As Stannis finished speaking, the two guards immediately moved. They approached from left to right and directly clasped Corleone's shoulders. The knight leading the way even pulled out Longsword, pointing the tip of the sword firmly at Corleone's chest, guarding against any possibility of him resisting or escaping.
However, Corleone stood there without struggling, and there was no fear on his face.
He just looked at Stannis quietly, shook his head in disappointment, his voice full of regret. "That's it."
"I heard many good things about you before coming to Dragonstone, my lord."
"People say that Stannis Baratheon is the most just and law-abiding lord among the seven the Seven Kingdoms."
"But now it seems that your behavior is far from "just". On the contrary, your actions are completely based on your personal likes and dislikes!"
As soon as these words came out, Stannis's face became even more gloomy, staring at Corleone.
What surprised him was that this guy didn't seem to be afraid of being burned at all, and even looked at him with a trace of... pity?
Under the restraint of two guards, Corleone remained calm and composed.
After all, in his opinion, Stannis: Baratheon is essentially a tragic character alienated by his own situation and choices.
First of all, he was born as the second son of the Baratheon family.
He is not Robert. He was born with the legal inheritance of Storm's End, as well as unique leadership charisma and extraordinary fighting talent.
He is no Renly either, lacking that comforting affability and diplomacy.
Due to his taciturn nature, Stannis has not been loved by his parents since he was a child. He is like a vague shadow, and even his appearance is not as handsome as his elder brother and younger brother.
His parents looked past him and fell on Robert and Renly.
Since ancient times, the second son is often the one who is most easily ignored. If he does not get enough attention, he can only look inward and use absolute rules, strict laws and a meticulous sense of responsibility to construct the value and boundaries of his own existence.
He must be the most "correct" and the most "just", because this is the only area where he can possibly surpass his elder brother and younger brother, at the level of morals and rules.
At first, he may have just intentionally or unintentionally established this persona for himself, just like a chef in his previous life who couldn't even stew beans.
But as he grew up day by day, when the whole of Westeros began to talk about him like this, and when he himself lived in this setting day after day, the truth and falsehood had long been blurred.
Maybe he really is such a person, or maybe he just successfully deceived himself and the world.
But no matter what, "justice and strictness" has become the cornerstone of his existence, the source of his pride, and the only capital that can hold his head high when facing Robert's heroism and Renly's charm.
Over time, this survival strategy became internalized into personality.
He began to believe that he was the embodiment of "justice" and the spokesperson of the law.
Therefore, Corleone knows very well that in the face of Stannis, begging for mercy is a sign of weakness and will make him despise him, while going to death is a provocation and will make him feel that he must execute the other person to maintain his authority.
Only by directly shaking and questioning the "just" persona on which he built his reputation, forced him to stop and maintain this carefully crafted image that has now been fully integrated into it.
This is not a conspiracy, this is a precise understanding of human nature.
Sure enough!
Corleone's sentence "make decisions based on personal likes and dislikes" wolf pierced into Stannis's most sensitive place.
He stood up from the chair abruptly, the storm in his dark blue eyes almost turning into substance and gushing out.
"Let him go."
Stannis's voice was colder than before. He raised his arm and pointed his fingers at the two guards.
The guard was stunned, looked at the king, and then at Melisandre next to him, and finally hesitantly released his grip on Corleone, but still stood vigilantly on both sides.
After regaining his freedom, Corleone moved his arms. The smile on his face seemed to have not changed since he stepped into the hall, as if the person whose life was hanging by a thread just now was not him at all.
But this calmness, in the eyes of Stannis, is more like a silent ridicule.
"You said that I am not fair enough." Stannis said coldly. He walked around the stone table and walked towards Corleone step by step, staring at him with his stern eyes.
"A lackey in the service of a usurper deserves to speak of justice in my halls"?"
Seeing his indignant look, Corleone did not speak immediately, but just raised his eyebrows, and the meaning contained in it was even more self-evident.
Seeing this, Stannis put his right hand on the hilt of his sword, preparing to draw it out.
At this moment, the sound of chains being dragged was heard from the side door of the hall, and two guards escorted a man in.
The man was about fifty years old, with messy hair, pale face, and heavy shackles on his hands and feet.
It is Stannis's former Hand of the King, Alester Florent Earl.
He raised his head, and when he saw Stannis's gloomy face, a trace of fear and confusion flashed in his eyes.
Stannis did not look back immediately, his gaze always stayed on Corleone. After a moment, he raised his finger and pointed at Alester who was being escorted up, and said coldly, "This man was once my Hand of the King and is also a relative of my wife."
