His head buzzed, his ability to think reduced tenfold. When caught off guard, the importance of having a prearranged plan became clear. Although already stunned by the enemy's furious assault, Bywater still reacted quickly on instinct. The moment the city gate was blown apart, he sent a signal, ordering the soldiers to retreat from the city wall.
Splitting up along the predetermined routes and relying on layers of barricades to buy time, they gradually retreated along Muddy Road, Hook Alley, and River Road, drawing the enemy into street fighting and buying time for the reserve troops led by the King in the city center and the defenders at the other gates to reinforce the battlefield or retreat into the Red Keep.
The plan was meticulously detailed, but its execution was a mess.
The reason was simple. Stannis was a good commander, but his army was not the Unsullied.
The training level and combat quality of King's Landing's defenders were not low, but their will to resist and fighting spirit had long been more than half depleted by the prolonged siege and wartime rationing. The little that remained was completely extinguished after witnessing the besiegers easily win two major victories outside the walls.
The supervisor appointed by the King had already fallen in the massive explosion that breached the city, and the attacking vanguard that entered the city had even brought that strange weapon called blast bombs.
Besides the reality of being unable to win, a greater shadow loomed over everyone's hearts. Since the River Gate, despite firm resistance, had still been breached with a single overwhelming assault, who could guarantee that the other six gates, even if sturdier and thicker, would not face an even fiercer attack? King's Landing, as a large city, was easy to attack but difficult to defend, with incredibly complex internal terrain. If they resisted too stubbornly in street fighting and accidentally turned themselves into a salient, ultimately losing the chance to retreat into the Red Keep, would that not be the ultimate injustice?
You thought this, he thought this, and I thought this too. The tactical retreat turning into a rout thus seemed reasonable.
Retreating all the way in a daze, the no longer young Bywater had reached his limit both mentally and physically. At this moment, facing countless pairs of expectant eyes, he realized that these children should not be made to die for a war that was already lost, and that continuing to resist was meaningless.
Colluding with the enemy and committing treason were naturally despicable, but surrendering after defeat was reasonable. Giving up resistance and becoming prisoners might truly be the best option at the moment.
Seeing Bywater's hesitant expression, the subordinate who made the suggestion immediately knew there was a chance. He quickly looked around and asked loudly, "Who has a white cloth on them?"
Not opposing was tacit approval. The captain lowered his head and remained silent, and the soldiers immediately busied themselves helping. One found a wooden stick, another took off the cloth garment beneath his armor, and they hastily made a dusty flag. Even though it was not perfectly white, it was vastly different from Stannis's flaming heart and stag banner, making its meaning clear at a glance, and that was enough.
Just as the group of soldiers finished their preparations and were ready to raise the flag and surrender as soon as the enemy pursued them again, the ground began to tremble slightly, and a dull sound of hooves came from behind along the flagstones.
Had the enemy circled around, or...?
"Damn it, quickly put away the white flag!"
The soldiers hurriedly put everything away, and barely half a minute after hiding it, a large group of knights in red cloaks and red armor, holding red banners, emerged from the street corner behind them. Leading hundreds of foot soldiers, they quickly approached the scattered remnants of the Mud Gate guards who had lost their will to fight. Bywater was about to ask about their intentions when he saw that the leader was none other than King Stannis.
"I received the plea for help and came immediately. How long has it been? How could you have retreated all the way here?" Stannis reined in his horse before Bywater, his face ashen as he severely reprimanded him, then recognized him. "Joslyn? Tell me, which army breached the gate, and how many have entered the city?"
Bywater immediately straightened his back and quickly replied, "Judging by the banners, the Dornish army makes up the majority, mixed with a small number of the Night's Watch. As for how many have entered the city, your subordinate does not know."
The Stag King scanned the surroundings and frowned. "Where is Justin Massey?"
"Ser Massey was behind the gate when the enemy breached it and is now missing. He has most likely fallen into enemy hands."
The supervisor was missing, yet the general who had been monitored was safe and sound. Even with the King's loyal soldiers testifying that the latter's words were true, this was still somewhat suspicious.
The air suddenly fell silent. After several seconds, Stannis, his face grim, spoke again. "Enough. Now I will give you a chance to atone for your mistakes. Lead the way and find a route that can avoid the main force of the enemy troops entering the city and reach the River Gate directly."
Avoid the main force of the enemy entering the city?
Bywater looked up in surprise.
Was Stannis not here to repel the enemy troops who had entered the city and seal the breach at the River Gate?
Full of doubt, he glanced from the corner of his eye behind Stannis and, both surprised and unsurprised, saw the figures of family members.
There was absolutely no one in the world who wanted to hold King's Landing more than Stannis.
This was not only the last stronghold of House Baratheon, but also the only symbol of his remaining legitimacy.
Unfortunately, after the royal fleet was completely annihilated in the Battle of the Blackwater, its fall had become inevitable.
That naval battle had been a risky move in which he gambled the fate of his kingdom. It was not only Daenerys who loaded a large number of elites onto warships. Stannis made similar arrangements. After learning that the Iron Fleet had arrived at Blackwater Bay, he abandoned the plan to recall the navy's more than two thousand soldiers to the city to reinforce the defenders. He even added over a thousand more, allowing the repeatedly diminished royal fleet to achieve temporary full staffing, just to completely annihilate Daenerys's fleet in the battle in the bay and desperately carve out a sliver of hope in the face of inevitable defeat.
Who could have imagined that the final result would be that the enemy, outnumbered two to one, achieved an incredible victory?
Watching the Ironborn's massive fleet, which clearly still held an absolute advantage, flee the battlefield in a frenzy without even daring to engage, abandoning his bravely fighting royal fleet to be slaughtered by the remaining Targaryen navy and two dragons, Stannis truly wanted to spit out a mouthful of blood and roar, "The Ironborn have ruined me!"
Not only did the hope of completely annihilating Daenerys's navy fail to materialize, but even the fallback goal of making her lose control of Blackwater Bay could not be maintained. The defensive situation in King's Landing, after losing three thousand soldiers, was even more difficult than before Euron Greyjoy traveled a thousand miles to arrive.
In this unsolvable situation, if he still insisted on a forced defense, there would be only one outcome, being trapped inside the Red Keep and ultimately defeated by that strange weapon that caused violent explosions.
More than twenty years ago, Princess Elia of Dorne and her children were raped and murdered inside the Red Keep by Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch. If he stubbornly attempted to hold out until the very last moment in the same way, the same fate would await his wife and daughter.
For a king who had lost his kingdom, dying in battle might be the best outcome. His own death was not regrettable, but Shireen was innocent. She should not pay the price of her life for his foolishness and bad luck.
For the safety of his daughter and the continuation of House Baratheon's bloodline, Stannis made a decision so bold and unconventional that it was difficult even for him to conceive, and impossible for the enemy to predict.
Abandoning the Red Keep, using the entire city and the Iron Throne as bait to cover his breakout, and launching an earth shattering counterattack.
(To be continued.)