Translation: "Anyway, no." Rogger said bluntly.

"Fine! Then we'll wait until tomorrow, when they leave, we'll give them a return gift, send them off with presents to show that the host-guest relationship is over and their guest rights are ended. Then we'll act!" Mey said hatefully.

Translation: "Fine! Then we'll wait until tomorrow, when they leave, we'll give them a return gift, see them off to mark the end of host-guest relations and the termination of their guest rights. Then we'll act!" Mace said hatefully.

"If we could confirm and ensure Miss Arya's safety, perhaps it could be done, but now, no matter what, we cannot do this." Ser Rodrik's face flushed, his white beard trembling in the firelight, "On the contrary, for Arya's safety, we must even hope they return safely to Braavos."

Translation: "If we could confirm and ensure Miss Arya's safety, perhaps it could be done, but now, no matter what, we cannot do this." Ser Rodrik's face flushed, his white beard trembling in the firelight, "On the contrary, for Arya's safety, we even have to hope they can return safely to Braavos."

"How can we act rashly before Miss Arya is safe?" Rolje said painfully, "Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn's five children are now only Sansa and Arya. And Miss Sansa has already been captured—how can we just stand by and watch Miss Arya come to harm?"

Translation: "Before Miss Arya is safe, how can we act rashly?" Rogger said painfully, "Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn's five children are now only Sansa and Arya. Moreover, Miss Sansa has been captured; how can we just watch Arya come to harm?"

Rolje turned his gaze to Mey, which was already a plea.

Translation: Rogger turned his gaze to Mei Yi; that was already a plea.

Man is the knife and cutting board, I am the fish and meat—nothing else.

Translation: Man is the knife and cutting board, I am the fish and meat—nothing more than that.

"No matter what, we must first ensure my sister's safety. A knight's revenge, ten years is not too late."

Translation: "No matter what, we must first ensure my sister's safety. A knight's revenge, ten years is not too late."

Mey slowly drew his sword, which emitted a faint glow in the dim hall; Mey stared at the sword's halo, feeling as if it were responding to Lady Catelyn's gaze.

Translation: Mei Yi slowly drew her sword; the sword emitted a faint glow in the dim hall, and Mei Yi stared at the sword's halo, feeling as if it were responding to Lady Catelyn's gaze.

"Tomorrow we will tell them we have indeed captured a criminal from the eastern continent, and if they are interested in the prisoner, they can exchange him for the dreamwalker girl. We will make the trade in Winterfell or White Harbor; as for the trade agreement and porcelain quota, if they are willing to fulfill it, we will continue; if not, we will treat them as if they never came."

Translation: "Tomorrow we'll tell them we've indeed captured a criminal from the Eastern Continent, and if they're interested in the prisoner, we'll exchange him for that dreamwalker girl. We'll trade in Winterfell or White Harbor; as for the trade agreement and porcelain quota, if they're willing to fulfill it, we'll continue; if not, we'll treat it as if they never came."

Mey had already made his decision.

Translation: Mei Yi had already made her decision.

"Now there's nothing else we can do." Ser Rodrik slumped into his seat, hand resting on his forehead.

Translation: "Now that it's come to this, there's nothing else we can do." Ser Rodrik slumped into his seat, holding his forehead.

When he rose again, tears were already streaming down his face.

Translation: When he stood up again, tears were already streaming down his face.

"My lady, when have we ever suffered such humiliation? How can we let Bran and Rickon rest in peace? How can we put Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn at ease?"

Translation: "Your Highness, when have we ever suffered such humiliation? How can we let Bran and Rickon rest in peace? How can we put Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn at ease?"

After Ser Rodrik spoke, he shoved Rolje's arm aside, flung open the hall's door, and stepped into the howling cold wind amid the snow.

Translation: After Ser Rodrik finished speaking, he roughly shoved Rogger's arm aside, flung open the hall door, and walked into the howling cold wind amidst the falling snow.

After everyone had left the hall, Mey sheathed his sword and looked at the smiling face on the hilt.

Translation: After everyone had left the hall, Mei Yi sheathed her sword again, looking at the smiling face on the hilt.