"He suggested that I give up my legal rights and compromise with thieves and incest. This is betrayal, shakes the morale of the army, and is an unpardonable crime. According to the law, he should have been executed."
With that said, Stannis took a small step forward. "Now, I will give you a chance."
"You say that I act unfairly and only act based on my likes and dislikes. Then, convince me."
"If your theory cannot be approved by me, then I will tie you and this traitor to the pyre and burn them to ashes."
"Let the flames decide who is the one who deserves to be purified!"
As soon as these words came out, Alester Floren heard that he was going to be burned to death, and his legs softened with fear. If the guards hadn't held him up, he would have almost collapsed to the ground.
His horrified eyes wandered back and forth between Stannis and Corleone, and his mouth opened, but he could not make a decent sound due to extreme fear.
Hearing this, Corleone glanced at Alester beside him, and the smile on his face gradually faded.
"Very good, sir." He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "It seems you are not that dim."
Another rather arrogant statement, but perhaps Corleone's previous words and deeds had an effect, but Stannis remained motionless and did not become as angry as before.
He just watched quietly, as if he wanted to hear what kind of unique insights this guy had.
"First."
Seeing this, Corleone raised his hand and began to speak, "In accordance with the tradition of guest rights and immunity that the seven the Seven Kingdomss have followed since ancient times, I set foot on your territory as Emissary, without carrying a weapon, and the first sentence I spoke expressed sufficient respect for you."
"But you are loyal to the false king and work for the usurper."
Listening to what Corleone said, there was nothing new. Stannis immediately interrupted with a cold voice, "According to the Seven Kingdoms law, the punishment for betrayal and oath breaking... is death!"
"Be loyal to the false king?"
Hearing this, Corleone raised his eyebrows slightly, with a hint of confusion in his tone. "My lord, according to what you said, apart from you, Joffrey Baratheon sitting on the Iron Throne in Westeros is a false king, the late Robb Stark is a false king, and Balon of the Iron Islands is also a false king."
"So, when King Robert raised his army, in the eyes of Aerys Targaryen, didn't he and all his followers also serve as traitors to the false king?"
"That's different...
"What's the difference?"
Corleone took half a step forward, staring directly at Stannis. [Dignity Iv3] suddenly unfolded, which not only added a touch of momentum, but also made what he said more convincing, "With all due respect, Lord Stannis."
"If you serve a lord you don't recognize just because each is his own master, it is an unpardonable death penalty."
"So looking at the seven great the Seven Kingdomss today, from the Duke Earl down to the knights and soldiers, and even the many lords who serve you, how many of them have fathers and brothers who have been on the wrong side in the past wars?"
"Is it possible that one day, when your Stag Banners is actually planted on the walls of the Red Keep, the first thing you will do is to open up the old accounts and send everyone who has served the Lannister, Tyrell, or even any other family that is against you to the gallows?"
Corleone's voice did not rise, but his aura seemed to be getting stronger. He looked at Stannis openly and said bluntly, "In that case, my lord...
"What you will get will not be a the Seven Kingdoms, but a ruins soaked in blood, shrouded in fear, and everyone is in danger!"
"That kind of rule is definitely not the behavior of a just and strict monarch, but more like... the style of a mad king."
When the word "Mad King" came out, Stannis's cheek muscles twitched visibly immediately.
This guy actually dares to compare him with Aerys Targaryen!
Throughout his life, he prided himself on law and responsibility, and what he despised most was the crazy behavior of doing whatever he wanted and abusing power.
After a moment of silence, Stannis finally spoke again.
"What you said makes sense, but for those who are lost, I will naturally give them a chance to change their ways, just like Davos Seaworth Ser."
"Although I cut off three of his fingers, I also gave him a fief and a title."
"Just like... the opportunity I'm giving you now."
As he spoke, Stannis said sternly, "Now, kneel down and swear an oath to renounce allegiance to the false king and support the real king. In this way, I can consider pardoning your past crimes!"
He said it categorically, as if Corleone was not going to agree, he would be burned to death in the next second.
However, under the warning gazes of the guards, Corleone shook his head and smiled contemptuously.
"Crime?"
"You keep talking about my crimes, my lord."
His voice lowered, seeming to be a little self-deprecating, but it also revealed a strange power.
"Then let me tell you in detail what kind of crimes an unforgivable guy like me has committed!"
Speaking of this, Corleone took a deep breath and his eyes became distant: "My crime" began in the Riverlands, where I took care of a few apple trees for lords like you."
