The scenery in Maegor's Garden was intoxicatingly beautiful, a vibrant sea of flowers stretching as far as the eye could see.
Lord Green bowed, placing a hand on his chest: "Your Grace, this is a great honor."
Queen Cersei nodded slightly, picked up her jeweled goblet, took a sip of wine, and then suddenly said, "Count Green, how long until your men arrive?"
Lord Green glanced at Sansa beside him and respectfully replied, "Queen Cersei, ten days at the latest."
"Very good."
After speaking, Queen Cersei seemed lost in thought, and Lord Green and Sansa did not disturb her.
Sansa Stark was already captivated by Cersei's charm, and the future Queen Cersei painted was both grand and enticing.
Her mind was now filled with beautiful aspirations for Joffrey.
Family, duty, honor… Lord Green sighed inwardly. The little Direwolf girl, deeply in love, still didn't understand what 'Winter is Coming' truly meant.
Alas, the capable are always busy.
...
Queen Cersei's beautiful eyes gazed elsewhere, a gentle smile appearing on her face.
"My dear Sansa, look… your prince has come to pick you up."
Not far away, Joffrey, leading a beautiful white horse, waved in their direction.
Sansa first rose to her feet with delight, then shyly said, "Your Grace, I…"
Queen Cersei shook her head helplessly, saying dotingly, "Sweet Sansa, go on, don't make your prince wait."
After Sansa left, Queen Cersei's gentle smile instantly vanished.
"What a truly innocent child."
Lord Green smiled and said, "Queen Cersei, your liking is what matters."
"Sit down."
Queen Cersei was referring to the chair Sansa had been sitting on.
Lord Green paused slightly. He first nodded in thanks, then pulled the chair back a little before sitting down.
Cersei's lips curved subtly, and her emerald eyes looked at the seated Lord Green.
"Count Green, can your soldiers deal with the Gold Cloaks?"
Lord Green's eyes moved. He respectfully replied, "Your Grace, it mainly depends on where the battle takes place. If it's outside the city, 2,000 Cleber's Blue Cloaks are enough to defeat all the Gold Cloaks in King's Landing."
He paused, then continued, "If it were inside the city, it would be different. The Gold Cloaks are almost all equipped with chainmail, breastplates, and helmets, making them well-equipped. The narrow spaces within the city would make it difficult for Cleber Soldiers to utilize their advantages. The best outcome would be a narrow victory, but casualties would certainly be high, and the remaining few men might not be able to continue serving you."
"Armor?"
After a pause, Cersei said, "What if your soldiers had enough armor?"
Lord Green said without hesitation, "If the Gold Cloaks dare to offend you, my soldiers will kill them all. With equal equipment, one Blue Cloak can defeat ten Gold Cloaks, there's no doubt about that."
Queen Cersei stood up, walked back and forth for a moment, and said, "I will send someone to speak with Janos (Commander of the Gold Cloaks). It's time for the Gold Cloaks to replace their old equipment anyway."
Has Commander Janos already been bought, or is he about to be bought? This… isn't important. The Gold Cloak equipment acquired under some pretext is the key.
Commander Janos is probably going to get rich, and so is Lord Green.
Lord Green's eyes lit up, and he said, "Your Grace, your wisdom is astounding. At that time, the cowardly Gold Cloaks will have no choice but to submit to you, and no one in King's Landing will be able to defy your orders."
Queen Cersei, goblet in hand, walked closer to Lord Green and said, "Clever Green, you seem to have guessed what your Queen intends to do?"
Lord Green lowered his eyes, his expression respectful, and said, "House Clebber's duty is to protect the Queen's safety."
After being stared at by Queen Cersei's emerald eyes for a while, Lord Green's expression began to become unnatural. Her lips curved almost imperceptibly.
After a pause, Queen Cersei moved, sitting on Lord Green's lap, one hand gently circling his neck.
Lord Green clearly felt Queen Cersei's breath, and his body stiffened, not daring to move.
She swayed the goblet in her other hand and said with a smile, "Will you spare no effort for the Queen's safety?"
Lord Green's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Cersei's expression grew even more gentle, her beautiful eyes fixed on him: "Regardless of that person's identity?"
Lord Green's pupils constricted. He looked at the exquisite face half a palm away, his voice filled with suppressed excitement: "Yes, Your Majesty, loyal and fearless."
