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Knock, knock, knock!
In the lord's solar at Riverrun, Brynden was studying the battle map on the table with full concentration when he heard a knock at the door.
"Come in."
Creak.
As the door opened, Crey entered the solar with joy plain on his face.
"Lord Brynden, news just arrived. Lord Jason has taken Darry. We have now pulled out every nail Tywin Lannister placed north of Harrenhal's defensive line."
Hearing the good news from Crey, Brynden nodded but did not show much surprise.
He looked up at Crey, whom Robb had specially left behind to assist him, and asked in a deep voice, "Darry is close to the crossing of the kingsroad and the Trident. Its strategic position is important. Has Harrenhal made no response?"
"Yes. Smalljon and Edd are taking turns scouting Harrenhal day and night. The Westerlands army has made no movement at all. I do not know whether they are brewing some scheme."
Hearing the question, Crey put away the joy on his face and answered seriously.
"Truly not going to reinforce King's Landing?"
Brynden looked at the battle map again and murmured to himself.
In his heart, he felt Tywin's reaction was too abnormal. If he stood in Tywin's place, he would rather give up the entire Riverlands than fail to defeat Stannis's army and preserve King's Landing.
"I received news that Jaime Lannister summoned the crownlands nobles and gathered nearly five thousand troops. Before Stannis sealed the city, he had already returned to King's Landing.
"Perhaps Tywin believes five thousand troops, together with several thousand Gold Cloaks, can hold the city."
Hearing Brynden murmur, Crey combined it with the news he had received and offered his analysis.
"Perhaps it is truly as you say.
"But if that is the case, Tywin has underestimated Stannis's ability to wage war and overestimated the loyalty of nearly five hundred thousand smallfolk in King's Landing."
After hearing this, Brynden nodded, barely accepting Crey's analysis. He seemed to remember something and continued.
"Right. Has there been any news from Patrek, who went as envoy to Harrenhal?"
"No. Since they entered Harrenhal, there has been no news from them."
"Lord Brynden, a raven letter from Harrenhal!"
Just as Crey shook his head and answered, Maester Vyman appeared at the open door of the solar. The moment he saw Brynden, he spoke loudly.
"It is a letter from Patrek Mallister. Lord Edmure is staying in Harrenhal unharmed. We truly have the Seven to thank for their blessing.
"After this period of negotiation, he has already discussed the conditions for prisoner exchange with Tywin Lannister.
"Their conditions are..."
Tap, tap, tap!
At dusk in King's Landing, in Hook Alley, rapid footsteps struck the flagstones. A tall, thin man in plain clothes clutched a sack of food to his chest with both hands and hurried toward his home on Visenya's Hill.
Through the mouth of the sack, one could see cheap food inside, such as pumpkins and corn.
During the nearly twenty days since King's Landing had been surrounded, the price of food in the city had soared, and many people had already starved to death. For the sake of his family, the tall, thin man had finally made up his mind today to dirty his hands and do a bloody bit of work in the shadows.
With the pay he received, he immediately bought a full sack of food. A sack like this, which normally cost only ten copper stars, had now risen to five silver stags. The price was outrageously high.
But no matter how high the price was, he had to buy food if he wanted his family to live.
He lowered his head and glanced at the food in his arms. He could already imagine his daughter and wife crying out in surprise when they saw it, joy spreading across their faces.
Tap, tap, tap!
The tall, thin man had just reached the junction of Hook Alley and Muddy Way when messy footsteps sounded. Several men holding all kinds of weapons, who had been lying in ambush at the entrance of Muddy Way, rushed straight toward him.
Clatter!
Seeing this, the tall, thin man immediately held the sack of food with his left hand and drew from his waist a short dagger with blood not yet fully wiped from it.
Shhk!
Facing the sudden attack from these men, who clearly had no good intentions, the tall, thin man showed no mercy. With a clean motion, he drove the dagger in his right hand into the neck of the man at the front.
He had just killed one man and had not yet had time to pull the dagger free when two men on either side tackled him to the ground. The sack of food fell from his hand. Pumpkins shattered, and corn scattered across the ground.
Shhk, shhk!
Seeing the tall, thin man fall, the attackers used scissors, sharpened iron pipes, and other makeshift weapons to stab countless bloody holes into his body.
Cough, cough!
Two fists could not fight four hands. Blood kept spraying from the tall, thin man's mouth, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.
After killing him, the attackers frantically fought over the pumpkin and corn on the ground. The food was divided up in moments. One attacker even lay down and licked the pumpkin fragments from the stones clean.
After searching the tall, thin man's body for anything valuable, the attackers quickly vanished into the alley, leaving two corpses behind.
The Gold Cloaks never came here from beginning to end, because too many crimes like this had occurred in King's Landing recently.
