Game of Thrones: The Wrath of the Sleeping Dragon

Unfortunately, the quality of the soldiers under his command was ultimately lacking.

The army led by Bessie was not an elite force. It would be one thing if they were just defending the city, but to ask them to wade through waist-deep floodwaters to pursue the enemy was simply impossible.

It's even possible that your own troops will fall apart before the enemy even catches up.

Although Oberyn's army suffered a crushing defeat, its morale plummeted, and it was exhausted from being caught in a downpour, it was still an elite force.

If they were to actually catch up with the enemy under such circumstances, the outcome would be uncertain.

Moreover, Oberyn might be waiting for him to catch up overnight so he could launch a counterattack.

Although the two renowned generals of the empire had not met, they had already engaged in several tactical and psychological battles.

Know yourself and the enemy.

They know each other too well.

Oberyn did not heed the advice of his steward Kane to launch a direct assault on Highgarden because he feared that Bessie had set an ambush to lure him into taking a risk.

In fact, the commanders of the allied forces in Stormlands and Reach did indeed set up an ambush in Highgarden last night, to guard against Oberyn's desperate actions.

If Oberyn really takes Kane's advice and launches a counterattack on Highgarden, then it will truly be a one-way trip.

That's perfect, there's no need to continue pursuing these remaining enemies; let's just wipe them out right under the walls of Highgarden.

Conversely, after the dramatic turn of events at the Battle of Highgarden, Bessie repeatedly considered whether to press on and relentlessly pursue the remaining enemy forces, rather than waiting until the next day when the situation improved before continuing the pursuit.

Although he was confident he could catch up, he would only feel at ease if he could eliminate these enemies as soon as possible.

After achieving a brilliant victory, it's easy for people to become complacent. The general, wearing an iron mask, was even almost about to order a pursuit.

But in the end, he overcame his inner impulses and complacency, repeatedly questioning himself with self-reproach why he had let his guard down.

In reality, Prince Dorne, though old, was no pushover.

At that time, after Oberyn rejected the proposal from the steward Kane to launch a counterattack on Highgarden, he did indeed prepare a great gift for Bessie.

If his old friend, after achieving a great victory, lowers his guard and becomes complacent, attempting to pursue the enemy overnight.

Then he would strike while the enemy was still crossing the flood.

Although Oberyn's remaining troops are not enough to turn the tide of battle.

However, this ambush was enough to thwart Bessie's pursuit plan, leaving her unable to continue the chase.

This would allow Oberyn to retreat to King's Landing more easily and calmly, then recuperate and prepare to launch another attack on the Reach.

Unfortunately, Oberyn's ambush also failed.

He waited at the edge of the flood for a long time, but in the end he saw nothing, so he reluctantly continued his escape.

...

The civil war on the continent of Westeros is in full swing, and almost all the great nobles except for those in the Iron Islands have been drawn into it.

About a week has passed since the Battle of Highgarden ended, and news of it has gradually spread.

Many people already knew that Prince Oberyn's army had suffered a crushing defeat at Highgarden.

"Have you heard? His Highness Heros suffered a defeat."

After that night, Prince Regent Herlos Targaryen returned to King's Landing riding the dragon Tyrex, his face unusually grim.

He summoned his staff overnight, not the Imperial Council, and issued a series of orders, demanding that Harry Strickland lead his army back to King's Landing immediately.

At the same time, Heros also gave orders to the commander-in-chief of the capital's garrison, "Iron Hand" Jeslin Byvat, who had sworn allegiance to him.

King's Landing is now on a state of war preparedness, and no one is allowed to enter or leave.

King's Landing was placed under lockdown, and rumors immediately spread throughout the streets.

Originally, only a few people knew about Oberon's defeat, but with the changing situation on the streets...

The army moved through the streets and alleys, creating a tense and deadly atmosphere, and the news could no longer be kept secret.

Everyone was saying that His Highness Herlos had suffered a crushing defeat at Highgarden.

Rumors circulated that Prince Oberon, the pillar of the empire, had fallen in battle.

Others claim that Prince Dorne had died of illness before the war, which led to the sudden and devastating defeat at Waterloo.

Some even go so far as to say that Immon Targaryen was favored by the gods and was the emperor's chosen sole heir.

Because almost all the rulers of the Targaryen family throughout history had silver hair and purple eyes.

This is the will of His Majesty the Emperor and the gods; otherwise, there is no way to explain why Herod the Targaryen, who had been advancing triumphantly and unstoppable not long ago, suffered a crushing defeat when he was about to breach Highgarden.

Rumors are now spreading rapidly throughout the land, and people are filled with fear and unease.

They had no idea what major events would unfold next, or what the fate of this empire would hold...

Meanwhile, the old prince of Dorne was also risking his life.

He and his remaining troops had been fleeing for who knows how long. They had thrown away everything they could, and were living frugally, almost to the point of gnawing on tree bark.

And now they are finally close to escaping the Reach and returning to King's Landing.

They retreated along Rose Avenue, and the sea was not far ahead.

Chapter 1067 Generous Dowry

The Rose Avenue is a major road that starts in King's Landing, runs southwest through the Reach, and leads to Old Town. It crosses the River Mandeb at Bitterbridge and intersects with the Seaside Avenue at Highgarden.