"Very good…"
Queen Cersei raised her goblet, took a sip of summer red, and said, "Green, your Queen is very satisfied with your answer. How should I reward you?"
Lord Green's voice was very respectful, but with a slight tremor.
"Your Grace, your trust is the greatest reward…"
As he spoke, his eyes moved, and he continued, "A warrior only needs a cup of fine wine."
Queen Cersei's smile deepened. She happily granted Lord Green's small request, and the clumsy Lord Green tasted the mellow summer red.
...
Outside Maegor's Garden, Lord Green stopped, looking in the direction of the Throne Room.
The first step was to use Lancel and strong liquor to create an accident that wasn't an accident. If the drunken King Robert was lucky enough to avoid an accident, then he would face an ambush by Jaime Lannister and the Lannister Army, who had returned to their old ways.
What if the drunken King escaped again? Lord Green was Queen Cersei's last resort, a coup.
Queen Cersei told Lord Green that in a few days, she would take her children to the hunting grounds to meet King Robert… Thinking of this, Lord Green's eyes trembled slightly.
Joffrey's charm offensive was very successful; Lord Green could feel that Sansa was completely captivated. Queen Cersei and Joffrey would take Sansa with them under the guise of hunting, and the little Direwolf girl in her hand could become a hostage to control the Direwolf at any time.
The arrangements were very thorough. If things went awry, the pervasive Varys might even secretly assist. King Robert was doomed to die.
At that time, Count Green, holding 2,000 Blue Cloaks in King's Landing, would be the only variable.
Lord Green replayed every detail of his encounter with Queen Cersei just now, then, with a flick of his blue cloak embroidered with swamp marigolds, he resumed his steps.
Lord Green's mind was meticulous and sharp, and he understood Queen Cersei very well. The more gentle she was with him, the more it indicated hidden malice.
Lord Green played his role well. In Cersei's eyes, this outwardly reserved young man had already succumbed to her charm… He could be used, or he could be killed; both were within her control.
...
As he walked, Lord Green looked back at Maegor's Holdfast.
If King Robert could be eliminated through an accident or ambush… it would be a win-win situation, and Lord Green would very likely be appointed Lord Commander of the Gold Cloaks as she said.
If he came to power through a coup, the meritorious Lord Green would become a scapegoat, and very likely, Duke Eddard, who was like a brother to King Robert, would also be included.
The plan seemed flawless… yet Lord Green sighed inwardly with a touch of helplessness. His boss, Cersei, seemed to completely disregard the possibility of him staging another coup.
The Direwolf might yield for his children, but would Lord Green, holding military power, obediently surrender as Cersei believed he would?
Count Green, currently without a wife or children, could be said to have no weaknesses in certain situations… Arrogant scheming, that's very Cersei.
Was he too good at acting normally? Did Queen Cersei not consider the consequences if Lord Green, holding significant military power, resisted?
She was even preparing to divert Gold Cloak equipment to arm the Cleber Soldiers, which was indeed very Cersei.
Perhaps she had considered some things, but a young man who secretly adored her, whom she could meet privately at any time and… smash a cup as a signal, cough!
Lord Green sighed inwardly. Cersei's luck was truly good, and this was the Game of Thrones… His Lordship wasn't angry at all.
Lord Green then thought of the stubborn Duke Eddard. He rubbed his hair, a little headache. Perhaps walking slower would lead to a steadier path.
...
The pavilion near the Hall of Office.
Lord Green didn't wait long before Varys walked over with light steps.
Varys clasped his hands and said, "Good day, Count Green."
Varys's demeanor and gestures in front of others were somewhat exaggerated, and his emotions fluctuated greatly, seeming easily startled, but when he met Lord Green privately, he always appeared very amiable.
Lord Green knew that these were Varys's deliberate "camouflages." His harmless appearance was also one of the reasons he held a steady seat on the Small Council in the Red Keep.
Varys had previously taken the initiative to invite him to work together (Chapter 124), and Lord Green had cautiously chosen to accept after a period of "careful consideration."
Then, both parties agreed that Littlefinger was a troublemaker who could easily cause unexpected shifts in the situation. At the same time, Varys, to show sincerity, took on the task of delivering the finishing blow.
Lord Green's original secret ally, Petyr Baelish, was sent to the Black Cells by him and Varys working together, giving birth to a new secret alliance: Lord Green and Varys.