The red curve smiled, as if letting out a silent laugh. She gripped the hilt tightly, and the ruby emitted a brilliant blood-red light.

Translation: The red curve smiled, as if emitting a silent chuckle. She gripped the hilt tightly, and the ruby emitted a brilliant blood-red light.

As he stepped out of the hall, the cold wind blew straight into her face, instantly messing up her forehead-length hair.

Translation: As he walked out of the hall, the cold wind blew straight into her face, instantly messing up her forehead hair.

She felt something was wrong.

Translation: She felt something was wrong.

Outside the hall, it was pitch black. The little furry dog silently followed her side, accompanying her into the night's wind and snow.

Translation: Outside the hall, it was pitch black. The fluffy dog silently followed her side, joining her as she plunged into the night's wind and snow.

What's wrong.

Translation: What was wrong.

She stopped in the outer courtyard.

Translation: She stopped in the outer courtyard.

"My lady!" she suddenly heard Molly's voice; Molly came running, weeping, and nearly collapsed at her feet.

Translation: "Your Highness!" She suddenly heard Molly's voice; Molly sobbed as she ran to her side, nearly collapsing in front of her.

Mei Yi awoke from a dream.

Scholar!

The scholar had not appeared in the council hall.

"Jasmine," Mei Yi helped her up, "Don't cry, speak slowly."

"Scholar Luwen is in the Scholar's Tower, dead." She burst into sobs, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

Mei Yi felt another heavy blow.

Thinking of Scholar Luwen's recent oddness, Mei Yi cursed herself for carelessness, then quickly released Jasmine and ran toward the Scholar's Tower.

Snow continued to drift, a dim orange glow emanating from several guest rooms, and even the nearby snow turned a chaotic orange.

She crossed the training field, running along the eaves and bridges of the Library Tower, the packed snow letting out a faint hiss under her feet.

She passed the kitchen of Winterfort City, where heat rose; in the firelight, steam poured out from the windowsill.

She rushed toward the scholar's tower.

The swaying torch made the scholar's tower flicker bright and dim, like a night lamp.

By then a circle of soldiers had gathered at the base of the tower; seeing Mei Yi arrive, they voluntarily cleared the path upward.

Mei Yi stood at the tower's base, silent for a while, letting snowflakes fall into her hair.

Feeling the soldiers' gazes upon her, she took another deep breath and stepped onto the stairs.

She followed the winding stairs, stepping up one by one, as the tower emitted low groans.

The scholar had been lowered from the hanging rope by the soldiers and laid flat on his bed; his face was purple-black and stiff, his gaze unfocused as he stared blankly upward. In life he had looked sorrowful, but now he seemed even more sorrowful, filled with a hopeless despair.

The fireplace's fire had long burned to ash; the room was cold and quiet, with a hint of ink, paper, and the aloof scent of firewood.

Puddles of melted snow covered the floor, a small part brought in by Mei Yi, but most from the soldiers and servants coming and going.

"Everyone, leave." Mei Yi snatched a torch, lit the remaining candles, then casually stuck it into a niche in the wall.

Pijiudu hesitated a moment, then handed her a wrapped scroll of parchment.

"Your Highness, this is the scholar's last will."

Mei Yi took it listlessly, clutching it in her hand, then slowly approached Scholar Luwen.

The scholar's corpse was already completely cold, a deep ligature mark left on his neck. He used to be hunched over, appearing small, but after death he stretched out, now different.

He wore the scholar's gray robe.

Gray hair, gray eyes, gray clothes — everything was gray.

Mei Yi placed his hands neatly together, resting them on his abdomen, then gently closed his eyes.

Mei Yi looked toward the scholar's room.

She had been here several times; this place was usually rather messy, but now it was exceptionally tidy. All the materials had been sorted and neatly placed, his research instruments also arranged neatly to one side, including the lenses and books Mei Yi had given him.

Only now did she feel that the scholar's room was so plain and unadorned.

She slowly unfolded the scholar's last letter.

After just two glances she felt she already knew the entire letter.

The scholar accused himself of negligence, which led to Brandon and Rickon dying unjustly.

