King of The Wall

2021-01-06

Chapter 305
The new land grantors' settlements do not hoard resources, fortunately, the logistics department has already The ingredients and chef were shipped a day in advance. There is no worry about food and drink, and the reunion of the Umber family father and daughter has greatly eased the embarrassment of North and the "wildling" from beyond the wall in the same room - the reception banquet of the North princes in Icemark City is simple but not simple, not enthusiastic But there is no neglect, and finally there is no setback at the very beginning.

As night fell, the members of the North group allocated rooms in the "hostel" and began to rest, and the accompanying bodyguards also started taking turns vigil under the arrangement of their respective leaders.

It's not obvious on the surface, but at this moment, there are thousands of new land-givers in Frozen City, men, women and children. The North patrol will spend the night "surrounded" by the new land-granters, whom they are more accustomed to call wildling, the soldiers on duty with their ears pricked up, vigilantly watching the grass and one around all around. Wood.

There is a faint wolf howling in the distance, apart from this is the shrill cry of the cold wind, and occasionally there is the muffled sound of the snow on the top of the building sliding down and hitting the ground... The night watchman has changed. One group after another, the worrying mob night attack did not happen at all, until the cloud-covered in the sky slowly began to light up, there was an uninvited guest who was completely unexpected in both appearance and identity. Come beyond the wall.

......

"Someone arrived from the west and went directly to the main castle to find the North nobles?" Don't need to know more, just listening to the guard's description, Igor immediately Aware that the visitor is not good: "Have you heard someone call his name? What does it look like? Are there any obvious features?"

"I didn't hear the name, but it looks like I have traveled a long section of The road looks like, the body is full of hardened snow, and it is too cold to speak, and after negotiating with the guards whispering for a while, they are put in."

(Could it be the Shadow Tower The messenger has arrived? oneself had previously let Kent deliver the message overnight to prepare for the operation, this time the opponents also A Tooth For A Tooth, using the same trick to beat oneself a completely unprepared?)

Igor frowned: he He was mentally prepared for this, but the person who reported the letter could come so quickly in this snowy day, which was beyond his expectations-the disadvantage of not building a wall in Icemark City immediately became apparent: even if oneself has the ability to reach the sky , and it is impossible to completely block off a huge settlement. When I reported to Robb, I said that it was deliberately arranged, but the fact is: to put thousands of new land-grant people in this fortress that only garrisoned a few hundred Night's Watch back then, the building materials are enough to repair the houses for living. , there is simply no excess to use for building walls.

……

Originally, I woke up in the morning with a relaxed body and mind. I wanted to confirm that the next five tribes were all ready for the inspection and inquiry of the North nobles. Bad news, most of the enthusiasm was extinguished immediately, Igor turned around and walked back, intending to seize the time to gather his confidants, start the backup plan, and sort out the speech that oneself had already prepared.

"Master, good morning!" A crisp and energetic voice sounded as he hurried across the courtyard.

"Arya?" Igor looked all around, didn't see Miss Stark's bodyguard, and immediately raised his face: "Isn't anyone telling you that this place is not safe, don't run around alone. "

"I didn't run around, I just wanted to walk around before breakfast and see what the wildlings look like." Arya originally greeted Igor happily, but he came up with a training session , immediately pouted: "Besides, I'm with you now, what's so unsafe!"

"They're not called wildling now, they're called new land grantors." Igor corrected the girl "I have business to do right now, you go back to the main castle to find your big brother, and you are not allowed to come out alone."

"You are so annoying, don't worry about it."

Arya stomped aggrievedly, turned around and walked towards the main castle, but Igor turned his head at this moment, and suddenly recalled the greatest use of this girl's identity: "Hey, come back, let me tell you something ."

"Why?" The girl wanted to be pissed off and ignore him, but she tried to use Cold War against Igor several times to no avail. After thinking about it, she turned back reluctantly. .

Igor approached, whispered: "Someone came from the west and entered the main castle to find your big brother just now, go and find out who it is for me, by the way, listen to what they talked about, come and tell me later Me."

"You're shameless, you won't say safety when you want me to be a spy for you! I don't, I'll go back to my room now, so that no one else will say I'm running around. "

"Hey, don't shout!" Igor grabbed Arya, who was about to leave, and rubbed her shoulders: "Okay, okay, I blamed you just now, can't I apologize. Good, Do me a favor, the master will hurt you in the future!"

"Fuck you, it's not disgusting." Knowing that the other party was coaxing oneself, but he lost his temper instantly when he rubbed it, Arya took this thick The cheeky master didn't do anything, made a vomit expression, and rolled his eyes: "It's okay if you want me to eavesdrop, you have a chance to show me that tree!"

" Well, well, next time you go to Nightfort, I promise to show you enough!"

＊＊＊

Even if they are the same family, there is no other person who can make such a big show like this! Eavesdropping on Robb Stark's conversations with others: Catelyn Stark is not good at acting too abnormally as an adult; Sansa is famous for being gentle and obedient and sensible; even before Bran Stark fell, he only climbed the wall. hobby...and Rickon is still a complete child, not to mention.

