"Run!"
"Huff... huff... everyone, hide!"
"Wha... what's wrong... huff... huff..."
The Bloody Earl is back!
" The Bloody Earl is back?!"
"Run! Run!"
"Hide the child! Hurry! Hurry!"
"Little Jenny, quickly smear mud on your face... yes... the dirtier the better! Hurry!"
" The Bloody Earl is coming! Everyone, run!"
"Mommy... Waaaaah..."
"Kneel down quickly, don't look up... whatever you do, don't look up..."
"Waaaah... Mommy..."
Gryn, cycling through Gulltown: "..."
First came chaos, then an eerie silence. This was the third time since he entered Gulltown. ¤ (¯´☆✭.¸_)¤ ¤(_¸.✭☆´¯) ¤
Gryn pulled on the reins and stopped his horse.
From the shouts of the people of Gulltown, Gryn first realized that the news of his secret departure from Gulltown had become common knowledge.
Gryn's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly... Counterintelligence... needs to be arranged as soon as possible.
And... Gryn glanced at the people kneeling by the roadside; he could tell they were indeed afraid of him.
Gulltown was teeming with people... At least before he left, many of the Gulltown loved him, and the title of Bloody Earl was a kind of affectionate nickname for them.
Now, all he sees is fear.
Lord Gryn knew that everything that happened had a hidden story behind it, and if something suddenly went wrong, it meant that someone was up to no good.
Is someone deliberately inciting public panic?
Who orchestrated this? Whoever benefits is the mastermind behind it all... the Vale Nobles.
Who carried it out? The nobles of Gulltown must have been involved.
Gryn sighed inwardly. Although he wanted to minimize the bloodshed in the Vale, he hadn't forgotten his identity; he was a ruler.
He called out, "Rosso."
As soon as Gryn finished speaking, a burly and strong guard immediately urged his horse to come to his side.
"Lord Gryn, Russell Brune is at your service."
Rosso Brune claims to be a descendant of the House Brune of Brownhollow on the Crackclaw Point, but they refuse to acknowledge any blood relation to Rosso, which is rumored to be related to the succession issue of the Brownhollow House Brune.
According to the original storyline, Rosso Brune would have joined Littlefinger's side, but due to the rise of the House Crabb, he chose to join the Crabb Legion instead. 💝✋ ♜🎯
Rosso Brune, with his outstanding combat skills and accumulated merits, became one of Gryn's personal bodyguards.
Rosso Brune was an excellent the Warrior, and he was also literate, which was a rare find in the current Crabb Legion.
Gryn pulled on the reins to adjust the horse's direction and said, "Russell, what did you see?"
Russell had an ordinary appearance; he had gray hair, a flat nose, and a square jaw.
Suppressing his inner excitement, he quickly glanced at the kneeling crowd, pondered for a moment, and said, "Lord Gryn, I see fear."
Gryn nodded slightly and said, "An unusual fear."
Russell licked his lips and said, "My lord, do you suspect... someone is deliberately influencing us?"
Gryn's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Rosso, who was barely containing his excitement. He smiled faintly and said, "My loyal the Warrior, can you find those hiding in the shadows?"
Russell assured him, "I'm confident... no, I'm sure I can do it. I'll get them all arrested, my lord."
Gryn's voice was calm and steady. "In the name of the King, on charges of treason, drag the captured prisoners to the square and execute them directly."
"Yes, my lord."
"Go."
When Russell returned to the guards with a rosy complexion, the young guards from the noble families of Crackclaw Point, including the Boggs House Boggs, the House Brune House Cave of House Brune of Brownhollow, the House Hardy Dyre Den, the House Pyne family, all looked at him.
Faced with the various gazes focused on him, Russell Brune straightened his chest and "desperately" suppressed the ever-growing corners of his mouth.
Three days later, the largest square in Gulltown was once again stained blood red. It is said that after that day, many families in Gulltown were directly expelled from the register.
Lord Gryn once again solidified the "infamous" reputation of the Bloody Earl, and for a time no one dared to mention the title.
Starting the following day, the Magister's Palace of Gulltown hired a large number of people to repair the Gulltown's walls and roads. The wages they received made them feel the generosity and benevolence of Lord Gryn.