Guilt made him unable to persist after Mei Yi returned, and he finally passed away peacefully in this manner today.

The bulk of the remaining text dealt with posthumous arrangements.

Mei Yi tightly clenched the parchment in her palm; without realizing, tears had streamed down her cheeks. She gritted her teeth.

After a long while, she walked out of the scholar's tower.

"Pass on my orders: keep the scholar's corpse in the room for now, bury him in the mausoleum tomorrow night. Then seal the scholar's tower, and reopen it when Scholar Roland arrives at Winter City. Before Scholar Roland arrives at Winter City, place the ravens under the charge of Chaplain Chai. Also, inform the other council members that henceforth the council meetings will be held in the library." Mei Yi said to the diminutive steward Jordan Fen En.

"Yes, Your Highness." Steward Fen En replied respectfully.

At that moment, Sir Rodrik, Mason, Rolgj, and Sir Robb also arrived at the base of the tower.

Mei Yi casually slipped the letter into Sir Rodrik's hand, then walked alone into the snowy night.

Mei Yi followed the covered walkway, passing through the guest chambers, the armory, and the snow‑covered alleys.

Her destination was the Godswood, only the Godswood.

Two guards stood at the entrance of the Godswood; a thick layer of snow had already accumulated on them.

"Your Highness." Upon seeing who it was, they replied curiously yet respectfully.

Mei Yi nodded silently at them; they strained to push open the Godswood's great door, managing only a narrow slit wide enough for one person to pass.

The thick snow had already blocked the door.

Since the faceless man was bound in the Godswood, no one has been allowed to enter. The beer‑belly even thoughtfully stationed two guards here.

"Just like that." Mei Yi said.

Inside the Godswood, snow likewise piled up, and because no one had passed, the snow on the path reached knee‑deep. Mei Yi's little furry dog still followed silently; in the darkness, aside from its green eyes, it was merely a dark shape.

The green pool in the night looked like a plain mirror, a thin mist hovering gently over its surface. It did not look like a cold pool, but rather like a hot spring.

Snowflakes that fell into the pool melted instantly, leaving no trace of accumulated snow—not even on the banks, which remained their original black.

The weirwood still loomed over the entire Godswood; on the ground beneath its branches, no snow had settled.

In the night, under the faint light, its pallid branches remained clearly visible, not to mention its deep‑red leaves, which looked like bloody hands fluttering in the falling snow.

Snow covered the weirwood's crown, forming a white canopy. Crows perched layer upon layer on its branches, curiously watching Mei Yi approach and issuing soft gurgles.

The faceless man's limbs were bound behind him, suspended at a certain angle from a branch of the weirwood, facing away from the sky; a few willful crows hopped onto his back, lightly pecking at something.

His eyes were covered with leather, his mouth likewise sealed, and he hung there silently.

As Mei Yi approached, the crows began to clamor, cawing nonstop, as if accusing her of invading their territory.

"Silence!" Mei Yi shouted angrily; the powerful sound pierced through the layers of branches and leaves, and the crows instantly fell quiet.

Mei Yi noticed the faceless man twitch slightly.

Mei Yi drew near, removed his blindfold, and pulled the leather from his mouth.

"You're still alive." Mei Yi leaned in and spoke softly, as if the one who had just shouted were not her.

He strained to turn his head, then slowly slumped back down.

"At least it's not that cold in the Godswood, heh, it's warm under the tree, cough cough, the stranger hasn't come yet to take someone's life, cough, cough, is that how the Westerosi refer to him?" His voice was broken but still clear.

Mei Yi drew a dagger and cut the rope that was hanging him.

With a thud, he crashed hard onto the ground.

He let out a muffled groan, and after a while he struggled to roll over, barely leaning against the protruding root of the weirwood, gazing at Mei Yi.

"Can you still survive today?" Mei Yi said, "Let me see, the Many‑Faced God—oh, that's how you Braavosi call it, right? Let me look at it, will it take you today?"

He continued to cough. The wound left by passion on his face still faintly reddened.

"Everyone dies eventually. You said let someone rot here—what difference does it make whether today or tomorrow? Heh, cough cough."

