*
The Crownlands, the Kingswood, near Grassy Vale
Under the glow of the morning sun, a massive army advanced slowly, their sole objective being the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, King's Landing.
This army was not heading for battle; instead, they were laden with wheat and brown bread, tasked with transporting food to King's Landing.
Due to Jon's blockade plan, the Kingsroad in the north, the Goldroad in the center, and the Rose Road here had all been sealed off by Jon.
To prevent anyone from delivering food to King's Landing via small paths, Jon had deployed all his cavalry to eliminate these supply convoys through guerrilla tactics and raiding.
This situation had driven Lord Mace Tyrell and Lord Tywin Lannister in King's Landing to desperation; while developing sea routes for food, they were also actively opening new land routes.
The army appearing here today was formed specifically to transport food, led by House Tyrell to ensure the convoy could successfully enter King's Landing.
House Tyrell had prepared several decoy armies; along the way, this particular force had been attacked by Dornishmen and Targaryen forces.
Some minor lords who had secretly pledged loyalty to Jon also contributed significantly, especially by selling the intelligence of this army to Jon.
As the troops advanced, the banners of the golden rose shimmered in the sunlight, seemingly a symbol of their firm conviction and determination.
Beneath the banners was a burly knight with a steady gaze, holding a riding crop as he watched the army's slow progress.
Ser Tanton Fossoway was a knight of House Fossoway of Cider Hall. Since House Fossoway was related to House Tyrell by marriage, the main force of this food transport was composed of men from Cider Hall.
"Keep it up! Victory is just ahead! We are the best! The girls in King's Landing have already opened their hearts—and more—waiting for you to dive in!"
"Hah!"
Under Ser Tanton Fossoway's encouragement, whether they were knight mercenaries serving as guards or commoners, everyone looked exceptionally excited. They knew well that the rewards for completing this mission would be very generous.
The bulk of this supply convoy consisted of wagons filled with wheat and brown bread, each pulled by two sturdy horses. The sacks of grain were piled high on the wagons, moving like small mountains.
The wagoners held their whips and drove the horses, their faces brimming with satisfaction and pride, knowing they were doing something great.
At the rear of the convoy, a large flock of goats was bleating; clearly, these goats were also part of the food supply.
On both sides of the transport team were rows of soldiers in armor, holding spears, marching with steady steps and resolute gazes.
Their presence was to ensure the army's safety and prevent any possible threats. After receiving encouragement from their superior, their hearts were also filled with excitement.
"Clatter, clatter, clatter…"
Just as everyone was continuing forward with joy, a thin black line suddenly appeared on the distant horizon.
As the sound of hoofbeats grew louder, the soldiers serving as scouts in the front finally discovered that the force charging from afar was actually a unit of cavalry.
This cavalry unit appeared on the horizon like ghosts, their target clear: this slowly advancing food convoy.
The arrival of this cavalry brought a terrifying air of slaughter to the originally peaceful Kingswood, and Ser Tanton Fossoway received the report immediately.
"Prepare for defense! Sound the horns!"
As the order was given, Ser Tanton Fossoway finally saw the full view of the cavalry through his telescope.
It was a unit of cavalry clad in dark armor, wearing helmets that covered their faces, revealing only cold eyes.
Their armor glinted with a cold light under the sun, looking like messengers of the Stranger, portending the coming battle and death.
"May the Seven protect us. We will succeed!"
…After Ser Tanton Fossoway said this, he was shocked to find more dark figures appearing around their unit.
---
In the Throne Room of the Red Keep in King's Landing, a terrifying silence hung over the crowd. Many lords and nobles whispered, seemingly unable to believe the news they had just received.
Upon learning that several supply routes had been intercepted and the convoys destroyed, King Joffrey Baratheon felt as if he had been struck by a bolt from the blue.
This dreadful news instantly shattered all his self-esteem and pride. He sat upon the throne, pale-faced with empty eyes, as if he had lost his soul.
As the situation in the kingdom grew increasingly dire, Joffrey had begun to study some knowledge. Though it was only a little, he was no longer like before, knowing only how to kill.
Joffrey's change was, in a way, thanks to Jon. It was precisely Jon's series of actions at the Great Sept of Baelor that directly crushed the golden-haired king's arrogance and made him realize there is always someone better.
Thus, the current Joffrey understood very clearly the terrifying consequences for his rule over King's Landing if the food ran out.
Just as depicted in the book he had recently been reading, The True History of the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenyra Targaryen, who had already held the advantage, suffered a total defeat because she failed to maintain stability in King's Landing.
But at the thought of the continuous bad news received during this period, Joffrey's body couldn't help but tremble as he felt an uncontrollable rage surge from deep within.
"Thump…"
Joffrey clenched his hand into a fist and slammed it hard against the armrest of the throne, producing a dull thud. His eyes turned bloodshot, filled with fury and despair.
"That wretched bastard! He should die! He should go to the Seven Hells!"
Joffrey's voice was like a demon's from hell, filled with endless hatred and pain.
"I want him to pay the price! And those nobles who have betrayed me—they all deserve to die!"
Joffrey's anger erupted like a volcano, completely beyond control.
"Oh! My dear Joff, don't be like this. You'll ruin your health. The Seven Kingdoms cannot be without you!"
Cersei Lannister felt a pang of heartache seeing her son's state. After several words of comfort, Joffrey finally calmed down slightly.
The ministers standing below the Iron Throne looked at Joffrey in terror. They all knew this king was a fickle being who wouldn't even blink when killing someone.
In the last meeting in the Throne Room, a minor noble from the Crownlands was thrown into the dungeons of King's Landing just for suggesting negotiations. It was heard that Joffrey shot him with a crossbow that very night.
"So what should we do now? Are we to just keep going like this?"
Hearing Joffrey's question, everyone instinctively turned their gaze toward the two men seated in the hall. One was the Warden of the West, Lord Tywin Lannister, who was also the current Hand of the King.
The other was the Warden of the South, Lord Mace Tyrell of Highgarden. These two were the most powerful men in King's Landing, far better than Joffrey, the sadistic king.
"For now, we have no good way to deal with the enemy. We can only rely on naval power to sustain ourselves. Although the grain from Pentos is a bit expensive, we can't worry about that now."
Lord Tywin was the first to speak. He had just recovered from the defeat at Harrenhal. To be honest, he had no good solution when facing Jon's dragons.
If it weren't for the fact that Tywin had already mortally offended the Targaryen family and House Stark, he might have already been considering peace.
Hearing Tywin's answer, the crowd instinctively turned to Lord Mace. Although everyone found the "Lord Puff Fish" a bit laughable, he was, after all, the legitimate Warden of the South.
"We can only temporarily leave all issues to sea transport and continuously dispatch troops to harass the enemy, hoping to find a more traversable path."
Lord Mace's words made everyone's eyes light up, surprising many who were familiar with him.
"Your Majesty! What do you think of my father's proposal?"
Just then, Margaery Tyrell, who had been sitting in the chair behind the Iron Throne, quietly leaned closer to it.
"Lord Mace's suggestion I very much approve of. It is a very good plan."
While Margaery and Joffrey were chatting and laughing, Margaery failed to notice a terrifying gaze staring intently from behind—the owner of that gaze was her future mother-in-law.
With Lord Mace's proposal approved, orders were quickly relayed. After discussing several more issues, Joffrey finally regained some confidence and composure.
After finishing these matters, Cersei suddenly called out to Joffrey, but Joffrey ignored his mother and led Margaery out of the Throne Room on his own.
"That bitch, one day I will send you to the Seven Hells!"
Seeing herself left alone at the end, Cersei nearly ground her teeth to pieces.
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