As expected, upon hearing Barristan's name, Daenerys remembered the legendary knight and immediately summoned him. However, Daenerys didn't feel much excitement. Mainly, she lacked nothing; the situation wasn't as dire as outsiders imagined. She even had time to work with Lu Xuan to develop various dragon mage skills. Barristan's arrival would only give her a slight sense of validation. After all, who this knight pledged allegiance to would undoubtedly enhance the legitimacy of that king.
Barristan followed a group of Unsullied through the heavy guard and into the palace's rear courtyard. Along the way, Barristan witnessed firsthand the palace's defenses, which he found virtually impenetrable. Various sentries, both visible and hidden, were intricately interwoven; even he couldn't find a single flaw. He couldn't help but hold the commander of Daenerys's guards in higher regard.
However, after entering the backyard, he realized that his earlier surprise was just the beginning.
He spotted Daenerys immediately. Two figures were locked in fierce combat in the open arena. One of them wore silver armor, but beneath his helmet, golden and silver hair peeked out. Undoubtedly, it was the legendary Dragon Queen.
The other was a tall, unidentified man. He was not wearing armor and was only carrying a wooden sword.
What surprised Barristan most was the sheer power of Daenerys's longsword; her attacks were sharp and controlled, demonstrating the skill of a highly experienced swordsman. Even he himself would need to put in considerable effort to defeat the Dragon Queen. But the man opposite him was even more astonishing.
He was able to easily block all of Daenerys's attacks with just a wooden sword. Daenerys's longsword, which was clearly no ordinary weapon, couldn't even leave a mark on his wooden sword.
Unlike Daenerys' all-out attack, the man opposite her merely held his sword in one hand, his feet moving with fluid footwork as he effortlessly circled around. Not a single strand of sweat glistened in his hair.
Barristan couldn't help but put himself in Daenerys's shoes. Then he realized with horror that even if he were to fight, he probably wouldn't be able to defeat the wooden sword in her hand. A wooden sword was already this bad. How much stronger would she be if she had a real sword? The Sword of the Dawn?
Barristan was unwilling to believe that a second Dawn could appear in this world. However, he had to admit that the man before him definitely possessed that kind of strength. Moreover, the man had been far too relaxed from beginning to end. So relaxed that Barristan even felt that beneath this ease lay an even greater fighting power.
The fierce battle lasted for a full five or six minutes. Daenerys finally slowed her attack and removed her helmet, preparing to rest.
Barristan quickly stepped forward and announced his identity. However, to his disappointment, although Daenerys showed a pleased expression, it was far from the ecstatic joy Barristan had imagined. But considering that she already had such a powerful knight by her side, it was understandable that she wasn't so eager to get closer to him.
However, Barristan believed his greatest strength lay not in personal martial prowess, but in his military talent. Now, Yunkai and Meereen's armies were at the city gates, but Astapor had no countermeasures. Therefore, he felt his most important task was to demonstrate his military prowess and help Astapor overcome this immediate crisis.
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Chapter 260 Declaration of War
Westeros also had its own war games, after all, their history spans eight or ten thousand years. Having fought so many wars over so many years, the existence of war games isn't out of place.
However, Barristan still had to admit that this sand table was truly the most exquisite he had ever seen. Every detail of the terrain surrounding Astapo was marked. Most importantly, even the enemy's every move was marked on it.
"The enemy numbers around 45,000. Most of them are mercenaries. At the same time, there is a fleet at sea that is approaching. We have all their movements under control. The key question now is, to what extent should we fight?"
At this moment, Lu Xuan, Jorah Mormont, Grey Worm, Daenerys Targaryen, Daenerys's Bloodfist Guard, three representatives of the surrendered good lords, and the commander of the newly formed slave army gathered together to conduct this sand table exercise.
Lu Xuan's words sounded arrogant, but upon closer examination, they weren't entirely wrong. Astapo, though a commercial city, boasted high and sturdy walls, making it a truly formidable fortress.
Twenty thousand defenders could easily handle forty thousand enemy troops. Not to mention, among those twenty thousand were twelve thousand Unsullied. Remember the Battle of Kohol? A legion of Unsullied men, numbering only three thousand, held off sixty thousand Dothraki Roaring Warriors. When it comes to defending a city, this number of enemy troops is simply no match.
Aside from a slight threat at sea, this attack was a complete joke militarily. What makes you think 40,000 mercenaries could break through Astabo's defenses of 20,000? Furthermore, Astabo at this time was different from Meereen, which Daenerys controlled in the original story.
In the original book, Daenerys killed hundreds of slave owners in Meereen. However, she spared a large number. Among these survivors, some were genuinely loyal, some were hypocritical, and some harbored malicious intentions. This put the entire domestic situation in a precarious state. Furthermore, she had previously conquered Astabo but didn't occupy it (she formed a provisional council to govern it while she went to fight in Meereen)? These bizarre actions were truly exasperating to watch.
In this life, Lu Xuan guided her to a steady and methodical approach. Although she only conquered Astapor, the entire city was now completely under her control. This allowed her to mobilize the city's full war potential. She completely disregarded the tens of thousands of ragtag troops outside the city.