"I really did say that." Mei Yi leaned on her sword, trying to meet his gaze as evenly as possible, "But now things are different."

He showed no expression.

"Now, the Braavosi trade guild representative, the Iron Bank representative, and the Sea Lord representative have arrived in Winter City; they have reached a trade agreement with me. They also brought the temple's proposal: the temple wishes to ransom you with gold weighing ten times your body weight."

He twitched the corner of his mouth—perhaps a smile, perhaps relief, perhaps mockery.

Mei Yi placed her hand on his broken leg; his eyes showed confusion.

"Bear with it." She pushed and pulled, resetting his completely dislocated, folded leg.

He cried out in pain.

Mei Yi waited for him to stop moaning.

"Should I bring you to the hall to meet them? Perhaps I should treat you to a meal—you must be hungry—I'll stuff you with plenty of food, maybe I'll even give you lots of drink, far more than a sack of water. Then I'll weigh you in front of them—would that be alright? I'll also give you more clothes to wear. Of course, I'm not sure whether the Braavosi will make you strip naked before weighing you."

Mei Yi rose to her feet and looked at the face of the heart tree.

"The three Braavosi envoys sent me three wolves forged of gold, Valyrian steel, and ruby—valuable gifts, so they probably won't quibble over the weight of my clothing."

"Did you come to free someone, or to mock someone? If it's to free them, you've said too much; if it's to mock them, it's simply boring."

"Not at all." Mei Yi pulled out a smile, "I came to tell someone, someone will be free."

"Heh, for the gold? No, you're not that kind of person." He laughed.

"I really am not that kind of person. To be honest, they want to take my sister, Arya Stark, to exchange for you, so there's no gold. They say she's in the House of Black and White; have you seen her?"

"I see. You're a good sister. I saw her once in the Temple; she looks like a very promising child. But she can't learn to serve, she could never become one of us, of course, though some people don't think so."

"Serve? God or the Temple?"

"The Many-Faced God."

"Is it hard to become one of you?"

"Of course."

"Thank you for telling me all this." Mei Yi looked down at him, sneering, "I thought captured Faceless Men were all mute. Maybe tomorrow I'll bring you before them and have them weigh you?"

"Don't you want to exchange for your sister anymore? If you want gold, you're overthinking; the gold ransom based on weight defaults to two hundred pounds."

"I see. I didn't expect the Temple would be willing to pay such a price for you."

"Someone is a priest of the Temple."

"Are you proud?"

"This is the Many-Faced God's gift, and also the shackles the Many-Faced God puts on its servants to better serve." He again curled the corner of his mouth.

"This set of shackles is worth two thousand pounds of gold."

"The Many-Faced God is willing to give more for his loyal servants."

"For the captured?"

"Heh. Cough, cough," he said with difficulty, "Throughout history there have been many failed Faceless Men."

"What became of them?"

"Except for a small portion killed immediately, the others returned safely."

"Why?"

"No one dares offend the Many-Faced God."

"Really? So you already knew they would come?"

"Of course."

"I've said before, you're not a failure." Mei Yi leaned in, facing him, "You successfully killed my two brothers." And Scholar Lu Wen.

"All mortals must die. Death is the Many-Faced God's gift."

"A gift?"

"A gift. But that child suffered greatly and was terrified before death; in that regard I feel guilty."

"You don't need to feel guilty."

"Why?"

Mei Yi tore open his shirt, exposing his chest, then placed her palm over his heart.

His heart was still beating vigorously.

"Because, your god."

"What do you mean?" His smile turned tense.

Mei Yi reached out with both hands, climbing onto his face, carefully feeling every part of it.

He wanted to struggle, but was powerless.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll find out."

Mei Yi jerked the rope, controlling his hands, and pressed his body down hard with her legs.

Her right hand pressed his head, her left hand reached toward his ear.

A fierce wail startled the crows from the trees.

The Faceless Man became a true Faceless Man.

"Because your god is paying off your debt."

Mei Yi snarled as she leaned into his bloody ear, then drew Passion and stabbed hard into his exposed chest.

A sharp, terrifying whistle echoed from the blade.