Thud, thud, thud!
Bang, bang, bang!
A continuous rain of arrows arced in perfect parabolas, falling into the square formation of Blackwood soldiers holding wooden shields and carrying siege ladders.
Most arrows embedded themselves in the thick surface of the wooden shields, while a small portion shot through the gaps into the bodies of the siege soldiers.
At the same time, sturdy stones the size of heads were also hurled from the relatively low inner city walls of Riverrun.
They made loud crashing sounds against the wooden shields held by the Blackwood soldiers.
Most stones were directly deflected by the sturdy wooden shields, while a small portion smashed the wooden shields and the heads of the siege soldiers beneath them into pieces.
From a safe position in the rear, Earl Samwell, who was directing and observing the battle, looked forward with some annoyance at the inner wall of Riverrun, which was full of cracks but had not collapsed.
Perhaps it was because the inner wall of Riverrun was low that it hadn't collapsed like the outer wall and the main keep.
Moreover, these soldiers, who were fiercely loyal to House Tully, were still resisting stubbornly under these circumstances, showing no intention of surrendering.
But it didn't matter.
Since no formal siege battle had been conducted before, the combat strength of their army was well preserved.
Even if this low inner wall had to be leveled with a pile of corpses, it could be done.
"Give the order, attack the city at all costs!
The warrior who is the first to climb the wall and survive will be rewarded three hundred Golden Dragons!"
A first-to-climb reward of three hundred Golden Dragons!!!
This was completely an astronomical figure for ordinary soldiers, and the most solid outer wall of Riverrun was already breached, so this first-to-climb reward was practically within reach.
As soon as Earl Samwell's order was relayed, the morale of the siege soldiers instantly soared to its peak.
One by one, Blackwood siege soldiers enduring the attacks of the inner city guards of Riverrun quickly arrived below the inner city of Riverrun.
Clap, clap, clap!
Countless siege soldiers emerged from behind their defensive wooden shields, placing the siege ladders they held onto the inner city walls of Riverrun.
This signaled the official start of the bloody and brutal wall-climbing battle!
Blood and screams instantly multiplied several times compared to before, and the inner city of Riverrun immediately became a meat grinder.
"Earl, King Jaehaerys will return from the Iron Islands in the next couple of days.
Shouldn't we wait a little longer?
If Your Majesty's Dragon participates in the battle, the inner city of Riverrun can be broken in an instant!"
Samwell's captain of the guard watched their soldiers fall from the siege ladders like dumplings dropping into a pot.
Immediately, with a face full of worry, he advised his Lord.
"No, if Your Majesty takes this city, our military achievements will be greatly reduced."
Samwell shook his head upon hearing this, then looked at his soldiers fighting bravely on the wall and continued,
"Look how brave our soldiers are.
With them here, taking the inner city of Riverrun is just a matter of time."
"Yes, they are indeed very brave.
But... the casualties are also very high!"
The captain of the guard nodded in response upon hearing this, then muttered very softly.
Just as he said, their soldiers attacking the inner city of Riverrun at this moment were completely disregarding their own safety.
Because Jacaerys had previously issued a new system for rewarding military achievements, the soldiers of the Seven Kingdoms who were fighting for the King were now very brave.
They vied with each other to climb up and kill more enemies, seeking to gain more military achievements.
However, they didn't quite know how to protect themselves while killing enemies, so although they maintained a morale like a rainbow, casualties were constantly increasing.
Earl Velys Mooton of Weeping Town was one of the Earls who responded to this allied army.
He had been listening silently on the side before, and couldn't help but open his mouth to ask: "Earl Samwell, I understand that you are considering our military achievements.
But why are you unwilling to capture the commoners near Riverrun to use as cannon fodder for the siege?
Forcing the attack like this today, the casualties among our soldiers are heavy.
The death rate is quickly approaching ten percent!"
"Let the commoners near Riverrun serve as cannon fodder?
Indeed, they can go die to exhaust the enemy's stamina, arrows, and stones.
But they have no will to fight at all.
If they collapse after a few attempts, it will instead affect the overall morale of our army.
Furthermore, King Jaehaerys previously issued new laws to improve sanitation and encourage childbirth, which is precisely to minimize the death rate among commoners.
Earl Mooton, how many commoners do you think would have to die to exhaust the soldiers inside Riverrun to the point where they can't move?
And do you think Your Majesty, upon arriving at Riverrun later and seeing so many commoner corpses, will praise us or punish us?"
Samwell looked at the situation of the siege battle expressionlessly, answering without turning his head.
"Uh, yes, you are indeed more thoughtful.
But I want to ask, why are it always the soldiers of my Mooton family who are serving as the siege vanguard?"
Just as he said, during the battles of this period, the Mooton family had always been serving as the vanguard.
Therefore, half of the casualties were soldiers from the Mooton family.