"One day, I counted how many fruits were on the trees because I wanted to know how much food I could get for my labor."
"Because of this, the patrolling soldiers thought I was trying to steal," and without any explanation, I was hung from a tree and whipped half to death."
"My crime that time was that I wanted to know how many apples I could harvest."
His tone was terrifyingly calm, not sensational, just stating the facts.
"Later, I became a prisoner and exchanged Medicine for a chance of survival. However, due to the mistake of the idiot leader of the warrior group, the wound became infected."
"So he wanted to kill me."
"That time, my crime was that I could not cure a dying person.
"Later, I arrived in King's Landing."
"As soon as I entered the city, I was lucky enough to win some money at Arena. However, I met the golden-robed captain who was familiar with the casino owner and put me in jail without any explanation."
"That time, my crime was to win money."
He raised his eyes suddenly, and what was burning in those dark eyes was neither fear nor anger.
It's just an emotion that's extremely calm, but seems to contain a lot of power.
"Step by step, I crawled through the cracks of conspiracy, violence and betrayal."
"I danced on the tip of a knife countless times, and finally exchanged myself from a commoner who didn't even have a last name, to a title of knight, and a place that could barely protect me from the wind and rain, without having to worry about being hanged or beheaded at any time."
"But just because of your words, I must give up everything I have fought for with my life, otherwise I will become a rebel and a person guilty of death!"
"I would like to ask, Lord Stannis Baratheon...
At the end of the sentence, Corleone's voice actually contained a trace of questioning emotion for the first time.
"I'm only twenty years old. I just want to live a good life. What crime do I have?"
As Corleone's words fell, the hall suddenly became silent.
He didn't scream, but it was more powerful than any scream.
Stannis stood there silently, his dark blue eyes still stern, but if he looked carefully, there was a trace of looseness deep in his eyes.
As the son of the Baratheon family, although he is not as wealthy as the Lannister, he was born into a noble family and has never had to worry about survival. Naturally, he cannot empathize with the experiences of common people.
However, Corleone's words did not directly attack his laws, but raised silent but sharp questions about the "absolute justice" he upheld from the more fundamental perspectives of "human nature" and "right to survival".
More importantly, the story depicted by Corleone...
From the common people who were beaten for no reason, to the low-level people struggling to survive, and then to the title of knighthood based on their ability.
This narrative of "self-struggle" even coincides with Melisandre's often emphasized tone of "those chosen by fate need to go through hardships."
"Your experience has been harsh...Ser."
After a long time, Stannis' stiff voice sounded again, "But this is not the reason why you serve Lannister."
"You said a lot, but you didn't explain what Tywin Lannister wanted to do when he sent you here.
"Now, I give you one last chance to explain your true purpose."
He still insisted on his point of view, but also gave Corleone a chance to speak.
Hearing Stannis' answer, Corleone knew that the first round of defense temporarily stabilized the situation and gave him the opportunity to avoid being executed immediately.
Now, he has to deliver something truly substantial.
"My purpose here is simple, my lord."
He breathed out slowly and stopped beating around the bush. "Lord Tywin sent me here to persuade you and your army to surrender. He promised to retain your title of Duke of Dragonstone and hand over Storm's End to Tommen Baratheon."
"As expected."
Hearing this, Stannis sneered, feeling bored and wasting so much time, and ordered the guard, "Burn him and that guy together..."
"But!"
Before Stannis could finish speaking, Corleone interrupted loudly, "I, Vito·Corleone, intend to give you a choice."
"Are you willing to remain trapped on this stone island, waiting for the food to run out, the army to be dispersed, and eventually to be forgotten by history?"
"Or would you like to... do a business deal with me?"
"Business?"
Stannis's dark blue eyes were locked tightly on Corleone, full of vigilance.
This young civilian knight accurately described his plight of food shortage as soon as he opened his mouth.
Is it the other party's speculation, or has someone leaked military information?
Davos?
No, Davos won't.
So there are other traitors inside?
Or has King's Landing's intelligence network penetrated Dragonstone?
"Why should I do business with someone who is loyal to the false king?"
Stannis's voice was as cold as iron, with undisguised disgust and suspicion. "Lannister gold may buy the Oathbreakers, but it will never buy my surrender, let alone betrayal of law and justice."
"Of course it's not for betrayal, sir." Corleone responded quickly and spoke calmly, as if he had already anticipated the other party's reaction.
"On the contrary, it is for salvation."
"Saving those soldiers under your command who are loyal to you but are trapped on the island and have to starve may even, in the long run, save the possibility of you returning to the throne, ascending the Iron Throne and once again upholding law and justice."
