Undoubtedly

"Xiao Qiao".

"Xiao Qiao..."

Someone is calling him.

The sound was both distant and near, like a call coming from underwater.

Joffrey twitched his fingers.

He instinctively reached for the sword beside the bed, but his fingertips only touched soft fabric.

There was a face very close to me.

Golden hair, emerald green eyes, and red-rimmed eyes.

Cersei.

"I..." Joffrey opened his mouth, his lips terribly chapped, "How long have I been unconscious?"

Cersei did not answer.

She simply pulled him into her arms tightly, so tightly that he could barely breathe.

"Oh my god, you're finally awake!" Her voice trembled. "I thought I was going to lose you."

Joffrey did not struggle.

He felt his mother's arm trembling slightly, an emotion rarely seen in her.

After a long while, Cersei finally released her grip.

At that opportune moment, the old face of Grand Secretary Paisell came closer, holding a silver cup in his hand.

"Your Highness, three days have passed." His voice carried a sense of relief, as if he had survived a disaster.

"When the Prime Minister brought you back, you didn't respond no matter how he called you."

Three days.

Joffrey took the silver cup and sniffed it.

It doesn't taste like alcohol; it's just ordinary water.

He brought it to his lips and pretended to take a sip.

"Where is Lord Ed?" he asked.

Cersei's expression changed instantly.

"Why are you still bothering him!" Her voice suddenly rose, then abruptly fell back down.

"That old wolf is like a madman, all he can do is yell something like 'Shadow, Shadow!'"

"I think he's the one who murdered you! He's pretending there was some kind of assassin."

"Hmph, I had him arrested on the spot."

Joffrey lay back down.

The warmth of family affection turned into endless exhaustion in an instant.

Oh my god.

He raised his hand and touched his neck.

It only stung a little when it scratched my skin.

Joffrey couldn't remember what happened that night.

After all, he fell into a deep sleep the moment he activated [Murder in a Dream].

I don't know how the counterattack worked.

But what could possibly assassinate him inside the Red Keep?

He and Ed stood in the middle of the drawbridge, with the square in front of them and the city gate of Mega Tower behind them.

Besides the two of them and the Imperial Guards responsible for guarding the bridge, there was no one else.

There was no space there where someone could hide and be shot with a crossbow.

unless……

"Mother, when you captured Ed, was there any bloodshed with his men?" Joffrey asked.

Cersei's expression was very strange.

"no."

"That old wolf insists that it was a shadow that hurt you, how could I possibly believe that?"

"But when I asked him to order his men to surrender, the stubborn fellow actually did it."

She stood up and paced back and forth by the bed.

"So I sent Barristan with his men to confiscate all his weapons and lock them up in the Prime Minister's Tower."

"Fortunately, the Grand Secretary said you are fine, you just fainted due to some shock."

"Otherwise, I would definitely kill them all!"

She sat back down and thought about it again.

Then he slapped the edge of the bed.

"wrong!"

"Could it be that Renly sent someone to do it! He left the city in the middle of the night the day you fell unconscious."

"You should have listened to me and gotten rid of all these people."

Joffrey sat up straight.

"Mother, while I was unconscious, did the feudal lords make any unusual moves?"

"Has word gotten out? Has news of Father's departure been sent out?"

Cersei rubbed his head.

"You're injured, how could I have time to deal with these things!" Her tone was somewhat aggrieved.

"Your uncle has led his men to blockade the Red Keep, and King's Landing is also closed. Now not even a mouse can get out."

"However, there is indeed something outside that deserves our attention." She gritted her teeth.

"That damned Stannis has rebelled!"

"He also sent a bunch of letters to King's Landing, spreading some lies."

"They say your father is dead, and that he is the real king, demanding that everyone submit to him."

"He also said..." Cersei's tone was hesitant.

"Anyway, it's all nonsense. He's going to cut off your head, your younger siblings' heads, and mine too."

"I have already summoned my vassals and have had your grandfather send troops to King's Landing."

Joffrey pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It was an assassin sent by Stannis." His tone was certain. "It was that red-robed woman he hired who did it, Assassin's Shadow Binding Technique."

"Huh?" Cersei was stunned.

She stared blankly at Joffrey, her eyes saying, "Why are you talking nonsense too?"

Joffrey ignored her expression and fell into deep thought.

Stannis is a damn bastard.

Despite his best efforts to guard against it, he ultimately failed to prevent this supernatural power from escaping.

It's unbelievable that it wasn't Renly or Cortana Penrose, but rather he himself who got stabbed first.

Moreover, the timing was extremely precise, and the actions were very decisive.

It happened right at the moment Robert left and Joffrey was preparing to hand over power.

"Mother, where have you locked Lord Ed up? Release him immediately, I need to see him."

Joffrey braced himself against his back and tried to stand up.

But his weak body swayed and he fell back down.

If it's not a side effect of the ability.

They must be hungry.

……

After eating something simple, Ed also went to the bedroom.

He was dressed casually, and his hair was a little messy.

As soon as he entered, he quickly stepped forward and lifted one side of Joffrey's hair to examine it closely.

Then he let out a sigh of relief.

"Xiao Qiao, you're alright now."

Cersei was greatly displeased.

"Who do you think you are, addressing your king like that?!"

Ed raised his head and looked at her calmly.

"Robert entrusted him to me before he left, and it is my duty to take care of him."

"Stop arguing, stop arguing." Joffrey leaned against the headboard and waved to the two of them. "Lord Ed, could you please recount what happened that night again?"

Ed closed his eyes and began to sort out his chaotic thoughts.

After a moment, he slowly opened his mouth, as if recalling a nightmare.

"I also felt very cold at that time, as if a gust of wind was blowing over me."

"Then...then I saw your shadow stand up." His brows furrowed, and his fingers unconsciously clenched.

"It took a sword and slashed straight at your neck."

So I rushed over, but missed.

He opened his eyes, which were filled with confusion.

When I turned back, you were already lying on the ground, and your shadow was gone.

"I sent Sir Preston to fetch the Grand Secretary immediately, and then I brought you back."

He glanced to the side.

"Then I was locked up."

Cersei frowned, a surprised look on her face. "Are you Northerners really that good at making up stories?"

"It's true!" Ed pounded his thighs twice.

Joffrey remained silent for a moment.

After much deliberation, he decided to take a risk.

"Mother, could you please show Lord Ed the letter that Stannis sent?"

"No." Cersei refused decisively.

"Let him see it." Joffrey's tone left no room for refusal.

Cersei glared at him.

But he still called over the Grand Secretary and reluctantly handed the roll of parchment to Ed.

Ed took it, unfolded it, and then slowly began to read.

"Everyone knows that I am the legitimate son of Duke Stephen of Storm's End..."

“My brother Robert died without leaving any direct descendants…” Ed frowned.

“The boy Joffrey, Tommen… is actually the bastard child of Cersei and her brother…” Eddard stared wide-eyed.

"I declare today that I am the owner of the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms..." Eddard's voice trembled.

"In praise of the light of God... Seal of Stannis I of the Baratheon family."

Ed slammed the parchment onto the table.

His chest heaved violently.

"Villain! Traitor! Scoundrel!"

"I remember now!"

"That shadow...that's Stannis!"