Only Arya, the second Young Lady that Winterfell knows all over the place, who loves to run around, is both beloved and often elusive, and where she appears will not arouse suspicion.

The most impudent spy in history walked carefree to the door of his brother's room, made a silent gesture to the guards to stop talking, then cautiously pushed open a crack in the door and slipped in.

In the house, the princes of North have just been summoned by Fengjun to meet with a distant guest: Yohn ·Royce.

The former Runestone count finally got his bet right. He set off from Castle Black yesterday and drove a day's road to the north of the Wall, completely undetected by the Others or the dead - of course, Or maybe it's been discovered, it's just that the ghouls didn't bother to get close to Wall in order to attack a trifling living person. All in all, he faced no danger or trouble like Wonders, crossed several fortresses before dark, and finally climbed the ice wall with the help of sentry guards on top of the stone gate, which Igor did not get through at all. .

After a short rest, he immediately went on the road again. With full of hatred and determination to never let his opponent get his way, he returned from the east of the stone gate village overnight, and finally arrived here at dawn.

Although he became the opposite in King Robert's "counter-insurgency" against Vale, Yohn was Eddard Stark's old friend after all. Retained some respect, received him politely, and listened to what he had to say.

"Mr. Royce, you've been on the road all night. You must have worked hard. Why don't you go down and change your clothes and eat something. We will seriously discuss what you said and respond as soon as possible."

This is the process that I don't want oneself to hear about their negotiation. Yohn was born a noble, so he naturally understood what Robb meant. Nodded agreed and swept the row of North nobles sitting in the chairs with different expressions. At a glance, he exited the house.

……

This temporary "master bedroom" for North's protection was originally the arsenal of the Night's Watch in Icescar City. The space is quite large, and the entrance is also some distance from the interior. , Neither Yohn, who had gone out, nor a group of North people still in the house found Arya hiding behind the curtain of the partition wall.

This is the first time Robb Stark has encountered such a situation, he frowned for a while, and then he said: "Lord Royce just said, everyone heard... What do you think?"

"I've known Yohn for a few years, and although the last time I dealt with was an enemy on the battlefield, what happened to Lysa Tully...everyone knows, I don't think he's a liar ." Karstark whispered, "If what he said is true, then Igor is doing these things under your banner, but it's a bit... rebellious."

Roose Bolton glanced at Karstark blankly, Turning his head and looking towards Robb: "I want to ask first, has Igor reported this to you?"

"Yes... but only a little bit about the cause of the incident, and the statement is also consistent with Yohn's is very different. Although I prefer to believe him who I am more familiar with, I somehow feel that what Yohn said is closer to the truth." Robb said helplessly: "Mr. Umber and Glover, what do you think?"

"Although Deepwood Motte owes him a favor, I have to say that Igor has gone a bit too far this time." Glover said frankly, "No matter what you do, my lord, I have no problem with it."

Although Igor reunited Greatjon's Uncle father and daughter yesterday, to be honest, the whole House Umber is so happy to be back with such a female member who has been missing for several decades, and Morse is the only one. It's a bit reluctant to say who the Umbers owe... At last Hearth count shrugged: "I agree with Lord Glover."

"I'm skeptical about how things really turn out. But since everyone agrees , then for the time being think that what Yohn Royce said is true, and all the things he just said were indeed planned and implemented by Igor." Roose Bolton continued: "But I want to correct everyone's point of view - even if Igor sends the Queenscrown army to surround Castle Black is true, and he did not violate any of the laws of the Seven Kingdoms. A candidate for Night's Watch Legion Lord Commander, using the power of oneself to suppress competitors and build momentum for oneself, has no obligation to report to the North Guardian. ."

Absurd. The first reaction of the other four present was the same, but when I looked back and thought about it, there seemed to be some truth: Legally, the land grant is at the same level as any country in the North or Seven Kingdoms, and the land grant is used for the election of Lord. The power struggle for the Commander is like the open strife and veiled struggle within the major lord families for the right of succession in the Riverlands, Vale... Anyway, as long as the last person in the upper position is loyal to the king and does not rebel or rebel, the other countries will on the surface has no right to interfere.

In this land-grant change, it was the mountain clans who came to help who were at fault. As visitors and outsiders, they "colluded" with parts of Night's Watch to influence the Lord Commander election and interfere. The internal affairs of the land grant - put it on the table, but it doesn't make any sense.

Unfortunately, these mountain people came from afar to help defend Wall, and even Robb blamed him.

"Igor is really not obliged to report his every move. After all, the land and Wall are related to North's safety. How can we really care? Then according to what you said, it really makes sense. Whether the land resettlement plan is implemented is also an internal matter of Night's Watch, and we can't control it? But we still come to visit?" Karstark showed a disdainful look on his face: "even more how, Igor this time is under the banner of House Stark to do something wrong. , this is jeopardizing the reputation of the king, which is unforgivable."

"House Stark is not Igor's king."

"Okay okay, just a slip of the tongue...then He's tarnishing my title, and it's even more unforgivable!"