"Saved?" Stannis snorted. "Saved by Tywin Lannister's gift?"
He said disdainfully, "I have my channels, Vito·Corleone. The grain transport fleet from Braavos will arrive soon. The predicament of Dragonstone is only temporary."
Hearing this, Corleone shook his head slightly, with a hint of worry on his face. "Sir, please forgive me for being frank, the narrow sea is too wide, and it is common for ships to have strong winds and waves on the sea."
"The long route from Braavos to Dragonstone is filled with pirates and storms. Who can 100% guarantee that the fleet will be able to deliver the food to you safely?"
"Putting the lives of thousands of people and the future of your career on an ocean transportation full of uncertainties is probably not what a wise commander would do."
As he spoke, he paused and threw out a more impactful message: "Moreover, I recently heard some news from across the narrow sea."
"It is said that a young queen with Targaryen blood and three living dragons is rising."
"She regards all the current rulers of Westeros, including you, my lord, as usurpers. With all due respect, given her position and growing influence, will she sit back and watch a large number of strategic materials flow across the ocean into Westeros?"
As soon as these words came out, Stannis's dark blue pupils flashed a hint of wavering for the first time.
He was not ignorant of this news. Even as early as two years ago, the news that the remnant of the Targaryen family on the other side of the Narrow Sea had hatched three giant dragons had come.
What makes Stannis even more anxious is that the other party escaped on Dragonstone where he led his army to besiege.
This moment is exactly like that time.
Seeing the flash of gloom in Stannis's eyes, Corleone knew that the time had come.
He changed the subject and hurriedly struck a chord while the iron was hot. "In comparison, my lord, the sea route from Dragonstone to King's Landing has been very mature after hundreds of years of operation."
"Your captains are more familiar with the tides and wind directions of Blackwater Bay than I am. The grain transport fleet can reach Dragonstone in just three days."
"Also, you don't have to worry about legal issues, because my fleet is by no means a smuggler, but a caravan with due procedures!"
Listening to Corleone's sworn assurance, Stannis fell silent and continued to tap the table with his fingers unconsciously.
He is weighing.
Even though Melisandre has repeatedly promised herself that the grain transport fleet has broken through the fog of waves and is coming, what Corleone said is very reasonable. No one can guarantee that anything will go wrong in the vast sea.
If the food on Dragonstone is exhausted and the supplies from Braavos have not arrived, then even the most loyal soldiers will turn into beasts in the face of hunger.
During the war that helped Robert's rebellion, he held on to Storm's End for more than half a year, but he suffered the pain of being cut off from food and grass.
"How should I trust you."
After a long silence, Stannis spoke again.
He looked at Corleone, his eyes full of scrutiny.
Hearing this, Corleone's back became straighter and straighter, and he said calmly and seriously, "You can send someone to King's Landing to inquire about it. I, Vito·Corleone, never stingy my friendship."
He spoke so confidently that even Stannis couldn't help but start to murmur in his heart.
But this will take time to verify. As an extremely cautious commander, he cannot completely trust the other party.
Seeing this, Corleone continued to be persuasive and said, "Of course, when you meet an honored guest for the first time in my hometown, it would be a great rudeness to come empty-handed, sir."
"Therefore, before we decide whether to start trading, please allow me to offer you a meeting gift. They will prove that I am here with sincerity and my ability to solve practical problems for you."
"A gift?" Stannis' frown deepened, his suspicion not diminishing at all.
Corleone No more words, he turned around, faced the entrance of the hall, raised his hand, and patted it three times.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After a while, footsteps sounded.
Several followers wearing similar styles to Corleone escorted the two people into the hall.
In front of him was a thin middle-aged man with an ordinary and even ugly face. He was wearing an ordinary Sailor coat stained with salt, and stared at Corleone with a pair of gray eyes.
What is particularly noteworthy is the left hand that has lost four fingers.
Obviously, this person is Stannis's most trusted confidant, "Onion Knight" Davos Seaworth.
Following Davos was an unusually tall and burly young man who looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, but had broad shoulders and strong arms.
His face looked very resolute, but his expression was very lonely, as if he had a dead father.
He was wearing cheap coarse cloth clothes and was tied up as well. He hardly struggled, but when he saw the Red Woman next to Stannis, he immediately gritted his teeth and stared at him fiercely.
Seeing his men being tied up and held captive like this, Stannis suddenly stood up from his seat, eyes boiling with murderous intent. "Howdareyou!"
"Be patient, my lord."
