The new donors do not hoard resources in their homes, but fortunately, the logistics department has already brought in the ingredients and cooks a day in advance. There is no worry about eating and drinking, and the reunion of the Amber family father and daughter greatly alleviates the embarrassment of the north and the "wild man" from outside the Saiwai - the reception banquet of the northern princes in Icemark City is simple but not simple, not enthusiastic but not sluggish, and finally nothing went wrong at the beginning.

At night, the members of the northern family assigned rooms in the "guest house" and began to rest, and the accompanying guards also began to take turns to keep vigil under the arrangement of their respective leaders.

On the surface, it can't be seen, but at this moment, the new land-givers in Ice Scar City add up to thousands, men, women, and children. The Northern Patrol will spend the night "surrounded" by the new land-giveaways they are more accustomed to calling the Savages, and the soldiers on duty at night will all keep their ears pricked up, vigilantly watching every plant and tree around them.

There was a faint howl of wolves in the distance, followed by the bitter howl of the cold wind and the occasional muffled sound of snow sliding on top of a building and hitting the ground...... The night watchmen changed shift after shift, and the feared mob riot night attack did not occur at all, until the cloudy sky slowly began to light up, and an uninvited guest, both in appearance and identity, arrived from outside the fortress.

......

"Someone arrived from the west and went straight into the main fort to find the nobles of the north?" Iger didn't need to know more, just listening to the guard's description, Iger immediately realized that the visitor was not good: "Did you hear someone call him by name? What does it look like, and does it have any obvious characteristics?"

I didn't hear what it was called, but it looked like it had been a long journey, and it was covered in frosted snow, so cold that I couldn't even speak, and I muttered to the guards for a while before I was let in. ”

(Could it be that the messenger sent by the Shadow Tower has arrived? he had asked Kent to deliver the message overnight to prepare for the operation, and now the opponents have also retaliated with a tooth for a tooth, using the same trick to catch him off guard?)

Egg frowned: he had been mentally prepared for this, but the messenger could come so quickly in this snowy day, which still exceeded his expectations—the disadvantages of Icemark City's lack of walls suddenly became apparent: even if he had the ability to reach the sky, he would not be able to seal off a huge settlement. The report to Robb was deliberately arranged, but the fact was that thousands of new land-grantees had been placed in a fortress where only a few hundred night watchmen had been stationed, and the building materials were enough to repair and live in the house, and there was no surplus to build a wall.

......

Originally, he got up early in a relaxed manner, wanting to make sure that the next five tribes were ready to meet the inspection and inquiry of the nobles of the north, who wanted to hear bad news as soon as he went out, and most of his enthusiasm was suddenly extinguished, Iger turned around and walked back, planning to seize the time to gather his henchmen, activate the backup plan, and sort out the rhetoric he had prepared by the way.

"Master, morning!" hurriedly walked through the courtyard, and a crisp and energetic voice sounded.

"Arya?" Iger looked around, not seeing Miss Stark's guard, and suddenly straightened his face: "Didn't anyone tell you that this place is not safe, don't run around alone." ”

"I didn't run around, I just wanted to go around before breakfast and see what the wild people looked like. Arya was originally happily greeting Egg, but when he came up, he immediately pouted: "Besides, I'm with you now, what's not safe!"

"They are not called savages now, they are called new land-givers. Iger corrected the girl's mistake, "I have business to do now, so go back to the main castle and find your brother, and don't come out alone." ”

"You're so annoying, don't worry about it. ”

Arya stomped her foot aggrievedly, turned around and walked towards the main fort, but Egg's mind turned at this moment, and suddenly recalled the greatest use of this girl's identity: "Hey, come back, and tell you something." ”

"What are you doing?" the girl wanted to ignore him in anger, but the cold war trick against Egger didn't work several times, and after thinking about it, she reluctantly turned around.

Iger approached and whispered, "Someone came from the west and went into the main castle to find your brother, you go and help me see who it is, by the way, listen to what they talked about, and come and tell me later." ”

"If you want to be shameless, if you want me to be a spy for you, you won't say it's safe! I won't, I'll go back to my room now, so that someone won't say I'm running around." ”

"Oh, don't shout!" Agra stopped Arya, who was about to leave, and rubbed her shoulders: "Okay, okay, I just blamed you, can't I apologize." Be good, do me a favor, the master will hurt you in the future!"

"you, evil is not disgusting. Knowing that the other party was coaxing herself, she lost her temper when he rubbed it, Arya didn't make any moves with this cheeky master, made a vomiting expression, and rolled her eyes: "It's okay if you want me to eavesdrop, you have a chance to take me to see the tree!"

"Okay, okay, next time you go to the Long Night Fort, I promise to take you to see enough!"

＊＊＊

Even if they are members of the same family, there is no other person who can swagger and eavesdrop on Robb Stark's conversations with others like this: Catelyn Stark is not good at acting too unusually as an adult, Sansa is notoriously gentle and obedient, and Bran Stark has only a special hobby of climbing walls, even before he fell and injured himself...... Rickon, on the other hand, is still a complete child, not to mention.