Moreover, the Gold Cloaks, expanded several times over, were packed with refugees and desperate men. In some crimes, they were even the ones leading the way.
As night fell, no one knew when the two bodies at the junction disappeared. In a state of extreme hunger, even corpses were a resource.
Somewhere in the Red Keep, two figures were speaking in secret.
"Is it done?"
"Of course. The enemy's contact inside the city was turned into a robbery and murder by the killer I sent. That killer was then robbed and murdered by other people. Of course, that happened because I deliberately leaked the news.
"Even if they discover the man is dead, they will think it was an accident. After all, King's Landing is far too chaotic right now."
"Mm. Then we wait for them to act tomorrow according to the plan."
"But my lord, will your father's plan be too dangerous? After all, both sides will be dangerously close tomorrow."
"Heh. Without bait, how will the prey take the hook?"
The next morning, the remaining Gold Cloaks in the Red Keep and the Lannister soldiers moved out in full force. They cleared the road from the Red Keep to the Mud Gate and blocked the lowly smallfolk on both sides of the street.
Today was King Joffrey's nameday. He would personally go to the dangerous front line to comfort the brave soldiers defending the city and denounce the false king Stannis.
Because of Robb's influence, this War of the Five Kings had begun much earlier than in his previous life. Although the fighting had already gone back and forth for several months, the date had only just reached Joffrey's nameday.
Tap, tap, tap!
King Joffrey wore a black silk jacket inlaid with golden thread, its sleeves decorated with onyx buttons. Below, he wore black and crimson striped breeches, and behind him hung a black velvet cloak embroidered with stag and roaring lion patterns.
One hand casually held his horse's reins, while the other rested on his golden lion sword. He looked like the perfect image of beauty and nobility.
Beside him, Jaime did not wear noble court clothes or the badge of the Hand. He wore Lannister armor and looked ready to fight at any moment. The other ministers and Kingsguard followed behind them.
Rattle, rattle!
Behind them, Cersei sat in a splendid carriage, wearing a dress as red as blood, with long lace sleeves revealing golden satin lining.
Even after many days of siege, she had lived well. Her complexion was rosy, and she looked energetic.
At the rear of the procession were many wagons loaded with wine, bread, and fruit. These were gifts for the soldiers defending the walls.
"The Seven bless you, Your Grace!"
"Have mercy, please! We are starving!"
"So much food! Your Grace, show mercy!"
Outside the road blocked by Gold Cloaks and Lannister soldiers, many hungry-looking smallfolk of King's Landing stared at the wine and food on the wagons and shouted at Joffrey's party, hoping for alms.
Joffrey, riding a white horse, heard them and sneered contemptuously. He ignored them and continued forward.
As Joffrey's party gradually left the street, the Gold Cloaks and Lannister soldiers blocking the smallfolk removed the cordon and followed the procession toward the Mud Gate.
But the watching smallfolk of King's Landing did not disperse. Instead, they followed after them, longing for King Joffrey's nonexistent mercy.
After many days of siege, more and more smallfolk cut off from food supplies and suffering hunger gathered. They all followed Joffrey's procession toward the Mud Gate.
Outside the Mud Gate, nearly thirty-three thousand besieging soldiers stood in formation, fully prepared.
Today was the day Stannis planned his general assault, so he had already drawn troops away. At the other six gates of King's Landing, only a thousand men each were left to maintain the blockade.
The Mud Gate, where King's Landing's walls were shortest and defenses weakest, was every attacker's first choice. As in Robb's previous life, Stannis also chose this place as his breakthrough point.
At this moment, there were no ships on the Blackwater Rush. The fifty warships of the Royal Fleet loyal to Joffrey had disappeared, greatly disappointing Stannis, who had prepared a plan to seize them.
"Guyard, you will lead ten thousand men as the vanguard. When the signal sounds, begin the assault. The bastard's motley army numbers fewer than ten thousand in total, and only a little more than six thousand guard the Mud Gate.
"Together with our people inside the city... remember, your task is one thing only: take the gate and the walls.
"Rolland, once the gate opens, you will lead ten thousand men directly to attack the Red Keep. You must capture the bastard Joffrey and those incestuous Lannister twins."
In the center of the besieging army, the fully armed Stannis was assigning tasks to his subordinates.
"Yes, Your Grace!"
"Rest assured, Your Grace. I will capture them!"
Ser Guyard and Ser Rolland accepted their orders and immediately headed toward the troops they commanded for the final preparations before battle.
Stannis, looking even older after this period of overwork, watched the two men leave and murmured, "Everything is ready. Now we wait for the signal."
Inside the Mud Gate, King Joffrey had already ascended the wall. Looking at the dark mass of enemy troops not far outside the city, a force that seemed to stretch without end, he secretly swallowed.
