Chapter 154 Regency

The bell struck once, as if hitting Lord Renly Baratheon on the heart.

Of course he knew the meaning of the bellhis brother, King Robert, had died.

At first he thought that he would not be sad at all, but when this moment really came, Duke Renly still felt a sense of grief and panic from deep within his heart.

Yes, panic.

The Minister of Justice is wearing a gorgeous velvet gown today, with a gleaming golden sword around his waist and a huge ring on his right thumb that symbolizes the status of a duke. His chin is clean-shaven and his hair is carefully combed. The whole person looks handsome and extraordinary.

But when he came to the throne room, waiting to preside over the trial for the murder of Jon Arryn, there was no one there.

"Red Viper" ran away, "Littlefinger" died, and Grand Maester Pycelle also died.

Now even the king is dead.

Duke Renly felt that the gods must be joking with him. This should have been his glorious day, but he was suddenly smashed to pieces by death one by one.

He stood alone next to the Iron Throne. The iron chair, which was made of a sharp sword and covered with ferocious spikes and strange twists, seemed to suddenly become more terrifying than ever before.

"Lord Renly." The servant Loras Tyrell walked over and reminded, "Is it time for you to attend the imperial meeting?"

right!

Imperial meeting!

Lord Renly finally woke up.

The king died, and it was time for the imperial council to read the will.

And he will become the regent and guardian of the whole territory!

Until Joffrey comes of age, the country will be in his hands!

Thinking of this, Duke Renly regained his energy and strode out.

The soft red carpet is like walking on the clouds.

Duke Renly's mood jumped again.

But as soon as he went out, he met a group of people coming towards him.

Headed by Queen Cersei, she was wearing a black dress, with a teardrop-shaped ruby hanging on her chest, curly blond hair hanging over her shoulders, and her green eyes with a faint arrogant smile.

She led Prince Joffrey by her right hand, and behind her were the seven White Knights of the Kingsguard, Ser Jonos Slynt, Commander of the City Watch, and a host of gold cloaks.

mighty, menacing.

"Lord Renly. Where are you going?"

"Imperial meeting." Duke Renly had a bad feeling in his heart, but he still said politely, "Your Majesty passed away, and the imperial meeting should be held immediately to read out the will."

"That's fine, let's go together." Cersei didn't hide the smile on her face.

The smile made Lord Renly angry.

"Your Majesty, if I remember correctly, there should be no place for you in the imperial meeting."

"But there is a place for my son." Cersei slowly stepped forward and came to Duke Renly, "Of course there will be a place for me."

Duke Renly's tone was a little stiff: "There is no place for the Queen Mother in the Imperial Council."

"What about the Queen Regent?"

Duke Renly clenched his fists tightly, but when he saw the row of white knights behind Cersei, he finally let go again, and he squeezed out a smile:

"It depends on how His Majesty arranges in the will..."

"Your Majesty is dead." Cersei revealed mercilessly, "And the new Majesty is my son Joffrey."

"But Lord Joffrey is not yet of age..."

"Your Majesty!" Joffrey interrupted Duke Renly arrogantly, and shouted, "You should call me Your Majesty!"

Duke Renly looked at the undisguised hostility in Joffrey's eyes, and his heart sank even more.

"Little Joe, don't be rude to uncle." Cersei turned her head to comfort her son, and then hooked her fingers at Duke Renly, "Come, Lord Renly, let's talk alone."

After finishing speaking, she swayed and stepped into the throne room.

Duke Renly hesitated for a moment, but still followed.

Cersei didn't speak any more, but walked straight along the red carpet to the Iron Throne.

Lord Renly followed her, full of thoughts.

"Want to sit?"

Cersei's words echoed in the empty throne room, awakening Lord Renly.

He came back to his senses, followed the Queen's gaze, and looked at the terrifying iron chair.

no answer.

"Heh" Cersei let out a sneer full of sarcasm, actually lifted the hem of her skirt, stepped straight up the steps, then turned around and sat on the Iron Throne!

Like a queen.

"You!" Lord Renly glared at her.

"I know you want to sit, Renly, but you don't dare." Cersei carefully avoided the spikes on the armrest with her hands, "and I do."

Duke Renly snorted coldly: "Cersei, you are a bold and crazy woman! No lord in the Seven Kingdoms will surrender to you, you are a joke!"

"It was just a joke, why are you so nervous?" Cersei stood up from the Iron Throne, looking down at Duke Renly, "But don't think I don't know what you're thinking?"

"Cersei, don't you think I don't know your little secret!" Lord Renly countered.

"What little secret?"

"What about you and your brother!" Duke Renly said. He tried to find the panic on the queen's face but failed, which made him flustered instead. They're not of Robert's kind!"

Cersei still didn't panic, she smiled coldly: "Where's the evidence? Renly, where's your evidence?"

Duke Renly was at a loss for words.

