Spellcasting Gods

“My sister Margaery Tyrell greatly admires you. Would you be willing to marry her?” With that, Loras raised his right arm and pulled his young and beautiful sister out of the crowd.

Without a doubt, sixteen-year-old Margaery Tyrell was an absolute beauty.

She has soft, fluffy brown curly hair and beautiful eyes, and a curvaceous figure. She not only possesses the youthful vitality of a young girl, but also an added allure. Furthermore, having been taught by her grandmother Olenna Redwin for a long time, she is very good at winning people over.

Zhang Cheng stood in the crowd, silently admiring the cunning girl. A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes. He then quietly approached Littlefinger and whispered, "My dear Lord Petyr, I wonder if you are satisfied with the gift I have presented?"

"A gift?" Baelish frowned instinctively.

"Ah! It seems you haven't received the news yet. But that's alright, you'll understand what I mean soon enough," Zhang Cheng hinted meaningfully.

Chapter 0139 Revenge

The imperial council meeting did not last long; it ended once all the benefits had been divided.

Ultimately, Petyr Baelish was granted Harrenhal for facilitating the alliance between the Lannister and Tyrell houses, transforming him from a nominal court noble into a real noble with vast territories and castles.

Although Harrenhal was a devastated place, and he never intended to truly possess or manage the territory, having the title of Earl of Harrenhal would greatly elevate his social status, enough for him to marry Lysa Tully and then gradually take control of the Valley.

After all, dealing with a woman who deeply loves him and a sickly child is a piece of cake for a master scheming man like "Littlefinger".

With Jon Arryn's widow and offspring under control, the Vale nobles, no matter how much they objected, would continue to submit to the Eyrie's rule.

With a cheerful heart, Petyr Baelish returned to his own brothel on Silk Street, ready to call in two of the most beautiful and skilled girls to relax his tense nerves.

But just as he crossed the threshold, before he could even speak, a cloaked figure suddenly emerged from the corner and whispered in his ear, "It's terrible, sir! I've just received news! Lysa Tully was attacked and killed a few days ago. It's said the assassin used a terrifying red liquid; anyone who gets even a drop will be burned to ashes. The entire valley is in chaos right now; some are trying to suppress the news, and others are trying to take Robert Arryn under their control."

"What?!?!" Baelish's face changed drastically in an instant, and his body swayed back and forth as if he were drunk.

"Sir, are you alright?" Upon seeing this, the man in the cloak quickly stepped forward to help him up.

Petyr shoved the other man away forcefully, his eyes instantly bloodshot, and roared angrily, "Get out of my way! I'm fine! Good! Very good! So this is your so-called gift! How dare you ruin my plans!"

Clearly, both the "Dragon Flame" and the previous meaningful words proved that Zhang Cheng was the mastermind behind this assassination.

To be precise, he never intended to hide anything from the beginning; he simply wanted to clearly show the other party that this was the consequence of constantly testing his limits.

Despite his anger, Littlefinger didn't lose his temper. He quickly realized that his previous actions had likely leaked information, so he forced himself to calm down and ordered through gritted teeth, "Go! Get those families who support me to step in and stabilize the situation immediately. We can't let Robert Arryn fall into someone else's hands under any circumstances."

"Understood! But what about you, sir? Don't you plan to go there yourself?" the cloaked man asked, looking puzzled.

He couldn't understand why, after such a major incident, his master didn't rush to the scene immediately, but instead chose to stay in King's Landing, contrary to his usual behavior.

“No, you don’t know, to resolve this matter, I must first meet with someone, otherwise similar assassination attempts will definitely happen again,” Baelish explained, taking a deep breath.

"Alright, I understand. Please be careful." The figure bowed and quickly disappeared into the shadowy corner of the street.

About an hour later, at the victory celebration banquet at the Red Fort, Zhang Cheng was eating various fruits and roast meats while chatting and laughing with the ladies.

Suddenly, Petyr Baelish rushed in from the doorway, forcing a smile, and said, "I'm very sorry, ladies, but could I have a moment to speak with Sir Mason alone?"

"Ok."

"I hope you can hurry, Lord Baelish."

"Yes! We still have many interesting topics to discuss."

……

A group of girls stood up and reluctantly left the southeast corner of the garden.