Queen Regent Cersei also left her carriage. She lifted the skirts of her expensive red dress and, together with Jaime, who had been waiting for her, headed toward the wall. The many wagons loaded with wine and food were parked neatly in front of the Mud Gate.
"Your Grace, your speaking platform is this way."
Joffrey forced down the fear in his heart and was about to walk toward the Mud Gate gatehouse on the right when Varys, following at his side, spoke in a gentle voice.
Joffrey turned to look at the temporary speaking platform built on the wall to the left and frowned at Varys. "Why is the platform there? The Mud Gate gatehouse should be the front."
"It was arranged by the queen regent. Perhaps she is worried about stray arrows."
Hearing Varys's answer, Joffrey looked at Jaime and Cersei walking up the stone steps of the wall. Displeasure appeared on his face as he walked toward the speaking platform.
The platform Cersei had arranged was indeed strange. It was a full two or three hundred yards from the Mud Gate gatehouse.
However, below this section of wall lay Fishmonger's Square, already packed with people. It would allow more smallfolk to hear Joffrey's speech.
Once everyone was in place, King Joffrey began his nameday performance. First, he encouraged the bravery of the defending soldiers. Then he began denouncing the false king Stannis.
In the crowd at Fishmonger's Square, there were many men from a group of wealthy merchants who called themselves the Antler Men. During this period, they had secretly plotted to betray the false king Joffrey and help King Stannis take King's Landing.
Yet as the false king Joffrey's speech entered its latter half, they still had not seen Stannis's contact. These men looked at one another in secret, bit their lips, and decided to continue acting.
After all, although they appeared wealthy, they already owed the royal family a substantial number of gold dragons. They could only seize this chance and gamble.
"...therefore, Stannis Baratheon is a vile..."
"Your Grace, please, we are starving. Please grant us a little food from those wagons!"
"Mercy, Your Grace! Give us something to eat!"
"He is no king! He is only an incest-born bastard, murderer of King Robert and Hand Eddard!"
While Joffrey was passionately denouncing Stannis, several loud shouts suddenly rang out from Fishmonger's Square, which had previously been relatively quiet.
Joffrey could ignore begging, but being insulted before so many people was something he could not ignore.
"Dog, Ser Meryn, anyone! Go down and find the man who cursed me. I want him dead!"
Joffrey stopped his speech, pointed toward the crowd in Fishmonger's Square, and roared at the guards beside him in extreme anger.
The Gold Cloaks blocking the smallfolk below the wall naturally heard the king's roar. These newly expanded Gold Cloaks, eager to earn merit before His Grace, roughly forced their way into the crowd and rushed toward the source of the shout.
A sallow-faced woman was dragged out of the crowd by the Gold Cloaks. She had shouted earlier, begging the king for mercy.
"No! I did not insult His Grace!"
The Gold Cloaks did not care about her explanation. They punched and kicked her, beating her nearly to death in moments, preparing to bring her up to the wall and claim credit.
"The Red Keep stores so much food but refuses to spare a bite. They mean to leave us no chance to live! And because we beg for food, they beat and kill us as they please.
"Brothers, the food is right there. If you want to live, take it!"
In the crowd, a man carrying a bundle tied with rope on his back roared with his loud voice.
Then he took off the bundle, untied it, and threw it to the ground. Inside were all kinds of swords, axes, and other weapons.
"I want bread! Take it!"
"I am starving! I cannot bear it anymore!"
"Food! I want food!"
As hungry shouts rang out one after another, the smallfolk in Fishmonger's Square instantly grew furious. Chaotic noise filled the entire Mud Gate.
The starving mob picked up the weapons from the ground and charged toward the wagons full of food before the Mud Gate.
Clatter!
The Antler Men's followers, arranged in advance within the crowd, untied the bundles on their backs one after another and threw weapons out.
Shhk!
Below the wall were all Gold Cloaks who had been recruited during the recent expansion. They were good at bullying men and women in ordinary times. But when they truly met this kind of situation, they panicked at once and did not think to form ranks.
Thus, the armed mob swarmed several men around each Gold Cloak and stabbed them into pincushions in moments.
"Have them hold the wall stairs. That is enough."
Cersei watched the riot below the wall with an expressionless face and turned to give Jaime an order.
Beside the stone steps of the Mud Gate, dozens of elite Lannister soldiers and Gold Cloaks held spears and swords, blocking the narrow wall stairs so the rioters could not rush up.
Outside the Mud Gate, a low horn sounded. Stannis's army began its assault at that moment.
"Charge!"
The ten thousand vanguard troops led by Ser Guyard had not prepared a heavy battering ram. They merely carried scaling ladders and rushed toward the Mud Gate.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
On the walls to either side of the Mud Gate, thousands of archers appeared. Their arrows fell constantly on the attacking soldiers.
