Chapter 268 Weaknesses

Early the next morning, Samwell hurriedly led his army to continue south to the fruit wine hall without waiting for Margaery to arrive.

After traveling for more than half a day, a gray and white castle appeared at the confluence of the Mande River and the Zhouyi River. The red apple flag of the Fossoway family was flying above the castle.

A cavalry army gathered outside the castle, but it was a mess.

Samwell sighed secretly, knowing that Garland Tyrell had gone straight to the wine hall as Madam Olenna had guessed, and that the Fossoway family might have turned their backs.

At this moment, he can only feel that the old lion's prestige is astonishing. After all, he has been the Hand of the King for twenty years. In the eyes of many nobles of the Seven Kingdoms, Duke Tywin is simply the envoy sent by the gods to govern the country. Even now Lannister The situation of the family is worrying, and so many people are willing to surrender to the lion.

Samwell calmed down and sent his attendant Noah Noah to inquire about the situation.

Soon, a red-faced fat knight returned with Noah.

Samwell recognized the man as Sir Bentham of the Beesbury family.

"Lord Caesar, you are a step late. That old Raymond Fossoway also betrayed Highgarden, and ran away with Lord Garland last night."

"Where did you go? Highgarden?"

"It should be. Some soldiers saw them board the ironborn ship and go downstream."

Samwell looked at the closed city gate in the distance, and asked again:

"Then what's the situation in the city now?"

"Sir Tanton Fossoway stayed in the city to preside over the overall situation. This guy detained a group of horse party knights and threatened us to retreat."

Samwell fell silent.

Sir Bentham waited for a while, then asked again:

"Master Caesar, do you want to attack the city?"

Samwell shook his head: "Wait for Mrs. Olenna, she is already on her way."

"Okay." Sir Bentham was also relieved when he heard that Mrs. Olenna was about to arrive. He actually didn't want to attack the city, because there were knights from the Beesbury family and many other relatives and friends in the city. I really don't want to attack.

During the waiting period, Samwell naturally took over the command of the cavalry of the Southern Route Army, and since most of the officers in this cavalry were trapped in the city, he just happened to be able to deploy manpower without any scruples.

After tossing for a long time, the cavalry of the Southern Army outside the city was finally reorganized by Samwell, and they were no longer in a mess.

But Samwell was not happy.

The real trouble in this river bend civil strife is not military.

No matter how powerful the army he controls is, as long as the important members of Highgarden and the Tyrell family are in the hands of the rebels, he will be restrained and be cautious.

The root cause is that Samwell's current influence largely comes from the support of the Tyrell family, as well as the support of most nobles in the river bend.

If he dared to disregard the lives of members of the Tyrell family, his appeal would disappear in no time.

Not to mention the High Court, even the fruit wine hall in front of him, Samwell didn't dare to order a storm.

If because of his order, the horse party nobles in the city were executed by the rebels, Samwell suspected that his army would even mutiny.

This also made him realize his biggest shortcoming

The power that really belongs to the Caesar family is too weak.

There is only one Yingzui Island in the fiefdom. Although Storm's End has been occupied, it still needs a long-term operation to win people's hearts.

There are even fewer direct troops, and the potential of Yingzui Island is limited. At present, the regular army of 2,000 people is already the limit.

Although Samwell is now able to command tens of thousands of rivers, but none of these forces really belong to him.

It is the power of the Tyrell family he borrowed, and the influence of the Horse Party.

There are huge hidden dangers in this situation of strong branches and weak stems.

The civil strife in Hewan this time has completely exposed this hidden danger.

But Samwell really can't help it. The time he came to this world is still too short. Being able to manage such a foundation is already a miracle.

He can't conjure up an army out of thin air...huh? Wait a moment.

Samwell suddenly thought of a bug-like infantry army in the world of Game of Thrones

The Unsullied.

This is an army of slaves trained by the slave owners of Astapor on the other side of the narrow sea. They were castrated since childhood and received brutal military training. They are fearless and absolutely loyal.

As long as you can afford to buy them, this is a powerful and fearless army of infantry.

Samwell had considered the Unsullied before, but two factors kept him from doing it.

