"Ned~ I want to tell you something. You must first promise me not to get excited."
A room in the Red Castle is the office of the Hand of the King. The thick dark red carpet highlights the royal style.
At this time, Ned was sitting behind the 2-meter-long desk, looking directly at Stannis.
"Just tell me, I won't get excited."
He has experienced more exciting things, and he does not believe that there is anything more exciting than the queen and her brother messing around.
As he expected, this is what Stannis was talking about.
"Did you know? I found out that Your Majesty, the Queen, is actually with..."
"With Jaime? I know." Ned's tone was calm, but Stannis was shocked.
"How do you know?"
"Don't worry about it, Stannis, tell me, what do you want to do?"
He does not allow anyone to disrupt the stability of the kingdom.
"No, I didn't want to do anything, but haven't you considered the issue of royal blood?"
"Joffrey?"
"Yes! Joffrey, our titular prince, is also the first heir to the Iron Throne. If Robert's blood does not flow through him, what will you do?"
Ned stared directly at Stannis, making the hero feel terrified.
"Are you sure?"
Stannis was stunned for a moment and shook his head helplessly:
"How can you be sure of this? But think about Joffrey's hair color, which is completely different from the hair color of the Baratheon family!"
"My son Rob inherited his mother's hair color, which doesn't mean anything."
"Damn it, Ned, admit it, you have already believed this incredible conclusion, haven't you?"
Ned stood up, turned his back and looked out the window. The sun was just right at the moment, but his heart couldn't calm down, just like the strong wind blowing outside from time to time!
He knew that the thing he was most worried about was about to happen, and the storm was about to come.
"Do you want to compete for the position of heir?"
"No, Robert is still alive. This is something he should consider." Stannis flatly denied it.
"But what if he dies?" Ned's sudden words made Stannis' hair stand on end.
Could it be...
"What do you mean?"
"I received news that someone is going to attack Robert!"
"What?" Stannis was shocked.
"But I don't know what method the opponent will use, assassination? Poison? It's all possible."
"Is the news reliable?"
"The matter between James and Cersei was obtained through this channel."
Stannis couldn't help but believe it. Someone who could find out such a secret thing must be not simple, so this news must have a certain degree of authenticity.
"What do you want to do?"
"Can I trust you, Stannis?"
"Of course, you can trust me unconditionally. Only I am Robert's most loyal supporter!"
This is true, but before leaving, Gao Bin gave many warnings to Ned not to trust anyone. How could he forget this when he already trusted his second son?
The reason for wanting to win over Stannis is entirely because Gao Bin’s plan also needs to use the Baratheon family.
By doing this, Ned is completely paving the way for the future.
To a certain extent, his most traditional and rigid ideas had already been subtly reversed by Gao Bin.
Of course, he is not aware of all this yet. If he were aware of it, he would probably feel relieved.
An old wolf's greatest hope in this life is to bring out wolf cubs that are far superior to him.
From my mother's point of view, among the wolf cubs of the Stark family, only Gao Bin is the most in line with his wishes.
Closer to home, compared to Stannis, Gao Bin believes that Renly is the biggest waste of the Baratheon family.
Of course, Renly's life has a lot to do with his completely unconventional growth.
When he was still a little baby under one year old, his parents died in a shipwreck in the sea within sight of their castle.
The eldest brother and the second brother waited expectantly on the city wall for their parents to come home, but they witnessed the tragedy. The eldest brother inherited the title and became the young Duke of Storm's End. The second brother was deeply affected and never smiled again. Moreover, the second brother never smiled again.
Believe in the Seven Gods and hate the Seven Gods.
When the lives of the two brothers changed dramatically, Renly was lying in his swaddling clothes and nursing.
Therefore, in the eyes of others, the tragedy of losing his parents when he was young had no impact on Renly, and he did not leave a scar in his heart like his brothers.