Only Arya, the second lady who knows up and down Winterfell loves to run around, is both favored and often unpredictable, and will not arouse suspicion wherever she appears.

The most presumptuous spy in history grinned to the door of his brother's room, made a silent gesture to the guards to silence them, and then cautiously pushed open a crack in the door and slipped inside.

Inside, the princes of the North had just been summoned by the feudal lord to meet a distant guest: Jon Royce.

The former Earl of Runestone had finally made the right bet, he had set out from Castle Black yesterday and had been on the northern side of the Wall for a day's journey, and had not been noticed by any strange ghosts or dead people - of course, it could have been discovered, but the ghosts were too lazy to approach the Great Wall to attack a living person. In short, he miraculously encountered no danger or trouble, crossed several fortresses before dark, and finally reached the ice wall with the help of the sentry guards at the top of the wall, where Iger had no air to pass through at all.

After a short rest, he immediately set out on the road again, and with full of hatred and determination not to let his opponent go as he wished, he returned from Shimen Village overnight, and finally arrived here at dawn.

Although he was the antagonist of King Robert's "counter-rebellion" against the Vale, Jon was an old friend of Eddard Stark, and Robb Stark retained some respect for the now-convicted black-clad old man, and politely received and listened to what he had to say.

"Lord Royce, you must have worked hard after a long night's journey, why don't you go down first to change your clothes and eat something, we will seriously discuss what you said and respond as soon as possible. ”

This is the process of not wanting to hear their discussion, Jon was born a nobleman, naturally understood what Robb meant, nodded in agreement, glanced at the row of northern nobles sitting in the chair next to him with different expressions, and exited the room.

......

This temporary "master bedroom" for the North's guards was originally the arsenal of the Night's Watch in Icemark, and it was quite large, and the doorway was also some distance from the inside, neither Yorn who had already left the house nor the people of the North who were still in the house noticed Arya hiding behind the curtain of the partition wall.

Robb Stark was in this situation for the first time, and he thought for a moment before he spoke: "What Lord Royce just said, everyone heard...... I wonder what you think about this, adults?"

"I've known Yoenko for a few years, and although the last time we dealt with them was on the battlefield, what about Lyza Tully's...... Everyone knows it, and I don't think he's a liar. "If what he says is true, then Egger is doing this under your pretense...... It's a big rebellion. ”

Luce Bolton glanced at Karstark expressionlessly, and turned to look at Robb, "I want to ask first, has Egger reported this to you?"

"Yes...... However, only a little bit of the cause of the incident is mentioned, and the account is very different from that of Jorn. While I prefer to believe him I'm more familiar with, somehow I feel like Jon's statement is closer to the truth. Robb said helplessly: "Amber and Glover, what do you think?"

"Although Deepwoodburg owes him a favor, I have to say that Egger has gone a little too far this time. Glover said frankly, "My lord, no matter what you do, I have no opinion. ”

Although Iger only reunited Big Jon's uncle and father and daughter yesterday, to be honest, the entire Amber family is so happy that such a female member who has been missing for decades is back, and Morse is the only one, and it is really reluctant to say who the Amber family owes...... Finally, the Earl of Fireplace shrugged, "I agree with Lord Glover. ”

"I'm skeptical about how it really is. But since everyone agrees, let's assume for the time being that what Jon Royce said is true, and that all the things he said just now were indeed planned and carried out by Egger. Luce Bolton replied, "But I would like to correct your point - even if it is true that Egger sent Houguanzhen's army to besiege Castle Black, he did not violate any of the laws of the Seven Kingdoms in doing so. A candidate for commander-in-chief of the Night's Watch Legion, using his power to suppress rivals and build momentum for himself, has no obligation to report to the Guardian of the North. ”

Absurd. The first reaction of the other four people present was the same, but when they think about it carefully, there seems to be some truth: de jure the land grant is at the same level as the northern territory or any of the seven countries, and the power struggle for the election of commander-in-chief within the land grant is like a river or a valley...... The open and covert battles within the major lord families for the right to inherit are the same - anyway, as long as the last person on the throne is loyal to the king and does not rebel or rebel, the other countries have no right to interfere on the surface.

In this land-grant change, it is the mountain clans who came to help, who, as visitors and outsiders, "colluded" with some of the Night's Watch to influence the election of the commander-in-chief and interfere in the internal affairs of the land-grant.

However, these mountain people are reinforcements who came from afar to help defend the Great Wall, and even Robb is embarrassed to blame.

"Egger is really not obliged to report his every move, but after all, the land grant and the Great Wall are related to the safety of the north, how can we really not care? According to what you said, it really makes sense, whether the land grant and resettlement plan is implemented is also an internal matter of the night watch, and we can't care? But don't we still come to patrol?" Karstark showed a look of disdain: "What's more, Egger is doing evil under the banner of the Stark family this time, which is to endanger the reputation of the feudal monarch, which is unforgivable." ”

"The Starks aren't Egger's lords. ”

"Okay, okay, just a slip of the tongue...... Then he tarnished the reputation of my feudal lord, and it is even more unforgivable!"