First of all, the distance. Astapor was half a world away, and it took too long to go back and forth. It was impossible for him to let go of the territory and go to the Unsullied.

Another reason was money. He couldn't afford to buy the Unsullied.

But now, neither of these difficulties seems to be a problem.

Because he has a dragon.

Although Astapor is far away, if he flies there on a dragon, the speed is much faster than that by boat, and the round-trip time is within an acceptable range.

As for the price, in the original book, what Long Ma pays for the Unsullied is Dragon Flame.

He can also learn and show, and prostitute an army of Unsullied for nothing.

With such an army, Samwell really has the confidence to fight for Westeros.

It will never be as embarrassing as it is now.

Of course, although this plan is feasible, far water cannot save near fire.

Even if he can go back and forth quickly by riding a dragon, the army of the Unsullied cannot be brought back by a dragon. When they slowly arrive in Westeros by boat, the Tyrells in Highgarden probably have cold bodies.

It seems that we can only go to Astapor after the civil turmoil in the river bend subsides.

Samwell secretly made up his mind.

Because it was impossible to storm the cider hall, Samwell sent a squad of hundreds of cavalry to patrol nearby towns and villages to drive out the ironmen.

But the cavalry squad went out for a trip, but came back to report that the surrounding villages and towns had been looted by the ironmen, and those ironmen did not dare to confront the Riverbend cavalry head-on on land, and had already withdrawn to the Mande River.

The river bay cavalry can only look at the water and sigh.

Hearing this, Samwell couldn't help sighing again

Where did the Qingting Island fleet go?

When they were besieging Storm's End, they hadn't been seen. Now that the Mander River has almost become a playground for the Ironmen, they don't show up either.

Samwell can basically be sure that the Redwyne family has also been drawn in by the Lannister family to participate in, or at least let go of this civil strife.

Alas, this is the inevitable hidden danger of "peaceful evolution".

He didn't want to tear himself apart with the Deer Party and promised "no bloodshed", but the Deer Party turned around and attacked without any scruples.

Of course, this is also because Samwell's own strength is too weak. Even if he really planned to tear up his face and wipe out the Deer Party opposition before the Highgarden Hunting Meeting, I am afraid that most of the Horse Party nobles would not support it.

In the final analysis, it is still a matter of one's own strength.

He didn't have the confidence to make a promise.

Thinking of this, Samwell's desire for the army of the Unsullied grew stronger.

After waiting outside the wine hall for a day, Mrs. Olenna, Margaret and others finally arrived.

After listening to Samwell's description of the situation here, Mrs. Olenna said calmly:

"Send someone to tell Fossoway in the city that I have arrived, and if you want to talk, send someone out quickly."

Samwell sent an emissary into the city.

Unexpectedly, the rebels opened the city gate directly and invited them into the city.

Of course, Samwell did not take it lightly, but sent the army of the Ma Party family into the city first.

After fully grasping the control of the wine hall, he entered the city with Mrs. Olenna, Margaery and others.

"Where's Raymond? He doesn't dare to come out to see me?" Mrs. Olenna asked in a bad tone as soon as she entered the city.

Sir Tanton Fossoway saluted respectfully:

"Lord Raymond has already gone to High Court, and asked me to negotiate with you."

Mrs. Olenna sneered: "Okay, if you have any requests, please tell me."

Sir Tanton glanced at Samwell, and said to Mrs. Olenna:

"I want to speak with you alone."

"Can."

Watching Mrs. Olenna and Sir Tanton leave alone, Samwell gritted his teeth secretly.

But there is nothing to do.

Margaret felt the man's anger, stepped forward to hold his arm, and said softly:

"Don't worry, grandma will take care of this."

Samwell turned his head and smiled slightly at his fiancee, saying:

"I know."

"Come with me for a walk." Margaery issued an invitation.

"Okay." Samwell stopped thinking about it.

This might not be a method of provocation by the rebels.

He can't mess with himself.

Samwell actually already has a solution to this rebellion, but he needs to take some risks, and he hasn't made up his mind yet.

He was going to wait for Earl Landau to come back and discuss with him.

(end of this chapter)