Game of Thrones: I am Dothraki, not a barbarian

Chapter 227 Everyone's Catching Birds
On the sixth day after landing, we arrived at the gates of King's Landing.

On the open ground sat a neatly trimmed tree root and several smaller tree stumps, with the two sides sitting face to face.

Jaime represents the Lannisters, Laharo represents the Dothraki, while Joffrey remains naked, bound hand and foot, and thrown onto the grass to the side.

He hadn't drunk any water or eaten anything, his voice was hoarse from shouting, and he had stopped struggling.

This was the first time Jaime had ever met Laharlal. The man in front of him had once spared Bronn and even given him the Blood Troupe as a favor, but he had no intention of reminiscing now.

"Say your terms."

“If Tywin surrenders unconditionally and relinquishes his title as Duke and Warden of the West, you may take him, Cersei, and your two sons to Iban or somewhere else and never return.”

Looking into Laharo's obsidian-like eyes, James was honestly a little tempted by the offer.

But he knew it was impossible. His father would rather die than relinquish power, and neither would Cersei.

Lahalo seemed to read his mind. "Tywin is under siege by six great lords. The Westerlands are now an isolated island. Defeat is only a matter of time. How long can you hold out?"

“Joffrey was a failed king,” James said in a deep voice. “He’s dead, but there’s Tommen, who will succeed him immediately.”

"King's Landing has lost more than half of its army. Can a king without an army still be called a king?"

“We still have fortified cities,” Jaime said. “I envy your weapon that can fire iron projectiles. But you’ve been using it to blast through the walls for a long time, and nothing has been damaged except the gates, has it?”

“You know whose children they are.” Rahalo changed the subject, pointing at the lifeless Joffrey. “Neither he nor Tommen is qualified to sit on the Iron Throne. Baratheon is also dead. Only the Targaryens are qualified to sit in that position.”

“You have no evidence,” Jaime said nonchalantly. “The Mad King Aerys has already ruined the reputation of the Targaryen dynasty.”

Joffrey was not a good king, but I believe Tommen certainly was.

He is very devout, and when he ascends to the throne, he will call upon all the followers of the Seven Gods to resist you heretics until the last man is left!

Laharo laughed, and Jaime knew he understood what he meant. Joffrey was a king, but a wicked one.

He's worthless.

“Looks like that kid isn’t as valuable as I thought,” Rahalo sighed. “Then I’ll take 100,000 swallows.”

"What do you mean?" James thought he had misheard.

“One hundred thousand swallows,” Rahalo repeated, “alive.”

Jaime was utterly bewildered. He had prepared vast amounts of gold and silver, even prepared to cede territory, but all the other party wanted were swallows?

“Are you kidding me?” James asked, trying to find a hint of amusement in Laharo’s expression.

What are the uses of swallows?

Was it a pagan ritual? Or a special custom of the Dothraki? Jaime tried to understand the other's intentions, but couldn't figure it out at all.

“I never joke,” Rahalo said seriously. “One hundred thousand swallows in exchange for your king. They’re on the eaves of every house. You can mobilize the entire city to search for them.” Rahalo stood up. “Three days, or your king will die.”

Jaime seemed to understand Laharo's intentions, yet also seemed not to. Perhaps Laharo wanted to test the loyalty of the people of King's Landing to Joffrey.

If the people are willing to hunt birds all over the city to save the king, it means that Joffrey still has popular support. If no one responds, it proves that the king has lost the support of the people, and the siege will be much easier.

This was a cunning political test. He wanted to probe further, but Lahallo had already turned and left. Joffrey was also dragged away, leaving behind a group of bewildered royal knights.

Upon returning to King's Landing, Jaime immediately convened a royal council. Inside the Red Keep's council hall, candlelight flickered, and the atmosphere was heavy.

"One hundred thousand swallows?" Queen Cersei shrieked. "Is that barbarian humiliating us?"

“I’m afraid it’s not an insult, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager,” Grand Secretary Paisel said tremulously. “Perhaps it’s some kind of heretical ritual…”

"What kind of ceremony requires 100,000 swallows? This is clearly a mockery of us!"

“Perhaps he intends to take advantage of the chaos to attack the city?” a minister said, stroking his beard.

"Whatever conditions he offers, we must meet them!" Cersei slammed her hand on the table. "My son is in his hands!" She then turned to Jaime, "Do you think he'll take advantage of the chaos to attack the city?"

Jaime didn't look at her, and continued, "I think Laharlal is trying to test whether the people of King's Landing are willing to act to save the king."

Genos Slint scoffed, "A bunch of lowly commoners, what right do they have to test the king?"

“The last King’s Landing riot exposed our current predicament,” Jaime glanced at Slynt. “If the people refuse to cooperate, it means Joffrey has lost their support. If Laharo attacks, some might even open the gates to welcome them. If we besiege the city, it will cause an even bigger riot, which would be much more troublesome.”

The meeting room fell silent.

Everyone knew that Joffrey's tyranny had caused widespread public discontent, but no one dared to say it openly.

Cersei screamed, "We must save my son no matter what!"

She looked around at everyone present and said, "Issue an order immediately to search the entire city for swallows! A silver deer will be awarded for each swallow brought in!"

“Let’s do as the Queen Mother says,” James said, having no better options at the moment. “One silver deer and one swallow. Send the order to the whole city immediately.”

King's Landing quickly descended into chaos.

Heralds announced the Red Keep's decree at every street corner: "His Majesty the King has been kidnapped by barbarians! One silver stag will be awarded for every live swallow handed over!"

The people looked at each other in dismay, knowing that since the Dothraki siege, prices in King's Landing had risen to a desperate level.

In peacetime, a loaf of black bread that could be bought for one copper coin now costs ten copper coins, and a salted fish has risen from two copper coins to forty copper coins. As for fresh meat, it has become a luxury item, with a cut of beef or six skinny piglets costing a gold coin.

Even worse, the city gates were tightly closed, merchants hoarded goods and speculated on prices, children in the slums were starving and emaciated, women lined up to fight for every grain of wheat, and even the girls in the outbuildings began to accept food as payment.

Now, a silver deer can only buy a pile of moldy corn or a small piece of spoiled cured meat.

Although it's expensive, at least I won't starve.

When the first child carrying a birdcage received the gleaming silver deer, the whole city went wild.

Everyone put down their work; some picked up fishing nets to chase swallows, children climbed onto rooftops to lure them with breadcrumbs, and even the girls from the branch school joined the bird-catching army.

Within three days, King's Landing had become a giant birdcage, with people carrying cages everywhere in the streets and alleys, and hardly a single swallow could be seen flying in the sky.

People were searching every corner, and every bird call would attract a group of people to chase and intercept them.

(End of this chapter)