"We'll talk about reputation later, first about the safety of the North and the Seven Kingdoms." Roose Bolton curled his lips in disapproval, his face blank. Said with an expression: "In Qarth across the narrow sea, there is an ancient Assassin Organization called Sorrowful Men. They often use a poison insect called Manticore to assassinate. The reason for choosing this insect is because of its The poison is extremely violent, there is no cure, and the victim is sure to die."

Karstark count frowned impatiently: "What are you talking about, poison insect has nothing to do with the safety of North and Seven Kingdoms. What a fucking relationship?"

"Don't be so impatient, Rickard." Roose Bolton continued at a moderate pace: "How did this poison insect get selected, according to rumors of unknown credibility. , the picker will pour a bunch of poison insects into a pot, let them kill each other, and the one that survives without being killed is an ideal individual with both toxic and strong qualities - such a poison insects, will be picked to kill those high-value targets, great characters."

"Your story is an eye-opener, Lord Bolton." Robb doesn't know why, but keeps it up Polite: "Just, what does this have to do with what we're discussing...?"

"My lord, if you were the one in the Sorrowful Men who was in charge of picking poison insects, you would When a bunch of insects are biting each other in a pot, because one of them is especially strong, especially murderous...or Especially cunning and intervening to make this battle of poison insects more 'fair'? "

"Of course not. Robb replied without hesitation, "I want to choose poison insects to kill people, not to watch or combat insects for fun. If there is such an insect, I'm too happy to be too late, how can I shoot..." The words were not finished. , he understood what Old Flayer meant: "so that's how it is, Lord Bolton, you mean that the Night's Watch Legion Lord Commander campaign is about picking 'poison insects'. What I want is the smartest and most capable person among them. Who is the winner and who is the qualified next Lord Commander, should I not interfere? "

"Yes, the Chief Logistics Officer has fully demonstrated his command, charisma, decisiveness... etc. If you are North's guardian, you will interfere too much at the last moment of this campaign." , and finally select a person to serve as the Lord Commander. May I ask this person, who can control the Night's Watch industry, easily mobilize thousands of mountain people Warriors, and even conquer tens of thousands of wildling Igors, preventing land grants from internal 'decrees' Does the phenomenon of non-uniformity occur? "

Karstark stared at Roose Bolton for a while, then laughed: "That's interesting, I really don't get it." If Galbart or Greatjon were speaking for him, Lao Tzu would at least understand. But I heard that you and Igor didn't have a selfless relationship. What are you trying to do to speak for him? "

......

(What do you want? I have a big picture! Only wild ambition, smart people who are not satisfied with the status quo control the land grant, North has been a backwater for hundreds of years Such a ruling structure has a chance to change. You are a rude, House Stark watchdog, who deserves to know and think so far?)

Roose Bolton is disdainful, with a face But he still looked indifferent: "What you heard is right, I don't have a personal relationship with him, and the reason why I support him is entirely out of selfishness. He shrugged, "because I think, only with a capable man like Igor West, Commander Night's Watch Legion guarding Wall, I can sleep peacefully at home without worrying about suddenly lying in bed one day, Others suddenly Take a large group of dead soldiers to the castle of Dread. "

"No one questions Igor's abilities." "Karstark snorted: "But choosing Lord Commander of the Night's Watch is to protect the safety of the Seven Kingdoms northern border, is it the same as picking poison insects to kill people? If he can casually send troops to surround Castle Black today, and aim his weapon at oneself's oath brother, who can guarantee that he will not have ambitions in the future, occupy Wall as king, and bite us back? Don't forget, the original 'Night's Watch Legion's fortress must not build a wall' is to prevent the Lord Commander from overrunning the situation! "

"Lord Karstark said exactly what I thought. Robb nodded approvingly: "Lord Bolton, after the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch is elected, I will give him the rear with confidence. This is completely different from hiding poison insects in gifts to assassinate outsiders - the ability is of course. Important, but so are humility, loyalty, and honor. Please believe me, I am closer to Igor than anyone here, I hope his friend can become Lord Commander, but if he can deal with oneself's oath brother in my name today, then I have to worry about his future Will he come to threaten me after taking my seat as Lord Commander? "

"Even if you include the surrender of the wildling, the entire land grant is only 40,000 people. North can muster more than this number of troops. Besides, this place cannot produce its own food. Even if he has great ability, he can How about taking North? Roose Bolton understands that it's useless to talk too much, and takes a decisive step back: "I think the most important thing right now is to choose a capable person first and get through this winter crisis." But your concerns are not unreasonable. It's just that I think it's too hasty to decide to change the attitude of the land grant policy based on the words of a nobleman convicted of conspiracy, we should at least give Igor a chance to be honest, let him explain, he will The reason for this. "

Karstark turned his head away: "hmph, I'm guessing that kid is still glib tongue fooling, but since Lord Bolton said so, I agree: give him a chance to explain." "

Robb nodded and patted the table with satisfaction: "Come on!" ”

The guard at the door quickly agreed and pushed the door to enter. Arya took this opportunity to rush out, and the guard who was almost hit looked at the back of his Second Young Lady inexplicably. Shaking his head helplessly, he walked into the interior: "Sir, what are your orders? "

"Go and invite the chief logistics officer over and say I have something important to discuss with him"

——

(end of this chapter)