After each stage of the mission is completed, the generous and benevolent Lord Gryn will host bonfire feasts in various squares throughout Gulltown, including the "Bloody" Square.
Even while busy preparing for the competition, Gryn of Rolls," would occasionally appear amidst the cheers of the crowd, sharing in their joy and laughter.
Outside Gulltown, at the Thorn Legion's camp.
Inside the corps commander's tent, Gryn Crabb examined the wooden stakes his adjutant, Lena, had brought and asked, "Has training begun?"
Sir Amparo Thorns nodded slightly and said, "My lord, as long as it's not a long march, each person can carry one."
She paused for a moment, then added, "For long expeditions, it's best to use horse-drawn carriages for transport; this will ensure the archers' fighting strength is maintained. 💝😎 ✋👽"
"Yes, let's include this in your training."
After saying that, Gryn picked up the wooden stake, which was about 7 feet long and sharpened at both ends.
Lena's eyes were filled with curiosity. Gryn smiled and said, "This thing is the Thorn Legion's mobile wall. It can help you block the Vale cavalry's charge..."
With that, Gryn planted one end of the pointed wooden stake diagonally into the ground, saying, "That's it."
Gryn pointed to the exposed tips of the wooden stakes, then to his waist, and said, "One end is driven into the ground, and the other end reaches this height, each one angled towards the enemy."
Amparo stared at the wooden stake, carefully considering the meaning of Gryn's words, while Lena cheered and suddenly stopped moving.
After thinking for a moment, she said, "Lord Gryn, I'm worried that my sisters won't have enough strength... um... um..."
Gryn smiled slightly, but he didn't disturb Lena's thoughts.
"Maybe... perhaps..."
Amparo's voice rang out at that moment. "We can use a wooden hammer."
Upon hearing this, Lena couldn't help but jump for joy, exclaiming excitedly, "Yes! Wooden hammer! Sisters can help each other!"
Amparo glared at Lena first, then looked at Gryn.
Gryn smiled and said, "That's a good idea. You only have a month to train your soldiers; you need to get them proficient as quickly as possible."
Amparo bowed slightly and said, "Yes, my lord."
Gryn reached out and patted Amparo on the arm, saying, "Sir, get ready."
As Brienne followed behind Gryn, she couldn't help but glance back at Amparo. Brienne's gaze met Amparo's, and she stopped, gave a respectful bow with her hand on her chest, and then continued on her way.
Gulltown, Lord's Hall.
Gryn pointed to a spot near the Eyrie on the map and said, "You mean this place, right?"
Pell Pili nodded and said, "Yes, sir. After receiving intelligence from the merchants in Gulltown, I sent men to verify it; they are not the army of the Declaration of Lords Declarant."
"They must be loyal to Lysa's army; Lord Petyr is indeed not going to stay put."
"My lord, you suspect..."
"I think they just wanted to join in the fun. As for his purpose..."
As he spoke, Gryn stared at the map for a moment, then continued, "He wants to profit from this duel, or rather, he wants to be the final 'reaper'."
Pell doubtfully, "The Reaper?"
Gryn nodded slightly and patiently explained, "I think the victor of the duel will become Lord Petyr's enemy, or the best outcome for him would be for us to perish together with the Declaration of Lords Declarant."
He pointed to the location of Gulltown: "Next, by personally retaking the lost Gulltown, and with the Declaration of Lords Declarant no longer hindering him, he will become a hero of the Vale. And then..."
His gaze shifted to the location of the Eyrie: " Little Robert is still young, and with the support of Lady Lysa (whose death has not yet been reported), he will become the de facto ruler of the Vale."
After a moment of silence, Ser Pell, still somewhat doubtful, asked, "My lord, isn't Lord Baelish worried... about our retaliation?"
As a retainer knight of House Crabb, Ser Pell naturally knew his lord better, and he felt that if the final outcome was as his lord described, Lord Baelish would face the most insane revenge from the Crackclaw Point.
The Eyrie can't be breached?! He suspected that his lord would eventually lead them to demolish the Eyrie.
Ser Pell puffed out his chest; he was quite certain.
Gryn said, " Lord Petyr doesn't understand what the Warrior's honor and rage are, which is why he does things that seem strange to you."