"We will then discuss the issue of honor, first of which is the safety of the North and the Seven Kingdoms. Luce Bolton pursed his lips disapprovingly, and said with a blank face: "On the other side of the Narrow Sea, Quells, there is an ancient organization of killers, called the Regret Guests. They often assassinate a poisonous insect known as the Manticore, chosen because it is so poisonous that it is incurable, and the one who is sure to die. ”

Count Karstark furrowed his eyebrows impatiently, "What are you talking about, poisonous insects have a fart to do with the safety of the North and the Seven Kingdoms?"

"Don't be so impatient, Ricard. Luce Bolton continued unhurriedly: "How was this poisonous insect chosen, according to rumors of unknown credibility, the selector would pour a bunch of poisonous insects into a basin and let them kill each other, and the one that survived but was not left alive was the ideal individual with both the characteristics of poison and strength - such poisonous insects would be selected to assassinate those high-value targets, the big men." ”

"Your story has been an eye-opener for me, Lord Burton. Robb didn't know why, but he remained polite: "It's just, I don't know if this is related to the topic we're going to talk about now...... What's the connection?"

"My lord, if you are the one in charge of selecting the poisonous insects among the sorry guests, you will be in a bunch of insects in the basin and bite each other, because one of them is particularly strong and ferocious...... Or is it particularly cunning and intervening to make this battle of poisonous insects more 'fair'?"

"Of course not. Robb replied without hesitation, "I am going to choose poisonous insects to kill, and I am not going to use them for viewing or fighting insects for fun, if there is such a worm, I am too late to be happy, how can I make a move" Before he finished speaking, he understood the meaning ......of the old skin: "I see, Lord Bolton, you mean that the election of the commander-in-chief of the Night's Watch is to choose 'poisonous insects'. I want the smartest and most capable person among them to be in charge, and whoever is the winner is the qualified next commander-in-chief, and I should not interfere?"

"That's right, the Chief Logistics Officer has shown his command, his charisma, his determination...... If, as the guardian of the North, you interfere too much at the last moment of this campaign, and finally elect a few people to be the commander-in-chief, can this person suppress and control the night watchman industry, and can easily mobilize thousands of mountain warriors, and even have already subdued tens of thousands of savages, to prevent the phenomenon of 'inconsistent government decrees' within the land grant?"

Karstark stared at Luce Bolton for a moment, and smiled, "That's interesting, I really don't understand." If Gabbert or Big Jon had spoken for him, Lao Tzu would at least have understood. But I've heard that you and Egger don't have a selfless relationship, so why do you want to speak for him so hard?"

......

Only if the ambitious and unrelenting smart people control the land grants, and the backwater ruling structure of the North for hundreds of years has a chance to change, and you coarse people, the Stark watchdogs, deserve to know and think so long?)

Ruce Bolton was disdainful, but his face was still indifferent: "What you heard is right, I have no personal relationship with him, and the reason why I support him is completely out of selfishness." "Because I think that only a capable man like Iger West will be able to lead the Night's Watch to defend the Wall, and I will be able to sleep peacefully at home, without worrying that one day while I am lying in bed, the Stranger will suddenly come to the city of the Horror with a large group of dead soldiers." ”

"No one questioned Egger's abilities. Karstark snorted: "But the Commander-in-Chief of the Night's Watch is chosen to protect the security of the northern frontier of the Seven Kingdoms, is it the same as picking poisonous insects to kill people? He can casually send troops to surround the Black Castle today and aim his weapons at his Oath Brother, who can guarantee that he will not have ambitions in the future, occupy the Great Wall as the king, and bite us back? Don't forget, the original rule that 'no walls shall be built in the fortress of the Night's Watch Legion' is to prevent the commander-in-chief from supporting his own troops!"

"What Master Karstark said was exactly what I was thinking. Robb nodded approvingly: "Lord Bolton, after the Commander-in-Chief of the Night's Watch is elected, I will give him the rear with confidence, which is very different from hiding poisonous insects in gifts to stab outsiders - ability is important, but humility, loyalty, and a sense of honor are also indispensable." Believe me, I'm closer to Egger than anyone here, and I hope that his friend will become Commander-in-Chief, but if he can deal with his sworn brother in my name today, then I have to worry about whether he will threaten me in the future when he sits in the position of Commander-in-Chief. ”

"Even if you count the surrendered savages, the entire land grant is only 40,000 people, and the number of troops that can be summoned in the north is more than that, and this place cannot produce its own food, even if he has great ability, how can he take the north?" But your concern is not unfounded, my lord. It's just that I think it's too hasty to decide to change his attitude towards the land-grant policy based on the words of a nobleman convicted of treason, and we should at least give Iger a chance to be honest and explain why he did it. ”

"Well, I'm guessing that kid is still going to fool people with a flamboyant tongue, but since Master Bolton said so, I agree: give him a chance to explain. ”

Robb nodded in satisfaction and patted the table: "Someone!"

The guards guarding the door quickly agreed and pushed the door to enter, Arya took this opportunity to swoop out, and the guards who were almost hit looked at the back of their second lady with an inexplicable face, shook their heads helplessly, and walked into the inner room: "My lord, what are your orders?" ”

"Go and bring the chief logistics officer over, and say I have something important to discuss with him"

——