The political objectives of their collaboration were selfless; they aimed to bring a truly good King to the impoverished people of the Seven Kingdoms.
The chosen new King was Viserys Targaryen, the true heir to the Iron Throne by right, whom the people eagerly awaited and who understood their suffering.
In short, after discussing with Varys at the time, Lord Green felt that he had been elevated.
On the surface, they were working together to bring back the new King Viserys. As for Varys's true intentions… they weren't important… because between the two of them, it was merely a temporary mutual need.
It was just a matter of who would use the other to achieve their goals first.
...
Lord Green nodded slightly to Varys and said, "Good day, Lord Varys."
Varys's plump face bore a slight smile as he said, "My little birds have just brought astonishing news."
After a pause, Lord Green's eyes moved, and he said, "Could it be… Tyrell?"
"Not just Tyrell…"
The Mountain, who killed the Knight of Flowers in yesterday's tourney melee, also fell in a pool of blood under siege by Renly and Tyrell guards, but he survived thanks to Grand Maester Pycelle's treatment.
Upon hearing the news, Ser Garlan (Duke Mace's second son) and Lord Renly, with red eyes, rushed over with their guards.
Varys sighed, "The Mountain is truly terrifying. More than a dozen people on both sides died or were injured, and the Mountain, before dying, forcibly broke Garlan Tyrell's right arm."
"Can it be healed?"
Varys shook his head, "The Duke of Highgarden's eldest son limped on one leg when he first participated in a tourney, and his second son has now lost an arm, plus his third son died in this tourney… Alas!"
Lord Green raised an eyebrow and said, "There seems to be good news too?"
Varys sighed again, "An unexpected disaster… The Little Devil of Lannister, returning home from a brothel, was coincidentally caught in this conflict. His face was slashed by someone, it's said the sword wound runs from below his left eye all the way to his right jaw, half his nose is gone, and a piece of his lip is missing… Blood flowed all the way when he was carried away, Maester Pycelle must be swamped."
Lord Green frowned slightly, tapping the pavilion railing with his long fingers.
He turned his head to Varys, his gaze filled with concern: "Lord Varys, are Tyrion's injuries very serious?"
"I don't think they will be life-threatening…"
Varys's eyes trembled, and he added, "I heard the injured area was too painful for the healers to clean the wound. It's said he was given a lot of milk of the poppy to temporarily relieve his suffering."
Lord Green closed his eyes.
After a short while, he opened his eyes and said calmly, "Lord Varys, the situation in the southern Kingdoms is becoming increasingly serious. Is this beneficial to His Majesty?"
"His Majesty" in Lord Green's words referred to Viserys, who was in Essos, and it was a secret code understood only by him and Varys.
Varys nodded slightly: "Duke Tywin, who ignored Aerys II's orders for nearly a year, suddenly appeared outside King's Landing with a 12,000-strong Lannister Army and requested entry into the city."
"Although I strongly opposed the Lannister Army's request to enter the city, His Majesty accepted Maester Pycelle's suggestion and opened the city gates… Ha, King's Landing, with its tall city walls, fell in an instant, and from then on, the Targaryen Iron Throne could no longer be saved."
After a moment of silence, he added, "The traitors and those who benefited most from that great war will be His Majesty's greatest opponents in reclaiming the Iron Throne."
Lord Green said, "It seems Tyrion's injury is good news for His Majesty, because…"
Varys interjected, "A Lannister always pays his debts."
He smiled and added, "What a troublesome principle of conduct."
...
...
Prime Minister's Tower.
Jon Snow, his face somewhat pale, lay on the bed, while Mondon Wei Shui's broad figure sat in a nearby chair.
Jon was recovering from a leg injury sustained in the tourney's melee.
He moved his injured leg slightly, wincing in pain and letting out a groan.
Mondon said guilelessly, "Jon, the healer said that your pain is a gift from the gods. It means the bone is gradually mending, and the wound will heal quickly."
"Gods damn it…"
Jon first cursed under his breath, then said, "Mondon, when my foot stops hurting, it won't be too late to thank the gods."
Mondon pointed to the medicine pot on the table and said, "That's the milk of the poppy the healer left for you to drink when the pain gets too severe."
"I don't want to keep sleeping…"
With a bang, the room door suddenly burst open, and Arya, her face streaked with tears, rushed in.
"Brother, Bra… Bran he…"
Black wings, bringing black news.