Cersei stepped down from the Iron Throne, came to Lord Renly, and stretched out her hand to gently brush his cheek:

"Without evidence, why do you question Joffrey's legitimacy? Also, in Robert's will, did you appoint you as regent and guardian of the whole territory?"

Duke Renly's pupils shrank slightly.

Someone leaked!

He realized immediately.

who is it?

"I don't know what ecstasy you gave Robert to agree to hand the country over to you," Cersei continued. "But I will not let this mistake continue. Joffrey will revoke your order." regent"

"He doesn't have this power!" Duke Renly's voice suddenly became louder, causing echoes in the empty hall, "At least he doesn't have this power until he reaches adulthood!"

"Power? Do you have power?"

"I have His Majesty's will!"

"It's just a piece of waste paper." Cersei pointed to the door of the hall, "Look carefully, Renly, and see who is standing behind King Joffrey, that is power."

Lord Renly did not look back, he had already seen it just now.

Barristan Selmy, Jaime Lannister, Meryn Tran, Janos Slynt

This means that the strongest force in the Red Castle has already sided with the queen.

And he...

The Tyrell family repented, and the nobles of the River Bend also rejected him, and someone might even betray him!

And Dorne... His plan to plot the nobles of Dorne has become a joke.

Duke Renly knew that he had no chance of winning.

"Renly." Cersei's slender hand reached down, caressing his chest, "Don't think that a piece of paper can give you power, otherwise, your end will be miserable."

Lord Renly bit his lip and did not refute.

He knew that this crazy woman could really do it, she dared to sit on the Iron Throne, and even the death of the kinghe had always suspected that this woman murdered his brother!

"Don't be afraid." Cersei felt the man's trembling, and continued to lower her slender hand, bringing the most gentle hint, "As long as you take the initiative to resign as regent, I can continue to let you stay in the imperial council, and you can also keep the wind." How about the title of Duke of Fort? Am I nice to you? Shouldn't you be nice to me too?

Lord Renly took a step back as if electrocuted, trying to avoid the queen's hand.

Cersei chuckled: "So you're really not interested in women? What a pity."

After that, she strode out without looking back:

"Let's go, Lord Renly, let's go to the imperial meeting. I believe you will make a wise choice."

Duke Renly's face changed for a while, and finally he followed him slumpedly, like a queen's attendant.

A group of people arrived at the chamber and found that several other cabinet ministers had already arrived.

Of course, there are not many people left in the current cabinet.

The Seamaster Lord Stannis slipped back to Dragonstone, the Finance Minister "Littlefinger" Petyr Baelish is dead, and Grand Maester Pycelle is dead.

So when the Queen walked in, there were only Duke Ed, the Hand of the King, and Varys, the Chief of Intelligence "Octospider", in Nuoda's chamber.

Duke Ed frowned when he saw the Queen coming in, but he remembered something, and he didn't say anything after all.

Cersei took her son Joffrey and sat down on the main seat, saying:

"Lord Ed, is it time to read the will?"

Duke Ed nodded, took out the will, showed the intact sealing wax to everyone, then opened it, flattened it, and read:

"The following is the will of Robert I of House Baratheon, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Warden of the Realm, hereby appointing the Warden of the Stormlands, Lord of Storm's End , Renly of House Baratheon, Regent and Guardian of the Realm, shall rule for me after my death, until my son Joffrey comes of age..."

Hearing this, everyone's eyes were on Duke Renly's face.

The eyes of Queen Cersei are particularly sharp.

Duke Renly took a deep breath, and after Duke Eddard finished reading the will, he immediately said:

"My lords, I am deeply grateful and honored that His Majesty Robert has entrusted me with this important task! But..." Duke Renly gritted his teeth, and continued, "But I really... can't bear this responsibility, and I am afraid that I will fail His Majesty's great trust , hereby voluntarily resign from the post of regent and guardian of the whole territory, please choose someone else."

Cersei smiled with satisfaction and said:

"Since this is the case, then my lords, please re-elect someone."

As soon as the voice fell, Joffrey shouted: "I recommend my mother!"

The audience was silent.

Joffrey, who didn't get a response, suddenly became unhappy, and shouted again:

"Why don't you speak? What's your opinion? Ser Barristan?"

The aged white knight leaned slightly towards the king and said:

"I support the king's decision."

"Very good!" Joffrey nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Varys again, "Lord Varys, what's your opinion?"

Varys smiled sweetly: "I agree too."

Joffrey finally looked at Duke Eddard: "Hand of the King, what do you think?"

Duke Eddard looked up into Cersei's eyes, and the lioness on the opposite side looked at him without flinching.

After a while, it was Duke Ed who looked away first, and he said silently in his heart

Sorry, Robert, I can only deal with one enemy at a time.

"I agree."

"Very good!" Joffrey announced excitedly, "From today on, mother, you are the Queen Regent!"

(end of this chapter)