Spellcasting Gods

Apart from a very few participants, no one knows what kind of agreement the two most powerful women reached at the royal council.

However, immediately after the meeting, Jaime Lannister led a massive reinforcement force of eight thousand men, including vassals from the Westerlands, toward Oldtown.

Not to be outdone, the Tyrells quickly assembled a massive army of over 20,000 men by gathering their vassals.

As for Prince Doran, who has always maintained a neutral stance in Dorne, he also unusually dispatched "The Red Viper" Oberyn Martell and a well-equipped army.

With the addition of the new recruits and mercenaries Zhang Cheng has been recruiting these days, the total military strength gathered in the old town has exceeded 60,000.

It can be said that, apart from Bolton, who was busy suppressing the Northern nobles, and Petyr Baelish, who had just returned to the Vale and had not yet had time to regain control, most of the nobles clearly expressed their attitude: no matter what the outcome, they would fight first.

It's important to understand that nobles under the feudal system didn't maintain their privileges and ruling position through etiquette and morality. They relied on the sword in their hands and naked violence. Anyone who dared to question the noble birthright of a nobleman would be arrested and executed.

If a nobleman is afraid of war, he will not only be looked down upon by his vassals, but also ridiculed by the common people, and will be unable to rule his own territory.

As the year 299 of the Aegonian calendar entered its final months, Zhang Cheng finally emerged from the dimly lit basement and received several important guests in the reception room of the Tower of Triumph.

“Long time no see, dear Mason. It’s great to be fighting alongside you this time.” Loras opened his arms and rushed forward to give him a warm hug.

"Thank you, thank you very much to the Tyrell family for sending so many reinforcements at this critical moment," Zhang Cheng replied politely.

Although he didn't particularly like this "Knight of Flowers" whose sexual orientation was somewhat problematic, the other party had, in any case, brought a batch of high-quality cannon fodder that could be used.

In contrast, Jaime Lannister's expression was much more complicated.

He stood there for a few seconds, clearly hesitating, before extending his undamaged hand: "Hello, Mason. I never imagined that so much would have happened since we last met."

“Yes! I never expected that Tyrion, with his lazy personality, would be provoked by some malicious individuals and commit the terrible crime of patricide,” Zhang Cheng implied with a double meaning.

"Provoked by someone with ulterior motives? What do you mean?!" James, who was never one to mince words, immediately demanded an answer.

Zhang Cheng chuckled and shrugged. "It's nothing. Do you remember Tyrion's first marriage? Someone deliberately told him the truth. Imagine how someone who has accumulated a lot of resentment in their heart would react if they suddenly learned that their first love had been treated that way, and that they had been deceived for decades. My dear Jaime, you probably don't understand yet, but from Joffrey's death onwards, the whole thing was a conspiracy, a huge conspiracy against the Lannisters."

"Who is the mastermind behind this? Tell me!" The king killer seemed to realize something and excitedly tried to grab the other person's collar.

However, before he could get close, Zhang Cheng raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Snapped!

With a crisp sound echoing in the air, a dazzling arcane missile flew from between his fingers, slamming James away with a bang before crashing heavily to the ground.

The impact was so powerful that the steel breastplate was visibly dented, and he himself was so disoriented that he couldn't get up even after the impact.

Seeing his disheveled appearance, Zhang Cheng curled the corners of his mouth and said meaningfully, "Don't be so impulsive. Some things are much more interesting to find the answers to yourself than to have someone tell you. Believe me, when you find the mastermind behind it all, you'll be very surprised."

"Hahahaha! Absolutely brilliant! Lord Mason, thank you for showing me the true face of magic!" Oberyn completely disregarded the feelings of the "Kingslayer" and laughed heartily as he clapped his hands.

Perhaps others are unaware that this dissolute Prince of Dorne had secretly made a pact with Daenerys's brother, Viserys: when the Targaryens returned to Westeros to wage war for the throne, Dorne would rebel, overthrow the Baratheons' rule, and utterly destroy the Lannisters to avenge his sister Elia. But Zhang Cheng, who had read the original books, knew this very well.

He understood that the reason the other party cheered so loudly was not because of the arcane missile he had just used, but because he had severely humiliated the eldest son of the Lannister family, who was also the nominal heir to the family.

Many people may think that Cersei became the ruler of the Lannister family after Tywin's death, but in fact, she was able to do so entirely on the basis of her brother's complete obedience. Once Jaime refused to be under her control, the Lannister family's relatives and vassals would immediately turn to support him.

Sensing the Red Viper's undisguised malice towards the Lannisters, Zhang Cheng's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery as he smiled and replied, "Please don't be so polite, this little trick is nothing. If you don't mind, could I invite you to a private party later? I have a friend I'd like to introduce you to."

“Of course! It’s my honor!” Oberon placed one hand on his chest and bowed slightly.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, everyone took their seats, and even James, who had just lost face, did not leave.

Gazing at the thirty-odd feudal lords of varying ranks and regions gathered in the living room, Zhang Cheng gently tapped the table: "Gentlemen, you have all surely received the news that a dangerous enemy is about to arrive. He not only possesses an unprecedentedly large army, but also a full ten dragons..."

