The Turning Point of the 3rd Deer

Chapter 96 Sanlu's Turnaround

"impossible."

"Absolutely impossible!" Renly laughed and waved his sleeves.

"I've sent eight hundred elite soldiers to Jinshucheng to assist in its defense. Eight hundred!"

"Adding the existing garrison, Ed would have to hold out for at least a month. How could it possibly fall so easily!"

Count Randle Tarly lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment.

"Sir, it's entirely possible."

Lanli's smile froze for a moment.

He turned around and took two steps closer: "What did you say?"

"Lord Matus was ordered to lead the expedition, but was captured by the enemy during the retreat," Earl Landau said in a deep voice.

"Jinshu City is the ancestral home of the Luo Wan family, and the garrison commander is his eldest son."

"If Lord Matus surrenders to the enemy after being captured, he can easily order the city gates to be opened and Ed to enter the city."

After listening, Lanli remained silent for a while.

"Call Xiao Luowan here."

A young man in his early twenties strode into the tent, his hair somewhat disheveled.

After hearing Earl Randall's analysis, his face flushed red.

"My father is a chameleon!" He knelt on one knee, his voice trembling with anger, "And my brother too..."

'

"My lord, when I see them again, I will definitely—"

"Shh—" Lan Li raised a finger and gently pressed it to his lips.

"Don't say such hurtful things, that's your father."

He bent down and helped Xiao Luowan up.

"The situation is still unclear; this is just our speculation. How could Lord Matus, such a straightforward person, surrender so easily?"

"He's just been arrested; he can just wait to be ransomed, right?"

"Five hundred, one thousand, whatever Ed asks for. We'll find out once we bring your father back and ask him."

Xiao Luo opened her mouth, tears of shame welling up in her eyes, but in the end she could only nod heavily.

"You can go now."

The footsteps faded into the distance.

Lan Li stood quietly for a while, his eyes fixed on the swaying tent flap, as if he could see Xiao Luo Wan's staggering figure through the thick cloth.

Then he turned around and slammed his fist hard on the table.

"Damn Matus!" Renly choked out, "He could have simply retreated according to plan and returned to Golden Tree City without incident."

"How was he captured? And we lost seven thousand troops, which is one-eighth of our strength!"

His finger pressed hard on Jinshucheng, as if he wanted to poke a hole in it.

"I really don't understand what happened to him that led him to choose to surrender to the enemy during wartime?"

"Only the most notorious mercenaries would do that."

Earl Landau did not speak.

Both men knew perfectly well that the only explanation for the rapid fall of Golden Tree City was that Matus and his son had betrayed them from within and without.

And he used an evil plot to kill the army he had stationed in the city.

To make a renowned earl risk his family's honor to do such a thing.

They are either lured by huge profits.

Either they felt that they were already doomed to lose.

Renly dared not say these words aloud.

He's not as good at fighting as Ed, but he's able to build this large army because of his personal charisma, his many friends, and everyone's belief that he will win.

Therefore, he must appear perfect and magnanimous in public and never doubt his followers.

Even though he had already decided in his heart that Matus had betrayed him and was a traitor.

But wasn't he himself a traitor?

Every day of the uprising, Renly lived in constant fear, terrified that Robert might suddenly return and smash his head to pieces with his warhammer.

Will Robert forgive him?

But Stannis, that fool, said Robert was dead.

Then he became king.

Little Joe was also murdered by Ed.

The seven kingdoms were plunged into chaos in just a few days.

An unprecedented opportunity presented itself to Lanley.

Loras urged him to become king, saying that the entire Reach was willing to support him and help him seize the Iron Throne.

To become king?

Renly dared not.

However, he wanted to take the positions of Prime Minister and Regent.

He told Loras the truth that Robert was not dead, but Loras didn't care at all and still fully supported him, even marrying his sister to him.

However, Renly had no interest in her whatsoever; his sister's thoughts were far more complex than Loras's.

On their wedding night, he asked her.

"I don't intend to be king, so if you marry me, you won't become queen."

The girl just smiled sweetly: "I can wait."

At that moment, Renly didn't realize what was happening.

Then I realized, wasn't this just cursing his older brother to never come back?

He was so angry that he wanted to slap the woman on the spot, but luckily Loras came over in time to comfort her and calm him down.

From that day on, he and his wife slept in separate beds.

"grown ups?"

"grown ups!"

Earl Randy's voice pulled Renly back from his reverie.

"Golden Tree City was lost, and Ed established a foothold in Hedong." He pointed to the map spread out on the table.

"He gained a forward base in the northern Reach, and we are no longer completely safe here."

"Shall we just retreat back to Highgarden?" Lanley rubbed his eyes.

"No, my lord." Earl Landau shook his head, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.

"The Water Chest must be taken."

Lan Li nodded, but his brow furrowed even more deeply: "Then how do we fight?"

"Tywin's remnants and the new army of the Westerlands are at Casterly Rock, and the Kingslayer's cavalry have now vanished without a trace."

"I don't know if he went to meet up with Eddard, or if he went back to Deephole City and headed along the Golden Road to support Casterly Rock."

"The moment we make a move, they'll swarm around us like flies."

"We're going to let them surround us." Earl Landau raised his eyes.

"This is part of the plan."

"What? Golden Tree City has been captured?"

"Was Matus' surrender genuine, not feigned?"

Joffrey looked at the battle report that had arrived and scratched his chin.

Am I being paranoid again?

The Golden Tree City not only had the Luo Wan family's troops, but Lan Li also sent several hundred men.

Firstly, it helps with defense; secondly, it guards against such defections.

But Da Luo Wan hosted a banquet, got Renly's knights completely drunk, and even transferred all the soldiers from the city walls.

Ed sent out his elite troops, and they took control of the castle in one night.

Tsk.

Rare, extremely rare.

Matus's youngest son was with Renly.

Although no family puts all its eggs in one basket, like Baron Swin's brother, and Robert Royce, the second son of Bronze Yorn.

It was not uncommon for many of the Allied forces to have brothers or sons who were loyal to Renly.

Everyone was fighting, but they all ended up meeting relatives.

But it is indeed rare for someone to surrender with their entire family.

Joffrey promised so many benefits before he got two families to turn against him.

As soon as Matus met him, he immediately turned against him, a move so smooth that it made people wonder if there was a conspiracy involved.

"Dog, look at me. Don't I have that domineering aura that makes people bow down in worship?"

The hunting dog cursed at him.

Joffrey didn't expect to hear anything nice from the dog.

After making a joke, he looked back at the siege camp in front of him.

As is widely known, the name Bitter Bridge contains the word "bridge," so it is a castle.

It got its name because it was built next to a bridge.

The castle wasn't large, and its walls were a mix of stone and wood. It was surrounded by flat, open fields, making it much easier to take than to attack Golden Tree City.

In the end, he was still a step behind Ed.

Joffrey needed to hurry; he didn't want to miss the upcoming battle.

"Gentlemen, if we delay any longer, the girls of Highgarden will no longer be yours!"