He paused, his gaze sharpening slightly, and then said, "Perhaps he has already prepared a follow-up plan."
Gryn tapped his fingers on the edge of the table, then his gaze shifted to the Red Keep.
After a pause, Gryn looked up at Ser Pell and asked, " Pell, how many strong oxen do you have on your side now?"
Upon hearing this, Ser Pell replied, "My lord, there are approximately 2,000 cattle. Mason Massen's son is taking good care of them."
Gryn left the long table, saying as he walked, "Well, take good care of those cows; they'll be your dinner after the war."
Ser Pell followed silently behind his lord. Although he had some doubts, he was not curious. The rule of a vassal knight was to obey the lord's orders in everything.
Red Keep, Maegor's Hold.
"If my sister tells you that her good little brother is staying overnight in Maegor's Hold because he's drunk... Bronn, Pod, you two must not believe her, that's definitely Lioness's lie."
"Yes, sir. Please instruct us on what to do then."
Tyrion stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment, then said, " Pod, you come inside with me. As for you..."
He turned his head and sized up Bronn's lewd face. He took off the money pouch from his waist and tossed it over.
"My captain of the guard, your appearance always makes me uneasy."
Bronn hefted the money pouch in his hand and said with a grin, "Honorable sir, I've made quite a bit of money lately because of it."
I'm starting to trust you again.
After saying that, he put his hands behind his back and started walking towards the gate of Maegor's Hold, saying as he went, "Stand guard outside well."
Bronn bowed deeply to Tyrion's retreating figure with utmost sincerity, saying, "Yes, my esteemed lord."
Inside the restaurant, Tyrion bowed respectfully and said, "Sister Cersei, you look absolutely stunning tonight."
His elder sister, the Empress Dowager, looked exceptionally charming tonight.
Cersei Lannister wore a deep green velvet low-cut dress that matched the color of her eyes, with her blonde hair draped over her bare shoulders and a sash adorned with deep green gemstones around her waist.
Although Tyrion disliked Cersei, he had to admit her beauty.
Queen Regent Cersei responded with a cold snort.
Tyrion didn't seem to care about Queen Regent Cersei's attitude at all; he limped over and climbed onto the chair.
Once seated, he glanced at the feast his charming sister had prepared for him... creamy chestnut soup... crispy hot bread and a vegetable salad with apples and pine nuts... Lamprey Pie... honey-glazed ham... buttered carrots... white beans and bacon... a roasted swan stuffed with Mushroom and oysters... It was such a lavish meal!
Why would Cersei possibly go out of her way to treat him with such hospitality?! Tyrion grew more wary.
Could he poison her like he did? Well, what he gave his sister wasn't really poison; it just made Cersei fall asleep more easily.
With that thought in mind, Tyrion dismissed the waiters serving the food at the table. He humbly offered the best parts of each dish to his sister and only began to eat after she had finished.
Queen Regent Cersei accepted the personal service of the Dwarf Hand of the King the King as a matter of course. She picked up a piece of apple with a fork and said, " Tyrion, I find you're very suited for this."
Tyrion smiled and nodded in thanks. He didn't really believe Cersei would poison him, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious.
Cersei suddenly covered her mouth, Tyrion noticed a small tear in the Lioness's eye; it was time for her to go to bed.
Seeing Tyrion staring at her, Cersei said coldly, "Return to your seat. I don't need your service."
Tyrion obediently walked to his chair, casually saying, "It's just a small token of my concern."
Cersei frowned, a hint of doubt in her alluring voice. "I've been feeling sleepy a lot lately."
Before he even reached the chair, Tyrion's mouth jumped faster than his brain. "My dear sister, please don't tell me you're pregnant. Robert can't help you."
Tyrion!
First came the Lioness's roar, then... with a whoosh, Tyrion and narrowly dodged the fork Cersei threw at him.
May the Seven protect us!
Tyrion immediately scurried to the back of the chair and hid himself. He knew that only such a cowardly act could quell the Lioness's anger as quickly as possible.
The Imp Hand of the King couldn't help but lightly pat his mouth. How could it have gotten ahead of his brain? His head was throbbing.