For besieging soldiers attacking with no cover, these arrows were a grave threat. Under the continuous arrow storm, their casualties rose sharply.
But they keenly noticed that no arrows were coming from the Mud Gate gatehouse. They were immediately overjoyed and began gathering toward the gatehouse.
Viewed from the sky, the besieging soldiers attacking the Mud Gate formed a triangle with a dense, heavy tip.
Inside the Mud Gate, hundreds of armed rioters had already rushed to the wagons piled with food.
A starving rioter threw down the bloodstained axe in his hand, climbed onto a wagon, seized a piece of bread in each hand, and shoved them eagerly into his mouth.
Most of the rioters looked much the same. Among them, however, a dozen behaved differently.
They went around the wagons piled with food and came behind the Mud Gate. Together, more than a dozen men exerted their strength and lifted the heavy bar.
Creak!
The thick bar fell to the ground. The heavy oak gate of the Mud Gate, studded with iron nails, was opened from inside by these dozen rioters.
"The gate is open! Charge!"
"There is gold and women inside!"
"Kill!"
Large numbers of besieging soldiers who had gathered at the gate to avoid the arrows saw the Mud Gate opened from within. They shouted excitedly and rushed into King's Landing.
"We are Antler Men! We are on your side!"
The dozen rioters saw the murderous soldiers charge through the Mud Gate and immediately raised both hands, shouting loudly.
Shhk!
The besieging soldiers ignored their shouts. Without a word, they used their swords to cut their throats.
Without their own commander specifically warning them, and without any mark to identify them as allies, the besieging soldiers treated them as enemies and battle merit.
Shhk, shhk!
More and more besieging soldiers poured into the Mud Gate. The rioters who had thrown themselves onto the food wagons and forgotten everything except eating were constantly cut down.
"Run! They have broken into King's Landing!"
As many rioters died, those who came to their senses shouted and tried to squeeze backward. But too many smallfolk were still surging in from Fishmonger's Square. At this moment, the mob at the Mud Gate was packed together in a writhing dark mass.
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
Thud, thud, thud!
The smallfolk at the rear of Fishmonger's Square seemed to discover that something was wrong at the Mud Gate and prepared to retreat. But hundreds of soldiers holding kite shields and spears appeared from nowhere behind them.
They set shield and spear heavily and drove the smallfolk toward the Mud Gate.
It was not only from Fishmonger's Square. The roads from the Mud Gate area toward the Street of Steel and Muddy Way also suddenly saw hundreds of soldiers with shields and spears appear, driving thousands of smallfolk toward the Mud Gate.
The besieging soldiers did not merely pour through the Mud Gate itself. Many climbed the scaling ladders onto the gatehouse and seized the entire Mud Gate gatehouse.
Thrum, thrum!
When the besieging soldiers prepared to attack the walls to either side from the gatehouse, two great bowstring sounds rang out. Thick bolts shot from the great crossbows placed in advance on the left and right walls, piercing four or five besieging soldiers in a single line.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
In addition to the bolts, many arrows also came from the two side walls, suppressing the besieging soldiers on the Mud Gate gatehouse again.
But more soldiers climbed the ladders and filled the gatehouse completely, slowly advancing with shields raised toward the walls on both sides.
"It can begin."
Seeing that at least several thousand besieging soldiers had entered the Mud Gate, Cersei nodded to Varys beside her.
"Begin what? Stannis's army has entered the city. This is part of your plan too? Why do I know nothing about it?"
Seeing the besieging soldiers break into the city, Joffrey was already panicked. Hearing his mother say something inexplicable, he shouted in near hysteria.
Varys heard Jaime's words, took a little bird-shaped whistle from his sleeve, placed it to his lips, and blew.
Beneath the Mud Gate, inside Cersei's carriage that no one had approached because it held no food, a little bird of eight or nine years old crawled out from a hidden compartment.
Hearing the continuous whistle in his ear, he took a firestone from his clothes, blew it red-hot, opened the lid of a large jar of green liquid hidden in the compartment, and dropped the firestone inside.
The first violent explosion came from Cersei's carriage. Scorching green flame burst outward. The besieging soldiers and rioters at the Mud Gate were instantly turned into charred corpses. The blast also set off the wildfire hidden among the many food wagons.
Boom, boom, boom!
Continuous chain explosions rang out one after another. Columns of green flame rose again and again from the Mud Gate gatehouse.
Thud, thud, thud!
Even though King's Landing's walls were thick and solid, they could not withstand such repeated wildfire explosions.
This gatehouse, built nearly three hundred years ago, began to collapse. Wall stones large and small fell like rain.
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