Now, the old Prince of Dorne and his remaining troops are fleeing towards King's Landing along the Rose Road.

The Rose Avenue winds through the vast Kingswood Forest, then heads north, crossing a bridge over the Blackwater River to reach King's Landing, the imperial capital.

Therefore, when Oberyn's defeated army walked along the Rose Avenue out of the vast Royal Dragon Breeding Grounds...

Smelling the salty sea breeze and hearing the sound of waves crashing against the beach at Blackwater Bay, his highly tense nerves finally relaxed considerably.

"finally…"

We're almost at King's Landing.

Oberyn sat on his horse, forcing his back straight so the soldiers wouldn't notice his weakness, and then let out a long sigh of relief.

Now, after such a long forced march and arduous journey, the old prince of Dorne is no longer able to keep up with his physical condition.

His face was as pale as paper, his gray hair was as messy and disheveled as straw, simply tied with a strip of cloth, his eyes were full of exhaustion and bloodshot, and he gripped the reins tightly in his hand.

Oberon is an elderly man in his sixties.

But ever since the defeat at the Battle of Highgarden, he hasn't had a good night's sleep in days.

I'm pushing my body to its limits every day, and I'm even feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

During this period, he sent several messages to King's Landing for help, dispatching the last remaining ravens and messengers, hoping that Prince Herod could send the capital garrison of King's Landing to help them evacuate.

However, both the ravens and the messengers sent out disappeared without a trace, and no response was ever received.

Although no reinforcements arrived, Oberon could understand Heros's predicament.

Because he had served as a senior minister in the King's Landing Council for decades, no one knew the city better than Oberyn.

He had witnessed every single change that had taken place in Junlin since the founding of the empire.

From constructing underground water facilities to leveling the dragon's lair to create the four imperial academies, the imperial bank, the arena, and later the expansion of the outer city of the capital, etc.

Even during the period of drastic population decline that followed the Long Night, King's Landing's population did not decrease; instead, it experienced a population explosion.

The population of King's Landing has more than doubled in the last decade, from more than 500,000 during the Seven Kingdoms period to more than one million later, and now it is approaching two million.

These people are not just newborns, but also laborers who flock to the empire from all over the country and from across the Narrow Sea.

After all, King's Landing is now the largest, most densely populated, and most civilized city in the world.

This is a direct consequence of the empire's growing power.

Even the Imperial Council predicted that King's Landing's population would exceed three million within the next decade, and that the Empire's territory could remain intact for a hundred years, with the capital's population exceeding ten million only a matter of time.

Today, Heros controls the imperial capital, King's Landing. This megacity in this era, while bringing tremendous support—its population is equivalent to that of an entire region—also bears immense pressure and responsibility.

Moreover, Heros's control over King's Landing was not complete; it was merely superficial.

It appears that he has seized the capital of the empire, and he sits in the Red Keep as the high and mighty regent prince.

But beneath the surface of King's Landing lie various gray areas and all sorts of "flea nest princes".

These people were insignificant compared to Prince Heros, a member of the royal family, like rats in the sewers.

However, although rats are physically weak, the destructive power they cause behind the scenes is not small.

The character "强牺" is pronounced "xi". The "old nobles" who had operated in King's Landing for many years but were suppressed after Herlos took control of the city, including the so-called high-ranking figures of the Royal Council, all had some connection with these underworld forces in King's Landing.

These were the same people who later helped Tyrion Lannister's wife and children escape, at a heavy price.

Beneath the murky surface of King's Landing, they fought against the secret agents and spies of the Ministry of the Interior.

In reality, the real struggles in the imperial court were not limited to what could be seen, but rather involved open and covert battles in all aspects.

After Herloth Targaryen usurped power, Queen Arianne was placed under house arrest in the Red Keep, and the Council of Kings, including the Hand of the King, became puppets.

Although they were controlled by Heros and had lost the ability to resist on the surface, the struggle between the two sides behind the scenes was far from over.

It was against this backdrop that, if all went well, Oberyn successfully breached Highgarden, captured the second prince Aemon Targaryen, and returned to King's Landing.

Then all the problems will eventually cease to be problems, and Heros will become the ultimate winner, taking everything, while these scumbags from the sewers will never be able to recover.

However, the war suffered a reversal and a crushing defeat at the last moment, and all the contradictions that had been accumulated before would then erupt in a concentrated backlash.

Therefore, Heros remained inactive despite the old Prince of Dorne's repeated requests for help.

It wasn't that Heros didn't want to save Oberyn, but rather that if he deployed the capital's garrison in the current situation in King's Landing, the imperial capital might fall out of his control.

...

Inside the Red Keep, a woman with long black hair and a pure, girlish appearance stood quietly in front of Heros.

The throne room was empty at the moment, and the Regent Prince of the Empire was sitting in a seat next to the Iron Throne.

Even when he was all alone, Heros never tried to sit on the Iron Throne and experience that feeling.

He simply sat in his seat, his face showing an undeniable weariness, his brows slightly furrowed, but his eyes still shone brightly.

Despite the sudden and devastating defeat that has put him in a somewhat unfavorable situation, Heros does not seem to have lost his confidence.