"and many more!"

Before he could finish speaking, a bald, slightly overweight man in his fifties stood up and interrupted him.

"Who are you?" Zhang Cheng squinted and looked him up and down.

Judging from the color of his beard and his attire, he undoubtedly belongs to the Lannister family.

For some reason, Zhang Cheng had never met the other party in a formal setting.

“This is my uncle, Kevan, who is now the commander of the Lannister army,” Jaime said, standing up to introduce him.

Zhang Cheng nodded thoughtfully: "Alright, Sir Kevan, may I ask?"

"I want to know, are these ten dragons real? How big is the largest one, how small is the smallest one, and how many of them can actually pose a threat to our army?" Kevan Lannister asked the most pointed question right off the bat.

Perhaps out of concern for the outcome of the war, or perhaps simply to vent his anger for his nephew, he was clearly making things difficult for Zhang Cheng on purpose.

Chapter 0229 Dorne's Poison

As is well known, dragons are magical creatures that can soar freely in the sky, and their eyesight is far more acute than that of birds of prey such as eagles and falcons, allowing them to observe moving targets on the ground from tens of kilometers away.

If someone tries to get close to a dragon, the dragon will discover them before they even get near, and the result is predictable: they will either be burned to death or eaten as a snack.

Clearly, as a member of the long-established Lannister family, Kevan couldn't possibly be unaware that no one could approach a dragon silently, let alone figure out its size and shape.

However, Zhang Cheng did not get angry at the other party's unreasonable behavior. Instead, he smiled and replied, "That's right, the ten dragons are real. As for how big the biggest dragon is and how small the smallest is, that's none of your business. I will take care of them all. All you need to do is manage your soldiers and try not to cause me any extra trouble."

"What do you mean? Don't you need the help of the Lannister family's invincible army?" Kevan frowned and questioned loudly.

"Invincible? Hahahaha! Excuse me, have you forgotten the humiliation you suffered at the hands of Robb Stark, the Young Wolf, time and again? If he hadn't made that foolish and fatal mistake, who knows who would be in charge of King's Landing right now? Remember, Ser, don't overestimate yourself. You and your pitiful reinforcements are nothing in my eyes." Zhang Cheng retorted sarcastically without any politeness.

In fact, since Tywin's death, the Lannisters have lost their usefulness to him. He took this opportunity to completely break off relations, so that some people would not have any unrealistic fantasies that the secret agreement between him and Tywin could continue.

Such blatant humiliation caused even the usually arrogant Kevan, and James, who had just experienced a miserable prisoner's life, to change color drastically.

Without uttering a single word, they stood up and left the reception room, followed closely by all the Lannister vassals, disappearing into the dimly lit corridor in the blink of an eye.

Looking at the now empty hall, Oberyn suddenly laughed and teased, "My dear friend, with a powerful enemy at hand, you've driven away a valuable reinforcement. That's hardly a wise choice, is it?"

Zhang Cheng shrugged nonchalantly: "It's alright! As long as they stay in Old Town, they'll become pawns under my control sooner or later. On the other hand, you, the infamous Red Viper, have you brought any surprises? As far as I know, the Martell family is the only one to have killed a dragon. You must have some unique methods, right?"

It is well known that all the inhabitants of Westeros are the Dornish people who love and are most skilled at using poison.

Many Dornish nobles secretly kept deadly poisons that even dragons as strong as they were unable to resist. Legend has it that the giant crossbow bolt that pierced Miracis's eye was coated with a terrible poison, which resulted in the death of Rhaenys, the sister and wife of Aegon the Conqueror, and the disastrous defeat in the First Dornish War.

Of course, another theory is that Rhaenys did not die, but was captured by the Dornish and imprisoned in the dungeon, where she suffered inhuman torture and pain.

Zhang Cheng didn't care at all about the ultimate fate of this legendary woman; he only wanted to know what kind of poison could make even a dragon with amazing magic resistance unable to resist it.

"Hehe, I've heard you're a learned and wise man, and seeing you today confirms it. Here, this is a small gift my brother asked me to bring you, hoping it will be of some help in the upcoming war. Please be careful, just a little bit of this poison is enough to kill a whale instantly." With that, Oberyn took out an exquisite copper box from his pocket.

"Oh?" Zhang Cheng's eyes revealed a hint of surprise, and he quickly took it and opened it.

On a dark red velvet mat, six transparent glass bottles were neatly arranged, each containing a blue-green liquid.

Just as he was about to break the wax seal to see what kind of creature's toxin it was, or some kind of magical toxin, Oberyn immediately stood up and stopped him, saying, "Stop! If you don't want to kill us all."

"What, could it possibly evaporate in the air?" Zhang Cheng subconsciously stopped what he was doing, looked up and asked.

"It's not just about evaporation! I'm sorry, but I can't explain in too much detail because it involves many family secrets. All you need to know is that it's extremely toxic. Even smelling a little bit of it can cause irreversible and serious consequences."