Earl Mooton, who had endured for several days, finally took the opportunity to speak his mind.
"I selected soldiers who are brave in combat and have stronger fighting capabilities for the siege, so that there is a better chance of breaching the city and winning.
Earl Mooton, rest assured!
After breaching the city, I will give rewards according to merit.
I will absolutely not let you suffer a loss!"
Hearing Earl Mooton finally speak his mind, Samwell inwardly snorted coldly, replied with his usual expression, then changed the subject and continued,
"Earl Mooton, I want to remind you.
I am the Commander of this army.
I know how to lead troops and fight battles, and I don't need you to tell me what to do!
Do you understand?"
"Understood, Earl Samwell, I will take my leave."
Hearing Samwell's merciless tone, Earl Mooton replied with an exceptionally grim expression and immediately turned to leave.
Samwell watched Earl Mooton's retreating back, a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
This Earl Mooton always wanted to put in less effort and gain more advantage, and also often bossed him around, relying on Weeping Town being a prosperous large town with a port.
He deliberately arranged for the Mooton family soldiers to act as the vanguard precisely to deplete some of the Mooton family's foundation.
Hmph, who told Earl Mooton to annoy me!
Power in Westeros can easily change a person's character.
The formerly honest Earl Samwell, having served as the Master of Ships in King's Landing for so long, had also learned how to use public office for private gain and eliminate political enemies.
Whoosh! ~~
With the sound of the horn from the Blackwood camp, the Blackwood army, which had originally committed only one-fifth of its forces, began to attack the city with full force without reservation.
Several trebuchets hastily built over the past few days were also pushed forward, beginning to load stones the size of an adult's upper body, preparing to attack.
"Haha, Todd, look.
I smashed another enemy to death!
I've already killed five enemies.
According to the Duke's reward calculations, that's five Golden Dragons!
Five Golden Dragons!!!"
At a certain battlement on the left side of Riverrun's inner city, a newly conscripted recruit, after throwing a stone and killing an enemy,
excitedly turned his head and said to another recruit nearby, who was hiding behind the battlement out of fear.
"Howse, have you forgotten what the veterans taught us?
Quickly lower your body, be careful of the enemy's arrows."
Todd saw Howse, who was so excited he forgot himself, just standing there talking to him with his body straight.
His face changed drastically, and he immediately shouted at Howse.
"Haha, I'm a man who will become a knight someday.
How could I die so easily?
Look, their arrows are all going around me!"
Hearing this, Howse not only didn't squat down but deliberately leaned his body outwards towards the city wall,
After several stray arrows shot over his head, he burst into laughter, then said to Tomard very proudly.
"Okay, okay.
I know!
Just squat down first!"
Seeing Todd's panicked expression, Howse finally squatted down,
Then he smiled and said to Tomard: "Tomard, be brave and get up and fight.
You've missed a lot of military achievements these past few days.
If you keep this up, you will absolutely not make any money!
Let me tell you a secret, the more afraid of death a person is, the sooner they die.
This is experience I got from a veteran by paying some copper coins.
So, be brave like me..."
Bang, crash!
Just as Howse was imparting battlefield experience to Tomard, several trebuchets in the Blackwood positions outside the city launched their first wave of attack towards the inner city of Riverrun.
A huge stone happened to hit the battlement where Howse was hiding.
The battlement of Riverrun's inner city was not particularly sturdy and was directly shattered by the stone carrying immense kinetic energy.
The broken stones, along with the huge stone, smashed heavily onto Howse's body, burying his subsequent words forever.
"Howse!"
Tomard, who was stunned by the scene before his eyes, immediately crawled to the pile of rubble after reacting, wanting to rescue Howse.
As Tomard frantically dug through the rubble, a large amount of bright red blood seeped out, indicating Howse's tragic end.
Following two rounds of bombardment by the trebuchets, came the Blackwood siege soldiers surging forward like a tide.
The Commander of Riverrun's inner city had not expected that the Blackwood army, which had been conducting normal probing attacks, would launch a general assault today.
Facing enemies several times their number, the Riverrun recruits on the inner city walls of Riverrun immediately suffered heavy casualties.
Blackwood siege soldiers had already begun to climb the walls and engage in close combat with the Riverrun recruits on the walls.
Seeing the situation suddenly turn like this, the Riverrun Commander hurriedly ran down the city wall and redeployed the veterans who were resting within the inner city of Riverrun back onto the wall to participate in the battle.
Led by these experienced veterans, the other Riverrun recruits mustered their courage and continued fighting, pushing back wave after wave of Blackwood siege soldiers.
Blood, severed limbs, and corpses on the inner city walls of Riverrun constantly increased, and the lives of soldiers from both sides continuously perished in this offensive and defensive battle.
The defenders of Riverrun's inner city, engaged in fierce combat, did not notice a special carriage with wooden shields reinforced on its exterior.