Renly grew up slowly in Storm's End, and his eldest brother had gone to the Eyrie to become Lord Arryn's adopted son. He came back from time to time and doted on this cute little brother;
The second brother has a serious face every day and is surrounded by low pressure. He has nothing to say to his younger brother who is much different in age and always locks himself in the room.
At an innocent age, Renly had no control from his parents or guidance from his elder brothers, so he lived a truly comfortable life.
Then he heard that the eldest brother's fiancée had been kidnapped. The eldest brother rebelled with his adopted father and adopted brother. The second brother was defending the city and was about to starve to death. The eldest brother's good buddies came to drive away the enemy and they were all saved.
, the eldest brother took a super beautiful blonde bride and became the king in King's Landing.
In this way, Renly, who was less than seven years old, skipped all the education that a young boy should receive, never served as any lord's cupbearer or squire, and without any inheritance of experience from his elders, became the Duke of Storm's End appointed by his eldest brother.
The second brother moved to Dragonstone angrily.
At this time, little Renly was not as old as Bran at the beginning of the story.
Having grown a few years older, young Lord Renly can now have his own squire. The other person is Loras Tyrell, the third son of Lord Highgarden, who is similar in age to Renly.
The two teenagers were inseparable day and night, extremely close, establishing a strong friendship and establishing a future strategic cooperative relationship with the High Court.
When he reached a certain age, Renly was appointed Lord Chancellor by his eldest brother, and he traveled back and forth to Storm's End. He was loved by everyone for his personality charm and handsome appearance that resembled his eldest brother.
Don’t forget, when Robert was young, he was tall, muscular, with a trim face, clear and charming blue eyes, and a head of black hair. He was the dream lover of countless girls.
And his bold character has a unique charm that can make men win over him, and Renly is almost a replica of young Robert.
But he is more gentlemanly and elegant than his brother.
In the Hall of Dusk, Renly scolded the noble princes who mocked Brienne, and sincerely invited Brienne to dance with her, planting the seeds of a lifelong love affair in the heart of this freaky girl.
In Sunspear, Princess Arianne was enthusiastic and proactive, making secret glances, and Renly responded politely without any overstep.
Everyone said that the king's brother, who smiled like summer grass, must be a wise and kind lord in the future.
Afterwards, the seemingly peaceful Seven Kingdoms finally became turbulent.
The eldest brother died accidentally while hunting (not an accident). The Prime Minister refused to cooperate. Renly fled back to Storm's End. Loras said that he was the most regal, and he was angry with his second brother when he became king and married.
The soldiers from the Reach and the Stormlands marched north, heading straight for King's Landing, with unlimited scenery and great momentum, and then they were assassinated and died.
Renly, tender as summer grass, was perfect before his death, with noble blood, a carefree childhood, a glorious title, a beloved lover, a loyal vassal, a beautiful queen, and a powerful army.
.
Renly has lived a life without any setbacks, but in other words, he has lived a life without truly working hard on his own.
Finally, we have to move out of Storm’s End. The former blacksmith Donal Noy’s conclusion on the coffins of the three deer brothers is final:
If Robert is real steel, then Stannis is pure iron, black, hard and strong, but also easily damaged. Like iron, it will break before it is bent.
As for Renly, he is like gleaming copper. He looks beautiful but is actually not worth much.
Well, saying it is bright pain is definitely a glorification, saying it is copper oxide is almost the same.
Gao Bin would not cooperate with such a young man, let alone a seeded player who has just come out as gay.
Following the direction pointed out by Gao Bin, Ned gradually found a way to break the situation.
Stannis is the pawn he uses, using everyone to keep secrets to form a united front, and then induces Stannis to tear away the fig leaf of Cersei and Jaime.
Based on Ned's understanding of these two people, once he learned that his shameful story was exposed, and that the other person was Robert's biological brother, if he didn't kill him, how could he keep him for the New Year?
But is Stannis that easy to kill?