Watching them walk away, Zhang Cheng immediately curled the corners of his mouth and teased in a slightly sarcastic tone, "Hehe, it seems you received the gift I sent. How is it, are you satisfied?"

"Yes, I received it. It's such a wonderful and surprising gift. I think... is there some misunderstanding between us?" Little Finger clenched his fist tightly, his face twitching slightly.

"Misunderstanding? Hahahaha! If assassination can be called a misunderstanding, then I don't mind creating a few more similar misunderstandings. Please remember, my dear friend, don't use the same tactics you use on others on me, or I guarantee this is just the beginning..." Zhang Cheng showed no mercy and directly brought the topic to the forefront.

Petyr Baelish, who was used to communicating through various subtle hints, was visibly taken aback for a moment, then feigned innocence: "Assassination? What assassination? God! Why would I assassinate you?"

"Hmph! Stop pretending, Baelish. Your lovely girl has already confessed everything. To be honest, I'm also very curious about your purpose in doing this. Is it to sow discord between me and the Lannister family? Or are you interested in the magical power I possess?" With that, Zhang Cheng casually picked a grape and put it in his mouth.

"Yana betrayed me?! No! That's not right! She wouldn't betray me!" Littlefinger's eyes first showed a look of horror, but he quickly denied the guess.

Zhang Cheng spat out the grape skins from his mouth, crossed his arms over his chest, and replied with a smile, "Of course she didn't betray you, but in front of me, all sweet talk and deception are meaningless. I only used a little trick to make her tell the truth herself. Oh, by the way, this poor girl is currently being repeatedly ravaged by a group of lustful mercenaries. Even if she's not dead, she's broken down. Should I get her out and return her to you?"

Upon hearing these words, Baelish couldn't help but shudder, for he sensed a deep-seated ruthlessness and indifference in Zhang Cheng's attitude.

As a cunning schemer skilled at manipulating people's hearts, he feared nothing more than encountering such an opponent.

Because indifference and ruthlessness mean that one is not easily bound by various emotions, and is not easily intimidated by threats.

What's even more frightening is that these people often don't consider the consequences of their actions, and once provoked, they are far more dangerous than most people can imagine.

For a moment, Littlefinger fell silent, reflecting on whether his previous behavior had been too reckless, leading to a situation that was now difficult to resolve.

As for Zhang Cheng, he sat in a chair, eating grapes with a blank expression, patiently waiting for the other party to speak.

Since Lysa Tully is already dead, the anxious Baelish will inevitably have to make concessions, otherwise he wouldn't dare leave King's Landing to deal with the mess in the valley.

Chapter 0140 Joining Forces

For a full five minutes, the two stared into each other's eyes, neither of them uttering a word.

It wasn't until Varys, the "Eight-Clawed Spider," noticed the strange atmosphere between the two that he took the initiative to walk over and jokingly asked, "Lord Mason, Lord Petyr, are you communicating with your eyes?"

“No, my dear friend, I just haven’t thought of anything to say yet.” Littlefinger shrugged, trying to sound casual.

"Oh? What profound question could make someone as intelligent and wise as you ponder for so long?" Varys asked with great interest.

“I’m sorry, this is a matter between the two of us, and it’s not convenient to disclose it to outsiders. Please leave and let us handle it ourselves.” Baelish gave the order to leave without hesitation.

After all, this involves many of his secrets, and if "Octopus Spider" finds out, the consequences would be unimaginable, almost equivalent to stripping himself naked and sending him to his opponent's nose.

Varys sighed regretfully, "Well, it seems I was being presumptuous. Please continue your conversation, and if you need any help, please feel free to call me. I'm just over there in the corner."

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Zhang Cheng suddenly spoke up: "Please wait, sit down. I think you can join our conversation."

"What?!" Littlefinger's expression changed slightly.

“Relax, Lord Baelish. I just feel that the three of us constantly testing, distrusting, and fighting each other is far less beneficial than working together. What do you think?” Zhang Cheng picked up the wine bottle and poured a glass for each of the other two.

"Cooperation?" Varys raised an eyebrow in surprise.

He couldn't believe those words had come from Zhang Cheng's mouth.

After all, ever since that undead that was always following him around, his life was in the other party's hands, so he had no right to talk about cooperation.