This special carriage, with raw oxhide covering the wooden shields, arrived at the gate of Riverrun's inner city under the cover of a squad of Blackwood siege soldiers.
When this special carriage stopped behind the inner city gate of Riverrun, these Blackwood siege soldiers immediately fled in panic towards the rear, as if some monster was chasing them.
Boom!!!
A violent explosion sounded, and the familiar emerald green flame directly engulfed the oak and iron gate of Riverrun's inner city, along with the hundreds of soldiers from both sides on the gatehouse.
The Commander, who was in the training yard of Riverrun's inner city mobilizing newly recruited soldiers and servants, stood stunned for a long time after hearing the loud noise.
Looking at the empty area outside the inner city gate of Riverrun, where Blackwood siege soldiers were continuously using dirt to extinguish the fire,
The Commander, realizing what had happened, immediately roared loudly: "The gate is breached!
Everyone quickly come and form ranks here to resist the enemy!"
When the Wildfire at the destroyed inner city gate of Riverrun was completely extinguished, the Riverrun Commander had gathered five or six hundred defending soldiers in the training yard and formed a square formation.
But facing tens of thousands of Blackwood soldiers, their outcome was already sealed.
Rip!
Samwell, riding his warhorse, entered the inner city of Riverrun and saw the Blackwood soldiers finishing off the heavily wounded enemies.
At this moment, in the training yard of Riverrun's inner city, there were approximately four or five Riverrun soldier captives and thousands of commoners kneeling densely on the ground.
"I am Samwell Blackwood.
Which one of you is the Commander?
Stand up and speak to me!"
"I am, Mills Riverun."
As soon as Samwell finished speaking, from the kneeling crowd, the Riverrun Commander, with a bloody sword wound on his left shoulder and covered in blood, stood up.
"Riverun as a surname, yet you can command the soldiers of Riverrun.
So, you are a baseborn of House Tully?"
"Yes, Earl Samwell.
Since we both belong to the Lords, please grant us the treatment of noble captives.
At the same time, we will also give you a corresponding ransom in exchange for our freedom!"
Mills nodded upon hearing this, then answered Samwell loudly.
"Apologies, this time King Your Majesty personally ordered the encirclement and annihilation of traitors.
Therefore, you cannot receive the treatment of noble captives, and it is also impossible for us to take a ransom and grant you freedom.
What I want to ask is, where is Marquess Graver Tully?"
Hearing Mills' words, Samwell shook his head, refused, and asked in return.
"You want us to betray our own Lord?
Heh heh, dream on!
You dog who betrayed and bit your own master!"
Seeing that the negotiation failed, Mills immediately let out a loud laugh and then directly began to insult him.
"Not bad, I appreciate your loyalty!
However, the master of the Seven Kingdoms is King Jaehaerys.
If you look at it that way, then Marquess Graver is the first dog who betrayed and bit his own master!
Heh heh, you're essentially cursing your own master!"
Earl Samwell, hearing his words, wasn't angry at all and joked with Mills,
Then he turned his head and said loudly to the other North captives kneeling on the ground,
"There should be many non-combatants among you who were forcibly conscripted.
If none of you tell me, then I will kill everyone and throw your bodies into the river to feed the fish.
And the first person to tell me and assist me in capturing Marquess Graver will be rewarded three hundred, no, five hundred Golden Dragons!"
Earl Samwell's words immediately caused unrest among the kneeling captives.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Mills' eyes darted left and right, and he immediately lost his previous tough appearance.
He was only heard to say: "Apologies, Earl Samwell.
I was a bit emotional just now.
I've thought it through now.
I will take you to find Graver Tully now!"
"Tsk, I really thought you were a tough one just now!
Let's go then!
Lead the way."
Mills, whose hands were tied, immediately got up and walked ahead, leading Earl Samwell and his party towards the basement of Riverrun.
But as soon as they entered the basement, Mills immediately rushed towards the blazing brazier on the left wall.
Seeing this, Samwell immediately became fully alert, directly hiding behind a guardsman, using the other person as his human shield.
Clang!
Bang!
The brazier fell to the ground, and a burst of orange-red flame erupted.
Illuminated by the firelight, it wasn't a basement for hiding people at all, but clearly a wine cellar.
Moreover, Mills had clearly prepared in advance; the ground was already covered with flammable strong liquor.
Boom!
The wine cellar exploded, and Earl Samwell, along with the guardsman, was blown to the ground by the powerful impact at close range.
Although his life was not in danger, the flames from the wine cellar's flash fire severely burned the right side of his body.
Da da da!
Earl Samwell, enduring the pain and walking to the ground level, roared at the stunned Blackwood soldiers around him: "Damn it, kill everyone in this Riverrun!
After looting everything valuable, set the castle on fire!"
"Yes!"
Accompanied by the excited replies of the Blackwood soldiers, the bloody massacre of this castle began!
(End of this chapter)