Turn the Chessboard Upside Down

"What beautiful swordsmanship, Young Wolf Lord. Would you let me try my hand against you?"

Jaime, who had been watching from the side, was angered by Joffrey's disadvantage. Yet with a smile on his face, he invited Robb to spar.

"What? Kingslayer, are you planning to take advantage of the spar and stab Robb in the back too? Like the Mad King? Hahahaha."

Before Robb could answer Jaime, Robert leaned over from the second floor and shouted down toward the Training Ground.

"Hmph!"

Hearing that irritating voice, Jaime knew he could not vent Joffrey's frustration for the time being. Without even looking up at Robert, he turned and walked straight out of the Training Ground.

"Ned, it seems that the stench-filled King's Landing can only give me useless fawns, while the freezing Winterfell is what lets you father wolves like this."

On the wooden gallery, Robert waved at Robb and the others as they saluted in the Training Ground, then turned to Eddard beside him.

Eddard lowered his head slightly and answered sincerely, "Your Majesty, only fierce wolves can better guard the North for you."

"Hahaha, you really know how to talk!"

"I only speak the truth!"

Only after Robert and Eddard left the wooden gallery did the Wolf Guard in the Training Ground burst into laughter.

They continued discussing the farce from earlier. Robb answered a few questions now and then with a smile, but from the corner of his eye, he noticed Owen, one of the Wolf Guard Captains Six, quietly leaving the Training Ground.

After dinner, Owen came to Robb's room and reported Jaime's movements that day.

Robb smiled and offered him a few words of encouragement, then instructed Owen that as long as Jaime did not head toward the Broken Tower, he was not to alert him. He was only to keep watch from a distance.

Owen nodded to show that he understood, then saluted and took his leave.

For the next three or four days, Robb and the others went through their routine training every day, but they never saw Joffrey again.

On the fifth day since the king's arrival at Winterfell, Robert—who had spent his days wandering around, drinking, or seeking the company of prostitutes—finally grew somewhat impatient.

Early that morning, he announced that he had received word of Direwolf sightings in the Wolfswood and forcibly dragged Eddard along with him.

He even said that if they failed to find any Direwolves, they could simply consider it a hunting trip.

The nobles of the Seven Kingdoms basically all knew that after taking the throne, Robert liked only three things: wine, hunting, and women.

Unable to dampen the king's enthusiasm, Eddard could only order the servants to prepare for the journey.

After half a day of preparations, when the sun had climbed to its zenith, Robert and Eddard finally set out from Hunter's Gate west of Winterfell with their personal guards and a large number of servants.

In theory, Jaime, as a member of the Kingsguard, should have accompanied them.

But Cersei forcibly kept him behind, using the excuse that the prince had suffered a crushing defeat while sparring with the Young Wolf Lord and therefore needed Jaime to teach Joffrey swordsmanship.

Who knew whether Cersei truly wanted Jaime to teach Joffrey, or wanted him to teach her "swordsmanship" instead?

Standing nearby, Robb watched Cersei's performance with a smile, unable to stop himself from giving her a mental thumbs-up.

Everything had gone even more smoothly than he had expected!

As night deepened, the vast majority of people had already sunk into deep slumber.

"Ah!..."

On the walls by Winterfell's Inner City gate, a night watchman let out a long yawn as white vapor billowed from his mouth.

Creak! Creak!

Beneath the walls, the sound of a carriage gradually grew louder.

The night watchman, suddenly wide awake, looked down.

He saw a driver in a hooded cloak slowly approaching in a carriage loaded with barrel-shaped cargo.

Several Wolf Guard soldiers wearing leather armor bearing the Direwolf crest escorted it.

"Open the gate! Those are my things!"

Hearing a clear voice behind him, the gate soldier turned around and hurriedly saluted.

"At your command, Lord Robb!"

Robb, accompanied by Theon and several Wolf Guard soldiers, nodded with a smile and watched as the gate soldier turned the winch. With a creak, the drawbridge gate of the Inner City descended.

"Thank you. Sorry for the trouble!"

Robb thanked the night watchman, then turned and walked down from the wall.

"Lord Robb!"

After the carriage crossed the drawbridge gate and entered the Inner City, it happened to encounter Robb coming down from the wall. The driver hurriedly pulled down his hood and saluted him.

"Sam, you've done very well!"

Looking at Sam, who had not been seen for over half a month and was visibly thinner yet more mature, Robb praised him sincerely.

"Thank you for your praise. It is my honor to serve you!"

Sam looked somewhat pleased at the praise and nodded as he replied.

"During the transport, you didn't leave at any point, did you? Did anything happen along the way?"

Robb's gaze passed over Sam and settled on the barrel-shaped cargo behind him.

Seeing that Robb was asking about serious matters, Sam immediately straightened and said, "From the moment Lord Ramsay handed this cargo over to me, I have not left it for even a moment. I specifically inspected it before entering the city just now. There are no problems at all."

"Good! Theon, take them there. Deliver it to the designated location according to plan."

Seeing that Sam had handled things properly, Robb nodded and gave the order.

"Yes!"

Theon nodded in agreement, an expression of hesitation on his face.

"Theon, there's no need to say anything else. Once everything is arranged, send someone to notify me. When I give the signal, act according to plan. Stay safe!"

Seeing his expression, Robb knew what Theon wanted to say.

He waved to stop him, finished giving his instructions, and turned toward the Main Keep's front entrance.

Seeing that Robb was not giving him any chance to persuade him, Theon bit his lip and hardened his resolve. He led Sam and the Wolf Guard soldiers around toward the rear of the Main Keep.

After slowly traveling for around ten minutes, the carriage reached a spot against the wall behind the Main Keep. There, a circle had been painted on the ground with white paint.

Theon directed Sam and the Wolf Guard soldiers to unload the barrel-shaped cargo and move it near the white circle.

The Wolf Guard had long since been trained to obey orders without question. Although the cargo gave off a pungent smell, they still followed orders without asking anything unnecessary.

Thud!

Two Wolf Guard soldiers set down one of the barrels heavily, and Theon and Sam's expressions changed drastically. In unison, they growled softly, "Careful!"

They exchanged a glance, understanding that the other knew what this cargo was.

It was Wildfire, obtained by Ramsay through special channels...

"Send you away, a thousand miles..."

Whistling a Blue Star Chinese song, Robb walked through the corridors of the Main Keep, trying to ease the suppressed irritation and restlessness in his heart.

Daisy, fully armed, emerged from the darkness of the corridor and quietly reported from behind Robb, "Lord Robb, Lady Catelyn and the other young masters and ladies have all gone to sleep. Someone is standing guard outside their doors.

"Our people rotated the guards at the Main Keep's guest rooms today. Everyone from Lannister is there. Not one of them has left."

"Good. If the Wildfire doesn't kill every Lannister, then we'll finish them ourselves."

Robb had already developed great trust in the Wolf Guard Captains Six whose loyalty had been tested.

He had informed them of this long-planned scheme three days in advance.

The six captains had not been without objections to Robb's plan. Theon, for instance, had repeatedly urged him to think it over carefully.

But under Robb's determined insistence, they had all chosen to help him carry out the plan.

That was right. What Robb wanted to do now was... turn the chessboard upside down!

Thanks to reader 202107251332479 for the monthly vote. And thanks as well to all the readers who keep following, commenting, and casting recommendation votes every day.

This Sunday, this book has a recommendation slot, so I'll add another chapter for you all. Hmm, counting the extra chapter I mentioned earlier, that makes two bonus chapters in total. I hope everyone will continue to support this book.