Chapter XXIII: The Traitor
The next day, the bells of Baylor Cathedral echoed over King's Landing, announcing that the trial was about to begin.
Hearing the voice, everyone put down their work and quickly ran towards the execution ground in front of Baylor Cathedral, expecting to grab a good position to watch the trial to be held.
In the house near the execution ground, "Are you ready there?" Ma Shen calmed the tension in his heart and turned to ask Youlun, who was ready to go.
"Everything is ready. Yu Lun patted the leather armor on his body, indicating that he was fine.
"That's good. After hearing Yu Lun's exact answer, Ma Shen took a deep breath and bent down directly into the tunnel.
On the side stage of the execution ground, Queen Cersei kept emphasizing something to Joffrey.
"You know, when Ed confesses, you'll sentence him to serve at the Wall as a night watchman? ”
"I know, if you want me to say, why don't you slash him, he dares to confront me. Joffrey replied impatiently.
"He's been punished, you know, he's been like that, and after killing Stark, we're really going to fight the North. Cersei patiently comforted Joffrey, for some reason, she couldn't control him since Joffrey ascended the throne.
"Yes, then let him live as a cripple. Joffrey sat in his seat with his chin covered, his mouth furrowed, as if he had thought of something happy.
"That's good. Hearing Joffrey's answer, Cersei breathed a sigh of relief and continued to wait for the trial to begin.
Time passed slowly, and the square was already crowded, and the scholar limped over to Joffrey and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, the time is almost up, is it time to bring that traitor out for trial." ”
"Of course, I can't wait. Joffrey couldn't wait to see the tragic fate of the traitor who dared to slander him, and immediately turned to one of the guards next to him and ordered, "Go and let the city guards bring the traitor out." ”
"Yes, Your Majesty," the guard officer hurried to the Basilica to deliver King Joffrey's order.
Soon, two golden robes sandwiched Ed left and right, and took him out of the cathedral, at this time Ed's face was haggard, and he was described as withered, if Ma Shen was at the scene, he would be able to find that Ed couldn't even walk now, and the two golden robes on the side were not so much watching over Ed, but carrying Ed.
"Traitor!" Seeing the protagonist come out, the crowd was excited, shouting one by one to get close to Eddard, even if it was just to kick him, and those who didn't know saw it thought that they had all been tortured by Ed.
"Look, the cripple is out. In the midst of the loud commotion, Joffrey stood up in surprise and pointed at Eddard, who had just been taken out of Baylor Cathedral, shouting, completely ignoring Cersei tugging at the corner of his coat.
In the midst of many curses, Ed was brought to the judgment table, that is, the execution table, and then fell to his knees as the two golden-robed men on the left and right let go.
A gust of wind blew and blew the corners of everyone's clothes, and the people in the audience shouted "bastard", "guy without honor", and some even threw a stone at Ed, who fell to the ground.
"Everyone, please be quiet!" Amid the commotion, a knight with short brown hair, black armor, and a blank piece of paper walked up to Ed.
The knight wanted to say something, but the crowd cooperated and stopped cursing.
After looking around, the knight shouted loudly: "Originally, this was supposed to be given by the traitor Eddard Stark, but although he confessed all his crimes in private, he was unwilling to publicize them, and in order to maintain his dignity, I agreed to the small request of the former prime minister, Duke Eddard, and I, the knight of Dorgit, spoke for him." Knight Dorgit said and glanced at Joffrey on the sideline.
Actually, at first Joffrey was going to have Littlefinger, Spider Valion, or any of the scholars read this.
In the face of Joffrey's request, how could they agree as human spirits, Littlefinger Berishe said that his voice was not loud enough, Spider Varys said that others were fatter, and even worse, and the scholar directly said that he was old and weak, and he was still needed in the future.
So in the end, Joffrey had to find a Dorgett knight to read it temporarily.
Seeing King Joffrey nodding appreciatively to him, Knight Dorgit pretended to be solemn and continued to read aloud to everyone on and off the stage: "I, Eddard Stark, Duke and Prime Minister of Winterfell, I stand before you today, in front of the gods of heaven and mortals on earth, and confess my treason, I have betrayed my king, betrayed the trust of my friend Robert, I swore to protect his child, but while his bones were still cold, I tried to kill his son with a conspiracy, in a vain attempt to usurp power. ”
The masses under the "traitors" and "cowards" who could not see the situation clearly could not help but let out angry curses again.
After the crowd below was a little quieter, the Dorgit Knight continued: "Please ask the Archbishop and the blessed Baylor to bear witness to what I have said, that Joffrey Baratheon is truly the only legitimate heir to the Iron Throne, and in the name of the Seven Gods of Heaven, he is the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and the guardian of the whole realm. ”
"To prove the validity of this declaration, I will have the person put his fingerprint on it, and if he has an opinion, he can refute it. ”
Knight Dorjit raised the proclamation in his hand, shook it around, and then half-squatted on the ground, and put the paper and ink under Ed's hand, as if he wanted to ask Ed to press the handprint, but in fact, Knight Dorjit had already taken advantage of the gap to secretly press his own handprint on the declaration, and no one knew whether the handprint was Ed's or his own.
In order to cooperate with the performance of the Dorjit Knights, 4 golden-robed people pretending to be patrols "coincidentally" passed in front of Ed, blocking the view of most people.
"Well, Eddard Stark has confessed to his crimes, and here are his handprints. Knight Dorjit took the announcement in front of the trance-stricken Ed and announced loudly.
On the side stage, Joffrey smiled proudly at Queen Cersei beside him, he was the king, the king of all the people in the Seven Kingdoms, and he controlled everyone's destiny.
In the face of Joffrey's irrepressible joy, Queen Cersei also smiled back, she was genuinely happy for her child.
Now that Duke Ed had confessed his guilt, it was time to announce the punishment for Ed, and the scholar trembled and walked to the execution ground, and said in a slurred voice: "Because we are guilty, we suffer, this man confessed his crime in front of the gods of heaven and mortals on earth, the gods are just, but the blessed Baelor has taught us that they are also merciful. With that, the scholar Patrick turned to King Joffrey on the side of the stage and asked for advice, "What should we do with this traitor, King?"
Joffrey licked his lips and raised his hand, and the audience fell silent.
"My mother begged me to clothe Duke Ed in black, strip him of all titles and powers, and exile him forever outside the Great Wall to serve the country. Joffrey said as he glanced at Queen Cersei, who was smiling all the time.
Queen Cersei's smile stiffened, and she felt bad in her heart, always feeling that something was about to happen that she didn't want to see.
After seeing Queen Cersei, Joffrey suddenly took a turn of his mind: "But she is a woman's kindness, as long as I am still a king, traitors must not be tolerated, Sir Elin, cut off his head!"
"Ahh
"Son, are you crazy!!" In the face of Joffrey's crazy order, Queen Cersei grabbed Joffrey's arm and screamed, and all the ministers around also surrounded him, trying to get Joffrey to give this order, but our Emperor Joe was not moved at all, how can ordinary people understand Joffrey, Emperor Joe's brain circuit.
After hearing the order, Sir Ealing, who was dressed in black in the audience, put on a black mask as he walked up to the stage, he didn't care what the others did, he only listened to the king's orders.
If everything went according to normal, Ed would still be dead, but at this time in the crowd, Yuren quietly took out a bow and crossbow from his bosom and aimed it at Sir Ealing.