Seeing how excited he was, Corleone immediately raised his hand and explained calmly, "On the night before I was ordered to leave King's Landing and come to Dragonstone Island, by chance, my men discovered these two guys trying to sneak into King's Landing on a remote beach outside King's Landing."
"After a brief inquiry, the gentleman with the missing finger insisted that he was your vassal, Davos Seaworth Ser."
"And the guy next to him...
With that said, Corleone pointed at Gendry again and raised his eyebrows. "I think you should know him."
He didn't make his words clear, but gave Stannis some face.
After all, Corleone knows all too well the twists and turns between these people.
The young blacksmith was brought from the Riverlands to Dragonstone by the red-robed witch. Not only did he deceive the innocent little virgin out of his virginity, but he also used leeches to take three tubes of blood from others for sacrifice.
He deceived both his emotions and his body, which may have caused Gendry to cast a shadow on the relationship between men and women.
Well...
Of course, Gendry's father is also to blame for this.
That is to say, Robert Baratheon I Your Majesty, the famous and wise man, slept with a waitress in a tavern and ignored her after she gave birth to a child, which led to what happened today.
After all, Stannis had firmly believed that only the king's blood could cast blood Magic, and the effect was surprisingly good. In just a few days, Robb Stark died.
According to the well-known plot of the previous life, Joffrey and Balon Greyjoy will also die soon.
However, Corleone estimates that the witch may have seen some prophecy and used this "blood Magic" rhetoric to deceive Stannis in order to gain his trust.
After all, when she used Magic to kill Renly·Baratheon, she sacrificed one of Stannis's unborn children. Now she only took a few tubes of blood to achieve such a good effect. Who are you kidding?
If he was really that bad, then the war would be a fart, just tie Gendry up and draw a few tubes of blood every day. Wouldn't the effect be the same as Death Note?
The thoughts in his mind were spinning rapidly, but Stannis was completely unable to focus on Corleone. Instead, he looked coldly at Davos, the subordinate he once trusted so much.
The sea breeze passing through the hall whimpered among the stone wings, carrying saltiness and moisture, blowing the faded Baratheon family flag on the wall.
The crowned stag on the flag looks exhausted in the dim torch light, just like the man sitting behind the stone table at this moment.
He stared at the Onion Knight kneeling in the hall, the man he had personally cut off four of his fingers and made him a knight.
When Davos Seaworth raised his head, there was no fear on his face, only an expression of almost stubborn calmness, but this calmness made Stannis more angry than any excuse.
"You betrayed me, Davos Ser, once again."
Stannis's cold voice sounded, and several guards unconsciously clenched the hilts of their swords.
Davos met the king's gaze. There was no fear in his eyes, but his voice was slightly bitter. "Victory in war should not be purchased with the blood of the people. We must win openly, Your Majesty."
"You taught me this."
As soon as these words came out, Stannis's masseter muscles tightened even more.
He thought of Storm's End, of the broken ship carrying onions and salted fish, of how he persevered during the siege and how he refused to sacrifice the lives of civilians for victory.
"I just released you from prison."
Taking a deep breath, Stannis spoke again and continued to question, "You betrayed me again."
This time Davos didn't speak.
Maybe he believes that silence carries more weight than words.
"Lock them up first."
Seeing that this guy was still refusing to bow his head as before, Stannis waved his hand and said, "Wait until I finish taking care of things here."
Several guards came forward. They did not treat Davos roughly, but just held his arms from left to right. After all, no one really hated the Onion Knight on Dragonstone. They all knew where the food for the army came from.
Gendry was pushed towards the side door. He looked back at Red Woman and saw that the other party completely ignored him, as if he had not noticed his arrival from the beginning to the end.
Somehow, I felt a little disappointed and lowered my head.
The stone door closed and the hall fell into deeper silence.
Stannis took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and turned his gaze to Corleone, who had been standing there.
"Thank you for bringing back the betrayer for me, Vito·Ser Corleone."
The expression on his face softened a bit, but it was still cold and hard, and he said loudly, "But this still doesn't convince me whether you are capable of transporting enough food to Dragonstone Island."
"Don't worry, sir." Hearing this, Corleone said with a smile, "I said I would bring you three gifts to express my sincerity, and this is the first one."
"Now, please allow me to present the second one."
As he spoke, he took out a piece of parchment from his arms and handed it to the guard beside him.
Soon, the scroll was brought to the king's hands.
Stannis unfolded it and saw that the text format above was standardized, and the quantity column was neatly written in dark brown ink:
Wheat, real estate from the river, high quality.
Total...10,000 kilograms!