Chapter 164 Changes in Winter

"Maester Luwin, are you sure that my father did not die from a festered wound?"

The cold wind mixed with bone-chilling freezing rain hit every corner of Winterfell, the oldest castle in the North. Robb Stark stood in the lord's room, looking at the flickering candlelight, his eyes unfocused. .

He wore a thick animal skin cloak, but it still couldn't bring him the slightest warmth. The empty, dark room looked like a giant beast's mouth wide open, trying to swallow Robb Stark in one bite.

Standing behind the now undoubted master of the North, Maester Luwin in robes sighed, his old voice full of fatigue, and he said:

"I'm afraid yes, my lord, I found a drug in Lord Ed's body that I had seen in the school city."

The old bachelor looked at Robb Stark's back and continued:

"I majored in Pharmacy in the city. This is an uncommon drug. Its function is to make people excited. As the dosage of the drug increases, people will become more and more excited."

After a long silence, Robb Stark murmured as if to himself:

"So, the mental state that my father showed when he came back was actually due to the effects of this damn drug. In fact... he should be very weak."

Sighing, Robb Stark's words were also the inference in Maester Luwin's mind.

When Eddard Stark returned to Winterfell, Maester Luwin, who received the news, immediately came to check on the lord's situation. As an experienced maester, he quickly realized Eddard Stark's abnormal behavior. mental state.

After realizing the problem, he immediately checked, but it was too late. Eddard Stark's last energy was squeezed out by Grand Maester Pycelle's potion.

Eddard Stark returned to Winterfell. After a sudden fainting, he never woke up. The wounds all over his body festered and his breath weakened rapidly. He finally died in Winterfell and returned to the embrace of the old gods.

This news was like a bolt from the blue to the Stark family, who had just dispersed their army to recuperate.

After being depressed for more than a week, Robb Stark, who had become the Duke of Winterfell, felt the tremendous pressure on his shoulders for the first time.

Although he looks young and powerful, he is actually completely powerless about the current situation.

He had just led his army to defeat the arrogant Lannister army. Just over a week ago, the last batch of noble troops left Winterfell and returned to their home castles in the northern lands.

It is already autumn, and the ravens in the academy have long brought this news to Winterfell. This period of food is extremely important for the upcoming winter.

After all the troops return to their hometowns, they will be immediately organized to go to the fields to harvest food.

At this time, it was impossible for Robb Stark to ask them to gather at Winterfell again. He simply couldn't do it.

Moreover, just by relying on Maester Luwin's words, all the northern nobles believed that this was a Lannister conspiracy, and Eddard Stark's revenge would be on Lannister's head.

Robb Stark had no idea how many people would believe it.

In addition, his sister Arya has not been seen yet, and there is no news from the Lannister. This makes Robb Stark both worried and puzzled. He really doesn't understand whose hands Arya is.

Seeing his mother and sister Sansa crying in tears every day, Robb Stark felt as if he was holding a fire in his chest. He really wanted to start an all-out war against the Lannister again regardless.

Go south! Go south!

Rush into King's Landing and kill everyone named Lannister. The hatred of the family can only be repaid with blood!

However, the icy rain in the sky made Robb Stark's newly rising enthusiasm disappear. Now that he is the Duke of Winterfell, he must consider the problem from an overall perspective.

"Tell this news to all my vassals with raven, and ask them to come to Winterfell immediately."

"What about their army, my lord?"

"Don't move for now and complete the harvest of food as soon as possible."

"As you wish, my lord."

…

The first one to arrive was the Earl of Severn City, Clay's close comrade-in-arms. His castle was only half a day's journey from Winterfell. On the night when the news arrived, the dusty Earl of Severn City arrived at Winterfell. hall.

The middle-aged earl, when he received the news, immediately understood the current situation. When he saw Robb Stark sitting at the head of the long table, he did not bow to Lady Catelyn first this time. , but said directly:

"Please have your condolences, Your Majesty."

Severn City is only half a day away from Winterfell. Unless the Stark family is wiped out, otherwise, the Severn family must stand with the Stark family at all times.

"Winterfell welcomes you, Lord Severn, please forgive me, I have no intention of entertaining guests right now."

Robb Stark said something dull, and Earl Severn nodded to express his understanding.

They were all old acquaintances, so naturally they didn't have to be polite. Earl Severn directly found a chair to sit down and asked:

"Lord Robb, what is going on? The letter says that Lord Eddard Stark died at the hands of Lannister. Can you tell me more specifically?"

"Let me tell you."

Maester Luwin briefly told the situation to the Earl of Severn City. After hearing this, Earl Severn frowned and thought for a long time, looked at the Stark family on the high platform, and said:

"My lord, madam, please don't think that I speak outright. It's not that I don't trust Maester Luwin. In fact, Maester Luwin is well-known in our northern territory."

"But the question is, even if it is really Lannister who did this, what are you going to do, Lord Duke?"

"You mean, I shouldn't avenge my father?"

Robb Stark crossed his hands and said this sentence without any fluctuation in his voice.

"Of course not, but Mr. Rob, you have also led soldiers. I believe you know what the situation is like right now. Our warriors in the north have just returned home loaded with the things they robbed from the Southerners. At this time, ask them to come back. …”

Earl Severn did not say the next words, but Robb Stark knew it very well.

He needs to wait at least three more months before he can gather a huge army again, and this army must be stronger than the one that went south last time.

"I understand, thank you for your advice, Lord Severn."

Robb Stark said lightly, stood up and left.

Within the next month, the lords of all sizes in the north gathered in the fortress of Winterfell again. The reason why it took a month was because some of the lords who were farther away rushed back to their fortress non-stop, and the results were not yet available. After taking a breath, he saw the letter from Winterfell and had no choice but to hit the road again.

In the end, everyone discovered that there was one person missing from this important meeting in the North, and it was an extremely important person, the young master of White Harbor and the military god of the North, Clay Mandler.

Leading the team from White Harbor was Clay's uncle Willis Manderly. He really believed that Clay went to Essos to open up a new trade route for the family.

"Lord Willis, please contact Lord Clay as soon as possible. Our army in the north, in addition to being under Lord Robber, is under the command of Lord Clay, so everyone can feel at ease."

"Yes, Lord Rob has no problem commanding the infantry, but for the cavalry, we have to look at our Lord Clay."

"Yes, yes, didn't Maester Luwin say that Lord Eddard was killed by the Lannister? After we have harvested all the food, we will definitely go south to fight the Lannister again!"

This was what Willis Manderly heard every day during his stay in Winterfell. He was a little surprised that his good nephew actually had such a strong prestige in the army.

In fact, he could tell that mentioning Lord Robb about the issue of commanding troops was a sign of respect for the Duke of Winterfell. The nobles in the north probably really respected their nephews. Clay.

In this regard, Willis could only nod and say that he had sent someone to contact him. In fact, he actually instructed White Harbor to send someone to Essos.

He must tell Clay what happened in Winterfell as soon as possible. In the current family, except for the old man who is too busy in the Twins and has been busy integrating, Clay and himself are the only ones who can cause trouble.

Willis met Wilfield who was following Sansa Stark. His daughter was not doing well. It was not because of how the Stark family treated her, but because of what happened to the Stark family. For big things, no one from top to bottom paid any attention to her.

Wilfield can only stay with Sansa Stark, who is already a good sister, and do some female celebrities every day, that's all.