Chapter 421 Engagement

  On the north bank of the Blackwater River, Duke Tywin Lannister was inspecting the army, but his face didn't look very good.

   Like Samwell, he has his own set of troubles.

  Even though he occupies the four realms, and he still has King’s Landing in his hands, he is indeed stronger than Caesar who occupies the three realms in terms of territorial area, but in fact, the troops in the south have a clear advantage.

After all, the Reach is the richest and most powerful territory in Westeros, and on his side, only the West can go all out for his own use. Not to mention the great loss of strength, he is still unwilling to fully cooperate with the Lannister family.

   There is no way, the influence of the three major families of fish, wolf and eagle in these three realms is too great.

  Although he has supported new forces such as the Bolton family, the Frey family, and the Waywood family, in a short period of time, he still cannot completely replace the fish wolf eagle and completely control the three northern territories.

  Those families whose hearts are devoted to the fish, wolf and eagle, although they dare not openly resist the Lannister family under the current situation, they can still obey the law. For example, they sent some old, weak, sick and disabled to perfunctory this time.

  Nominally, King’s Landing has gathered 80,000 troops, but only about half of them are really elite.

  Duke Tywin did not dare to reprimand those northern families, for fear of making them anxious and causing chaos in the rear.

   In fact, the rear has already begun to become unstable.

  The Royce family of the valley openly questioned Countess Anya Waywood's qualifications as the guardian of the valley, and claimed that the other party had imprisoned Duke Robert Arryn for evil.

  The Tully family in the riverlands went too far. Under the leadership of the old duke's younger brother, "Blackfish" Tully, they occupied Riverrun and declared themselves independent.

As for the northern border, although Winterfell is now controlled by the Bolton family, and the Stark family only has a seven-year-old child left as a puppet, Tywin knows that many northern families do not accept Roose Bolton at all. The Duke of Dayton, taking advantage of the army going south and leaving the north empty, is already about to move.

  Originally he thought that winter was coming, Caesar would not lead his army northward, and he would have enough time to slowly clean up the old forces of the fish, wolf and eagle in the three northern borders, but he did not expect...

  Even though he had bought the Braavosi people with a lot of money, he still couldn't dispel the determination of the Storm King to start the war.

  He just received the news that the vanguard of the southern army had left Tongmen City and headed for the outpost camp.

  So at this time, Duke Tywin couldn't care less about the chaotic situation behind him, and had to face a more difficult choice—

  Should they give up supporting the outpost camp on the south bank, or withdraw to the north bank, relying on the natural moat of the Blackwater River to stop Caesar's army going north?

   While meditating all the way, Duke Tywin had already returned to the Red Castle under the **** of his guards.

   "Go and call Tyrion to me."

   "Yes, my lord."

  Duke Tywin came to the study, spread out a roll of parchment, picked up the quill, but didn't write for a long time.

   There was a long silence in the room.

   Until the door was knocked.

"Come in."

  Tyrion pushed the door and entered. After seeing his father with a cold face, he smiled and said:

   "If you're asking about logistics, I'm afraid you won't get good news. We're short on food..."

   "Don't worry about the food issue." Duke Tywin interrupted his son, "The Braavos will send a batch of food soon."

  Tyrion whistled happily:

   "I didn't expect Neptune to be your friend."

  The corners of Duke Tywin's mouth twitched slightly. Of course he would not tell his son that he gave all the gold mined in Casterly Rock City in the next ten years to that Sea King, and finally won his "friendship".

   "There is something you need to do."

   "You just tell me."

   "There have been repeated disturbances in the three northern regions, so I decided to..."

   "Father," Tyrion exclaimed exaggeratedly, "you're not going to send me to quell the chaos, are you? Didn't what happened in Dorne make you understand that I'm not as omnipotent as you expected."

   "I didn't expect you to quell the chaos." Duke Tywin said with a cold face, "I just asked you to marry a wife."

   "That sounds much simpler." Tyrion asked curiously. "I wonder which poor lady has the misfortune to be the wife of a dwarf?"