Anyway, Ned thinks that Stannis will not die, maybe because he thinks that his life is tough.
Regardless of whether he died or not, Robert would definitely know about this and immediately kill Cersei and Jaime.
Of course, considering his relationship with the Lannister family and the existence of the old lion, Robert would probably not kill anyone.
But where will his anger be found?
At this time, through the mouth of Stannis, he revealed to Robert what Littlefinger knew but did not report.
Robert was so angry that if he didn't tear his little finger into pieces, it would be considered a blessing from the Seven Gods.
However, he still underestimated the madness of Cersei and Jaime, a pair of siblings who killed people without caring.
They just laid an ambush while Stannis was on his way home, and they also mixed Robert's wine with poison, so that Robert was stabbed to death by a wild boar while he was out hunting.
When the news reached Ned's ears for the first time, his first reaction was: Is Gao really planning on it?
Immediately afterwards, he was shocked. Robert was already dead. Do you have to wait for death if you stay here?
Hearing Gao Bin's instructions to him, Ned said nothing. Before Cersei could make up her mind, he went directly to find Gao Bin's hidden stake in King's Landing, disguised himself and sent him out of the city.
Afterwards, Ned headed north, preparing to return to the North to reunite with his family. As for whether to send his troops south, that would have to wait until he met Gao Bin.
So far, Gao Bin's strategizing has completely convinced Ned.
He knew that if he lost even a little bit of trust in Gao Bin, he might have fallen into trouble in King's Landing City.
He is not afraid of death. The most frightening thing is that his family will be implicated.
Thinking of this, Ned felt emotional again. If it weren't for Gao Bin before leaving, he might have brought his two daughters to King's Landing.
Gao Bin's words are equivalent to saving three lives.
Fortunately, his surname is Stark. If he were from someone else's family, wouldn't he be plotting to death?
News of Robert's death spread throughout Westeros in an instant, and even the distant continent of Essos heard about it.
No way, Robert is always having fun and making trouble, but he never makes fun of the Iron Throne.
At least in the hearts of the common people and most people, Robert is not a good-for-nothing fool.
At the same time, Stannis, the apparent 'initiator', ran away. He was preparing to return to Dragonstone, and then gathered people. The Iron Throne must belong to the Baratheon family.
Dragonstone is a small rocky island in the Narrow Sea, located at the exit of Blackwater Bay.
Originally the territory of the Targaryen family, its castle was carved into the shape of a dragon.
During Robert's Rebellion, Mad King Aerys sent the pregnant Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys to Dragonstone to ensure their safety.
When Queen Rhaella was giving birth, a huge storm hit Dragonstone and destroyed the Targaryen royal fleet. Daenerys was therefore called "Stormborn".
Queen Rhaella died in childbirth. The remaining loyalists of the Targaryen family took Viserys and Daenerys across the Narrow Sea to the Free Realm. Dragonstone fell into the hands of the Baratheon family.<
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Robert handed Dragonstone to his younger brother Stannis Baratheon for guarding, and gave the richer and more prosperous Storm's End, the castle that the family had inherited from generation to generation, to his younger brother Renly Baratheon.
Stannis has always been worried about it.
But now that Robert is dead, Stannis has proclaimed himself king. He believes that he is the legitimate ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, and he also claims to have been recognized by the Hand of the King.
Unfortunately, Ned disappeared and no one knows where he went.
But anyone who cares can guess, where else can he go besides going north?
At the same time, the news of northern soldiers pressing down on the Iron Islands had already spread across the mainland.
People from other families still don’t understand the purpose of the Northern Territory, but the Western Territory across the sea has somewhat understood it.
To be precise, Tywin saw through Gao Bin's plan.
What is the reason for suddenly approaching the Iron Islands? Isn't it because of the ship in the Iron Islands' hands?
What's the use of the ship? Naturally, it's to send troops to the west in a steady stream.
Of course, Tywin is not afraid. In his opinion, the North has no chance of winning.
