The Siege of King's Landing-Renly's Ghost

The green Wildfire were still licking at the wreckage of warships on the Blackwater when suddenly it started to rain.

The rain, especially over the Blackwater, seemed to be heavier than in other places.

The gods, unusually merciful, attempted to extinguish the Wildfire that had devoured tens of thousands of lives. Thick fog rose from the river, within which green flames danced, like thousands of wailing spirits of the dead.

A group of soldiers roared as they pushed against the breached city gate, their throats bulging with all their might, as if they wanted to perish together with the heavy gate.

"Push! Push! Faster, faster, faster!" Martin brandished his already dulled longsword, ordering the soldiers to close the city gate.

Through the gate, he could even see the enemy army crossing the river; it was the green banner with gold flowers representing Highgarden, the banner of House Tyrell.

The green flag fluttered in the Dawn under the approaching dawn sky, followed by tens of thousands of soldiers.

What to do? There's no way to stop it! Martin felt his heart sink.

The defenses at River Gate had been ravaged by Stannis's army, but with Stannis retreating, they were left to clean up the mess.

"Push! Push! Push!" Martin urged anxiously, knowing in his heart that if King's Landing fell, they would all die without a burial place.

Given Tywin's cruelty, it would be a miracle if even a fraction of his more than ten thousand men survived.

Martin urged them on desperately, as if he wanted to use the gates of the city to trap and kill the Reach army that was crossing the river.

With a muffled thud, the city gate slammed shut, but Martin knew this was only the first step; the gate, already riddled with holes from being breached once before.

They also needed to build another stone wall behind the main gate to reinforce it.

So sandbags, rolling stones, and even corpses were transported towards the city gate.

At this moment, a cavalry force had already crossed the river, and the leader was wearing blue armor.

The helmet was adorned with exaggerated antlers.

That was Renly's armor, but the one who wore it was Garlan Tyrell, the second son of Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden.

Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger) suggested that he wear Renly's armor to mislead Stannis's army and demoralize them.

It has to be said that the effect was really good. Many people thought Renly had been resurrected when they saw him jump out wearing Renly's armor.

Along the way, Renly captured many of Stannis's officers and nobles from Dragonstone.

Even Stannis's "Hand of the King" abandoned his army and fled.

When Garlan heard that Stannis's army was about to withdraw, he quickened his pace, hoping to gain some more merits.

But when he arrived at the city walls, he found something was wrong; he had never seen the flags on the walls before.

The Direwolf banner? Stark? Why is it black? Is it because they're bastards?

A series of questions arose in Garlan's mind, but one thing was certain: that flag was most likely the flag of the North.

The North and their ally, the Westerlands, are 100% hostile.

If that's the case, doesn't it mean King's Landing has already fallen?

"Wrong!

Garlan shook his head. He remembered that the North army should still be in Riverlands, so how could they be in King's Landing?

Just then, another army came from the west.

"My lord, Randyll Tarly's army has arrived."

"Randyll Tarly!" Garlan thought excitedly. Randyll Tarly was their number one warrior in the Reach!

During Robert's Rebellion, the Reach was initially dominated by the King's faction, but Randyll Tarly inflicted a crushing defeat on Robert at the Battle of Ashford.

He's a truly formidable person.

Sure enough, the approaching army was in neat, imposing formation, seemingly rolling over us bit by bit.

Renly's troops had been whispering amongst themselves because of the changing banners on the city walls, but they all fell silent when they saw Randyll Tarly's army approaching.

Randyll Tarly was a formidable fighter, and his military discipline was unparalleled. He even applied the same methods to managing his own family.

Useful items are useful, useless items can go away.

This Earl Tarly was also the father of Jon, a friend Sam made at the Wall.

Randyll Tarly disliked Sam for only wanting to read and being overweight, and even suggested that he go to the Citadel to become a maester.

The House Tarly has fought on the battlefield with swords for generations, and now an outcast has appeared who wants to play with pen and ink, which infuriates Randyll Tarly.

The stern general and his father, in a fit of anger, threatened him: either go hunting with him and be killed by him as prey, or he would don black clothes and go to the Wall.

If he treats his own son like this, then what about his soldiers?

When Garlan saw this stern, almost cold-blooded general, his whole body involuntarily tensed up.

"Earl Tarly."

Sir Garlan.

After exchanging greetings, Garlan pointed to the black White Wolf Banner atop the city wall and said, "Our enemies seem to have gotten there first. Should we wait for the main army before preparing to attack?"

Randyll looked at Garland, who was riding his horse closer to the city wall without any expression, and Garlan quickly ordered his followers to protect him.

Randyll Tarly looked down and around. At the foot of the city wall by the River Gate, there were corpses lying everywhere, not yet collected. Among these corpses were nobles in full armor.

Their flags were mostly scattered on the battlefield like tattered rags, gradually covered by mud under the pounding rain.

Randyll Tarly saw a corpse lying not far from him. He dismounted, took off his glove, and wiped it on the corpse's wound. He found that the blood was viscous but had not yet coagulated.

He then rose and looked up at the city walls, and discovered that a scarlet banner representing the Lannister was still flying.