“Yes! Cooperation!” Zhang Cheng nodded with a smile. “First, let’s be frank about our purposes, or rather, our ambitions. I want to acquire the Tyrell family of Highgarden, and I want to study and decipher the magical knowledge left behind by the Children of the Forest. Lord Baelish wants the Vale and the North. As for you, Varys, you want Daenerys Targaryen to return to Westeros and become the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. On the surface, there are no irreconcilable conflicts or contradictions between us, at least not at this stage.”

“What are you trying to say?” Petyr Baelish asked, frowning.

No ambitious person would feel comfortable having their deepest desires exposed, especially when it involves their hidden secrets.

Zhang Cheng shrugged dismissively: "Isn't it obvious? As long as the three of us join forces, none of the seven kingdoms can stand against us. That way, everyone can achieve their goals as quickly as possible, right?"

"But what happens after you achieve your goal?" Varys asked a rather pointed question.

Without a doubt, both Daenerys Targaryen and Littlefinger have their eyes set on the Iron Throne.

This means that unless someone is willing to give up their ambition, they will eventually become an enemy.

"Wasn't I clear enough? The prerequisite for cooperation is that we haven't achieved our own goals, which is why we need to cooperate. Once someone achieves their goal, the cooperation will end. I hate trouble and don't have much time to waste, so I hope the rules of the game can be as simple as possible. What do you think?" Zhang Cheng stared at the two players who were most capable of stirring up the situation in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire and offered his suggestion.

As his research into mysterious energy deepened, he had less and less free time, so he had no time to spend all day playing tricks and schemes.

To be honest, he didn't feel he needed to specifically train in political maneuvering, nor did he need to complicate everything. The pursuit of endless knowledge and power was the fundamental goal.

Varys glanced at Petyr Baelish, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Clearly, this suggestion was a great inspiration to them both.

Long ago, the two maintained a remarkable tacit understanding, each carrying out their own plans without interfering with the other. This understanding was broken when Eddard Stark arrived in King's Landing, and a covert struggle began.

After hesitating for about two or three minutes, Petyr Baelish spoke first, tentatively asking, "If I agree to cooperate, can the previous misunderstandings be wiped clean?"

"Sure!" Zhang Cheng gave an affirmative answer without hesitation.

In any case, he had already achieved his goal of revenge, so there was no need to hold on to it.

To become a qualified player in the game of power, controlling one's various negative emotions is the most basic requirement. If you can't even do this, there's no way you can win the final victory.

“In that case, I’ll join.” Littlefinger picked up his glass and quickly made his choice.

“Count me in,” Varys said, not wanting to be left behind, and raised his glass as well.

"Very good! Now let's drink this glass and mourn for our enemies."

"cheers!"

May Our Lady have mercy on our enemies!

……

The three of them gently clinked their glasses together, then tilted their heads back and drank it all in one gulp.

Perhaps no one could have known the enormous impact their brief alliance would have on the entire Seven Kingdoms.

Setting down his empty wine glass, Zhang Cheng raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

moment!

A green shadow flashed past the "Octopus Spider" and with a whoosh, it drilled into the demonic sword hanging at its waist.

The dead eunuch felt the chilling sensation surrounding him vanish instantly, and the long-lost warmth returned.

"How are you feeling, my dear friend?" Zhang Cheng asked knowingly, winking at him.

“That’s wonderful! Thank you for your generosity and kindness!” Varys bowed deeply.

"Don't be so polite, we're allies now. Remember, never do anything that violates our agreement, otherwise..."

"I understand! I understand!"

Before Zhang Cheng could finish speaking, Varys hurriedly made a promise. Having personally experienced the horror of the undead, he swore he never wanted to see that pale green, translucent figure again.

"Now, let's discuss how we can work together to remove all the obstacles in our way," Zhang Cheng said, his mocking gaze sweeping over the nobles at the banquet, including Tywin Lannister.

Many people may think that this old lion has already reached the pinnacle of power, but Zhang Cheng knows that the other party is far from being as wise and powerful as he appears on the surface. Before long, he will die in the pit that he himself dug.

Chapter 0141 Liangshui City

Two weeks after the Battle of Blackwater, an army of more than two thousand men crossed the Bridge of Bitterness and advanced along the Avenue of Roses.