But he had to do something. He couldn't really not care about the Northern Territory and let them land in the Western Territory.
So, the old lion put on the armor himself and led an army of 20,000 to the coastal area of the West. Looking north, it seemed that the outline of the Iron Islands could be seen, looming in the mist.
Not two days after Tywin's army set off, Gao Bin received the news. Looking at the old lion's movements in the wire report, he couldn't help but curl up his lips.
Sure enough, Thirty-Six Strategies is the most useful tactical attack in the art of war. This move attacks the east and the west. I hope the old lion has a good time.
Of course he knows that this is not the full strength of the Lannister family.
For centuries, House Lannister has ruled the Westerlands from the fortified city of Casterly Rock.
The West is a mountainous region, dotted with hills and mountains that are known to be rich in gold deposits.
Although the Westerlands is the smallest of the Seven Kingdoms, it is the richest, thanks to its valuable mineral deposits.
Although the coastal area is very suitable for farming, the dense population in the West still puts a strain on the land resources.
After all, Lannisport, the third largest city in Westeros, is located at the foot of Casterly Rock in the West.
Due to the large number of gold mines and the convenient trade conditions in this region, the Lannister family has become the richest family in Westeros.
The region's prosperity is rivaled only by the fertile Reach.
Of course, ordinary people born in the Western Region are not much happier than other places.
However, the people here are able to engage in other jobs that pay slightly higher wages, so that they can have money to buy food in the market instead of farming all day long.
Although the West is not vast, the special environment allows the Lannister to control a huge army.
Mercenaries are easy to buy and transport, and many are able to take time off from work to join the Lannister armies.
There is no need for a lot of labor to work the land to support the family.
In times of war, livelihood problems can be solved by relying on the Lannister's strong financial resources.
The western border is a place that is easy to defend but difficult to attack. If you want to invade from the east by land, you must conquer the impregnable Golden Teeth City. This fortress is located on the only way through the mountains.
Invaders coming from the south had to conquer all the way along the coastal road, passing such strong fortresses as Crake Hall and Tarbek Hall along the way.
The entrance to the southeast is blocked by the Deep Cave Castle, while Ginzan Castle and Kakudani Castle are still standing on the hills on both sides.
Since the Western Territory is not large, the army can move along the roads extending in all directions and quickly reach every point under attack.
When the lord of Casterly Rock summons his vassals, these vassals take their hard-lined laborers away from their work and march to a rendezvous point, usually around Lannister Harbor.
There they trained under the guidance of professional soldiers from the Lannister family.
These well-trained soldiers are the elite of the Lannister army.
In addition, Lannistergar also has enough gold coins to recruit and assemble mercenaries, all of which allow them to quickly form a high-standard army.
The Lannister family can gradually build an army of 60,000 people, and assembling an army of 30,000 to 40,000 people will not shake its economic foundation.
Its wealth makes this army well-equipped. Compared with the northern army that comes with its own equipment, its weapons and armor are much better, and they are uniformly distributed by the feudal lord.
This army configuration has its strategic advantages, allowing Lannister commanders to create true combat units based on different weapon types, allowing for higher-level tactics.
The only drawback is that this requires complex training, and usually there is no such time.
In order to make up for this, the lords can recruit those with combat experience into the army, but in the era of long peace, there are few such people.
Under Tywin Lannister, the lords were accustomed to taking orders from their lord rather than keeping their troops with them.
They will rearrange their troops according to tactical needs.
For example, in the Battle of the Green Fork, the light cavalry was concentrated on the left wing, the heavy cavalry was the reserve, and the main infantry formed the center.
It would be difficult for the Stark army to adopt such a formation because they lack experience in this type of battle.
But on the other hand, the Lannister army does not have as high morale as the army composed of yeoman farmers.
Mercenaries and professional soldiers fight for money, while conscripts strive to protect themselves and return home safely.