As he spoke these words, Oberyn Martell's expression was both serious and solemn, as if the box contained not poison, but holy oil to be applied during the knighthood ceremony.

"Thank you very much, I will use it carefully." Zhang Cheng politely thanked him, then silently watched the unusual glow emanating from the bottle.

He suddenly remembered that the Dornish people, especially House Martell, had once married Queen Nymeria of Rhoyna after her defeat, and were said to have taken in a group of water sorcerers.

Perhaps the poison in the box is a product of the combination of biological toxins and magic; otherwise, the toxicity produced by nature alone could theoretically not threaten a magical life form like a dragon with such great resistance.

Suppressing his intense thirst for knowledge and curiosity, Zhang Cheng turned around and winked at Blanco, who was guarding the door.

The latter understood immediately and gestured to the dark figure at the door with one hand on his chest, inviting him to enter.

Soon, the mysterious man who had been waiting for a long time slowly walked into the living room and took off the hood that was used to cover his face.

moment!

Both Oberyn and Loras wore expressions of utter astonishment.

Because she was none other than Daenerys, who had faded from public view for a long time.

Loras didn't understand. Wasn't the last Targaryen bloodline supposed to be with his grandmother?

Why did they suddenly appear in the old town and inside the towering tower?

Oberyn, on the other hand, could hardly believe that the timid and weak girl from a few years ago had actually displayed such an indescribable and powerful aura, an aura he had only ever felt from his own brother, Prince Doran.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Daenerys calmly lifted her skirt and curtsied, then spoke in a pleasant voice: "Good afternoon, lords. Some of you may recognize me, and some may not, but that doesn't matter. I'm not here today to garner support for the reclaiming of the Iron Throne, but to show you just how dangerous and terrifying the enemy you are about to face is. So please don't harbor any illusions, because no matter how humble you appear, you will ultimately be wiped out..."

Chapter 0230 The Secret Pact

In Daenerys's slightly exaggerated description, Erik is portrayed as an arrogant, evil, cruel, and destructive monster.

He was so bloodthirsty that he would not miss any opportunity to go on a killing spree. Rather than hoping for a dignified surrender, he would rather muster his last bit of courage and fight to the death.

In short, Daenerys Targaryen's words completely extinguished any remaining hope in the hearts of the nobles.

No one realized that everything they heard was a carefully orchestrated performance by someone. The purpose, of course, was to ensure that these cannon fodder did their jobs properly, instead of constantly plotting defections or other such schemes.

As someone who deeply understood the essence of the feudal system, Zhang Cheng never had even the slightest expectation of loyalty from these lords, large and small.

Because he knew that in this primitive social environment where close unity was essential for survival, nothing was more important than the continuation and prosperity of the family.

Once the nobles realize that they cannot defeat their enemies no matter what, they will not hesitate to abandon their so-called dignity, kneel down and beg for the enemy's mercy and forgiveness, and then patiently wait for an opportunity to make a comeback.

In fact, betrayal is as easy for them as eating and drinking.

Looking at the history of Westeros, it is not hard to see that almost all the ancient families that have survived to this day have grown stronger through one conspiracy and betrayal after another. The Lannister ancestors even created this family that is revered by the world through naked deception.

Zhang Cheng certainly didn't want to be fighting with all his might while worrying about trouble at home.

However, judging from the expressions of the "guests" as they left, they wouldn't consider contacting Eric anytime soon, much less betray him easily—at least not until they figured out if "Mother of Dragons" was telling the truth...

As the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, the pre-battle mobilization meeting finally came to a close. Daenerys stood on the balcony, looking down at the departing crowd, and asked without turning her head, "Are you sure that by doing this, they will fight with all their might?"

“No, of course not. You know, the psychological endurance of humans is very limited. Normally, an army that can withstand 20% casualties and still continue fighting can be called an elite force. How much do you think those independent coalition forces outside can withstand without collapsing?” Zhang Cheng asked with a smile.

"If that's the case, then why did you go to all this trouble to have me act out this play?" Daenerys frowned, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

“It’s very simple. This whole thing is just a smokescreen to cover up my real purpose.” With that, Zhang Cheng turned back to his seat and gently rotated the right armrest.

moment!

Suddenly, the desk shelf made a clattering sound, and the entire bookshelf began to slowly rotate. Then, "Red Viper" Oberyn Martell walked out from inside.

He looked Daenerys up and down, then said with a half-smile, "This isn't the person you wanted to introduce me to, is it?"

“Mason, why is he here?” Daenerys asked in a low voice.

"Calm down, let me finish." Zhang Cheng raised his hand, gesturing for the two to be quiet, and poured a glass of wine for Oberyn. "I know that you, in the presence of King Braavos, signed a secret pact with Varys, Illyrio Mopatis, Governor of Pentos, Jon Clinton, and Misthorne Toyn, commander of the Golden Company, that when Viserys returned to claim the Iron Throne, Dorne would raise an army in his defense, and he would marry Arianne Martell, the princess of Dorne, as his queen, is that correct?"

"Oh? Where did you get this information from?" Oberon took the glass and sipped it, his eyes revealing intense wariness.