But as Lu Xuan said, this war is easy to fight, but the extent to which it should be fought needs careful consideration. The entire continent of Essos is watching this war. The nine free city-states are not on the same level as the three sisters of Slaver's Bay. Even Lu Xuan needs to consider their attitude.
Two trading cities alone could muster an army of 40,000. If it were the nine free trading city-states, they could probably field 400,000 in no time. Although this is still far from the scale of Lu Xuan's previous battles, this is a fantasy world. One cannot simply measure numbers or ordinary soldiers.
If Lu Xuan wanted to win this war, he could simply lead his troops into battle. A frontal charge would be enough for him to single-handedly break through the enemy ranks. He could rout a group of mercenaries in a single round. As for strategy, Daenerys's Dragonwalker abilities allowed her to monitor the enemy's every move. With a full map advantage, she could use various underhanded tactics to wear them down.
However, if the victory is too decisive, wiping out the enemy in one fell swoop, the nine city-states will inevitably tremble with fear. Astapor's military strength is so formidable; if it were to rise to power, it would be disastrous. A subsequent siege would be inevitable.
However, if the victory isn't decisive enough, making Astapor seem insignificant, it will inevitably attract covetous eyes. Daenerys's strength is nothing special; let's all take advantage. Ultimately, this war is a political show—a show to determine the nine city-states' attitude towards Astapor.
Barristan fell silent. He began to doubt himself. He had rushed here in such a hurry, solely to help Dani win this war. But he had never imagined that there were so many other factors behind this battle.
In truth, both Yunkai and Meereen were sacrifices. Daenerys hadn't yet been taken seriously by a powerful figure like Volantis on this continent. This was because the previous power grab had occurred within the city itself. The coup-like operation had kept Daenerys's true strength hidden from outsiders. However, regardless, once this war was over, her true power would inevitably be revealed.
All eyes turned to Daenerys. Lu Xuan hadn't made the overall plan. Just as he had previously instructed Daenerys: As an emperor, you can be mediocre in intelligence, crude in strategy, and lacking in political skill. But one thing you absolutely must possess is decisiveness.
As a ruler, the advisors, subordinates, and ministers can compensate for any shortcomings. However, decisiveness must ultimately stem from within. Whether right or wrong, the judgment must ultimately be made by the king. This is the very meaning of an emperor's existence.
Daenerys is still quite young. But that's precisely what interests Lu Xuan. If she were already a woman of Wu Zetian's caliber, there wouldn't be much point in training her. What he enjoys is the thrill of Daenerys gradually growing under his tutelage and ultimately ruling the world. For Lu Xuan, ruling the world is meaningless; isn't it much more satisfying for his disciple to rule the world?
Daenerys understood what Lu Xuan meant. She knew it was time to make the decision herself.
She stared at the sand table before her, hesitating for a long time. Then she looked up and surveyed the crowd. Lu Xuan noticed that her heart was racing, and her eyes revealed an unprecedentedly intense emotion.
“I will win this war. Not just win, I will utterly crush the armies of Yunkai and Meereen, and seize both cities. I will truly control Slaver's Bay.”
“Your Majesty, the port of Slaver's Bay is of paramount importance to trade on the continent of Essos. The mere capture of Astapor has already made the nine city-states hostile to us. If we completely control Slaver's Bay, they will surely retaliate with all their might. At that time, we will have to face an encirclement and suppression from the entire continent.”
It was Jorah who spoke, though his abilities were mediocre. However, his time with Lu Xuan had had some effect. This was evident in the fact that capturing one of the three sister cities of Slaver's Bay was still barely within the acceptable range of the Nine City-States. If Daenerys were currently preparing to return to Westeros and seize the Iron Throne, the Nine City-States probably wouldn't oppose her. They might even offer her some small assistance.
However, the nine city-states absolutely could not allow the capture of all three cities and complete control of Slave Bay. They would not allow an outsider to control this crucial bay.
Everyone expressed their opposition. Only Lu Xuan showed a slight smile.
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Yes, I've made up my mind. I will completely conquer Slave Bay, control every port here, and liberate all the slaves here."
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Chapter 261 The New Imperial Guards
Lu Xuan did not comment on whether Daenerys's decision was right or wrong. Because in matters of governance, there is never a clear right or wrong. The victor is always right.
Daenerys is young and ambitious. She's unwilling to use the so-called political art of compromise to deal with the current situation. Putting everything else aside, Lu Xuan actually quite admires her. It's not that Lu Xuan doesn't understand compromise. Back in the first two worlds, Lu Xuan was once treated like a barbarian from the Western Regions, a hunter from the frontier, and ridiculed by the court officials.
Compromise is the eternal art of politics, which is true in a way. However, it has a major flaw: compromise can become a habit. Throughout the history of human civilization, countless instances have been achieved through compromise, resulting in temporary peace or even time for development. But what became of those dynasties that ultimately compromised? We all know the answer.
Since the decision has been made to flex their muscles without compromise, it's natural to enter a state of combat readiness. Although the enemy has already begun setting up camp forty miles outside the city, Lu Xuan, judging by the nature of these weaklings, believes that a few rounds of negotiations and some stalling will prevent a full-blown conflict from breaking out for at least two months.