He then approached Garlan and said, "Sir, I suggest we begin the siege now."

"Now?"

Randyll Tarly pointed to a lion banner that hadn't yet fallen atop the city walls and said, "Our enemies are lucky, but they've only just captured King's Landing. They haven't even toppled all the banners yet. Stannis nearly destroyed King's Landing's defenses. This Northern Army must be desperately rebuilding their lines. Look at the soldiers carrying weapons all over the walls; this must be their weakest moment!"

Randyll Tarly, as expected of a seasoned and victorious general, saw through the strengths and weaknesses of Jon's defenses at a glance.

Although Garlan and Randyll Tarly led only about four thousand men as an advance force, they believed they could take the city!

Just as the two were preparing to arrange their soldiers to attack, another group of people crossed the Blackwater.

The man was very careful, not only wearing armor but also hiding himself behind a group of guards.

He was of medium height and rather thin, with a pair of gray-green eyes that kept peering out, like a venomous snake lying in wait.

He is none other than Petyr Baelish, the current Master of Coin.

It was Littlefinger who single-handedly orchestrated the "Bitterbridge Mutiny," severing Stannis's reach towards the Reach army.

Then, under Tyrion and Cersei's orders, the Lion-Flower Alliance was forged.

If he can secure victory for the "Lion-Flower Alliance," his position in the new dynasty will become extremely important.

At the very least, one could become a regional ruler, even if it's just a covert control.

"Chaos is a ladder." Petyr looked at King's Landing getting closer and closer, feeling smug, as if he were looking at a masterpiece he had created himself.

He climbed a great distance up the chaotic staircase he had created himself!

However, when he saw the army from the Reach surrounding the city, he had some doubts.

Since Stannis's army has already withdrawn, why don't they enter the city?

As if guided by some startling intuition, Petyr suddenly remembered the urgent message Tywin had sent before their arrival:

We must expedite the delivery of supplies, just in case.

"Hurry, I need to see Sir Garlan," Petyr urged the boatman, though his tone remained gentle.

The boatman knew this was an important person, but he was somewhat flattered that such an important person could speak to him so calmly.

But his hands never stopped moving; he increased the speed of rowing.

Soon, the ships docked, and Petyr arrived at the army camps of Garlan and Randyll Tarly.

Then he received some unexpected news.

"The North?" Petyr felt a momentary lapse in his mind.

He then raised the same question as Garlan.

Shouldn't the North still be in the Riverlands?

Why would it appear in King's Landing?

When Petyr saw the familiar yet unfamiliar banner on the city wall, his expression darkened almost imperceptibly.

Although the black background of that banner is very different from that of the Stark, no one but those of Stark blood will ever use Direwolf again.

Eddard's bastard son! Petyr immediately thought of the Eddard bastard son Jon Snow, who displayed incredible power at the Battle of the Green Fork, using floods to turn the tide of battle.

Not long ago, he even laid an ambush and killed Tywin's most capable general, the Mountain, reportedly by killing him himself.

Petyr thought that Jon killing the Mountain with his own hands might be an exaggeration, just as Robb's capture of Jaime Lannister must have been achieved through a pincer movement of soldiers, but for a young man who had just come of age, such a feat was still too terrifying.

Are you planning to attack the city now?

"Yes, Earl Randyll Tarly is in charge," Garlan replied truthfully, also informing him of Randyll Tarly's speculation.

This relieved Petyr, who had almost thought his hard-won title was about to slip away.

If it really is Jon, then he can't possibly have that many troops.

It was impossible to hold King's Landing against the combined forces of the Reach and the Westerlands.

Petyr paused for a moment before speaking, "My lord, now that the North have breached King's Landing, taking the Red Keep will still be quite difficult. Furthermore, Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen have been moved out of King's Landing. We can now unleash our full power and deliver a crushing blow to the North!"

"Um.

Garlan nodded, but his heart was deeply shaken.

His mind was a little slow; he hadn't even thought of that just now.

Once Jon takes control of the three children who killed Robert and Cersei, what's the point of the Reach and the Westerlands remaining allied?

They essentially worked for nothing.

However, he felt much relieved when he heard that Myrcella and Tommen had been moved out of the city.

It doesn't matter if Joffrey dies.

The foundation for the alliance between the two sides remains intact.

Soon, the troops brought by Garlan and Randyll Tarly were ready.

It was already Dawn, and the lion banner that hadn't been knocked down from the city wall had been toppled.

They could also almost clearly see the guards still busy and on guard on the city walls.

Inside the city gate at this moment--

"Jon asked us if the wall was finished."

A soldier was sent over to inquire, but Martin looked at the stone wall that was only one-third complete and felt like crying.

He was so anxious that he tried to go himself, but time was just too tight, there wasn't enough time!

"Tell me, give me another fifteen minutes, not even half a fifteen minutes! I'll finish!"

To everyone's surprise, the soldier said, "Lord Jon said you should reinforce the stone wall; he will buy you enough time."

Upon hearing that Jon wasn't there to urge him, but rather to buy him time, Martin was deeply moved.

"Don't worry, sir, I will definitely seal this place off!"

Outside the city gate--

"Prepare to attack the city!" Randyll Tarly gave the order.