  Duke Tywin was very unimpressed by his son's witty words, and said a name lightly:

   "Sansa Stark."

   "Ed Stark's eldest daughter? She has always been in your hands?" Tyrion couldn't help feeling hot when he thought of the innocent and lovely red-haired girl.

   Merciful gods, have you at last decided to dwarf me, the dwarf?

   Or is this just another malicious joke?

  Duke Tywin didn't answer this question, he just put down the quill, got up and walked out, saying:

   "You come with me."

  Tyrion followed curiously.

  The two of them left the study room and went all the way to a tightly guarded room on the top floor of the Prime Minister's Tower.

  The guards hurriedly bowed to salute after seeing Duke Tywin.

   "Open the door."

"yes."

  The heavy wooden door was slowly pushed open, and Duke Tywin walked in first.

  Tyrion followed.

   "She is the wife you are about to marry." Duke Tywin pointed to a red-haired girl in the room.

  Tyrion took a look at the girl, frowned, and asked:

   "Is she Sansa Stark?"

  The girl looked fifteen or sixteen years old, pretty, with long maroon hair and big dark eyes.

  It is true that she is somewhat similar to Duke Eddard Stark's eldest daughter, but Tyrion knows that she is not Sansa Stark at all.

   "I said she is, she is." Duke Tywin said.

  The girl stood timidly in a corner of the room with her head down, not daring to look at the father and son at all.

  Tyrion shook his head and said:

   "I know you want to use this marriage to appease the old forces of the Fish Wolf Eagle family, but if they know you've played this trick, I'm afraid they will only be angered even more."

  Duke Tywin was unmoved and said:

   "They haven't seen Sansa Stark for several years. How many people still remember her appearance clearly? Girls of this age are growing the fastest, and it is not normal for some changes in appearance.

   Moreover, Earl Rickon Stark has set off from Winterfell to King's Landing. He will attend your wedding, hold his sister's hand in person, and marry her to you. "

  Tyrion shrugged, and said: "A seven-year-old's endorsement, hehe, I'm afraid it will be difficult to win people's trust."

  Duke Tywin gradually became impatient:

   "Believe it or not is their business, you just marry. Ed Stark's eldest son has become a night watchman, and the second son is missing, so in case the youngest son Rickon also has an accident..."

   Speaking of this, Tyrion saw a cold golden light flash in his father's eyes.

   "Then your wife is the heir to Winterfell." Duke Tywin continued, "And you can also use her name to control the first city in the north."

   "Then I won't have to think about your Casterly Rock, will I?" Tyrion sneered.

  Duke Tywin did not deny it, turned and walked out, saying:

   "Exchange your feelings with your future wife, and I will arrange for you to get married as soon as possible."

   "Father." Tyrion said again, "If James insists on refusing to inherit Casterly Rock, will you consider me..."

   "Don't think about Casterly Rock anymore!" Duke Tywin suddenly turned his head and said coldly, "I will never allow a dwarf to sit in the position of guardian of the western region. You will make the family a joke just like my father!"

  Tyrion quietly looked at his furious father, not much fear, but a sense of revenge-like pleasure.

   "So it's like this. You kept denying my inheritance right because you were worried that the family would become a joke." Tyrion chuckled, "I thought I wasn't your son."

  Duke Tywin's eyes flickered, and he said:

   "The world asks you to bear my surname, and I will give you the treatment you deserve. But other than that, don't think about more."

   After speaking, he turned and left.

  Tyrion looked at the majestic back of the other party, and the question hidden in his heart was about to come out, but when it finally reached his mouth, it turned into:

   "Is James back? I hope he can attend my wedding."

  Duke Tywin paused, without looking back:

   "It should be in time."

   "That's good." Tyrion resumed his playful look again.

  After Duke Tywin left, he looked at the timid girl in the room, and his tone eased:

"May I have your name?"

   "Sansa Stark."

   "I mean your real name." Tyrion said, "Don't try to lie to me, I have seen the real Sansa Stark."

  The girl trembled uncontrollably, and whispered in a crying voice:

   "Jenny Poole."

  (end of this chapter)