As night fell, the tavern became bustling with activity, as many officials, nobles, and knights from King's Landing came to pass the time; however, some also used the tavern as a place to conduct business, with private rooms specifically prepared for them.
The spot where Linde and Raul were sitting was quite good during the day, as it offered a view of the tavern's courtyard, allowing them to enjoy the performances there while drinking and eating, but at night, when the performance stage moved to the center of the tavern, this spot became much less desirable.
However, for Linde, this position was excellent, because directly above his head were the private rooms that important figures would book for their discussions.
When the tavern was built, its owner had considered the issue of eavesdropping, so some soundproofing features were added to the materials and construction methods of the private rooms; coupled with the inherent noise of the tavern, as long as the people inside the rooms did not shout, the existing anti-eavesdropping measures were sufficient to prevent anyone from hearing what was being said, even if they pressed their ear to the door.
However, these protective measures had little effect on Linde now; with his extraordinary hearing, he could still clearly hear the conversations of the people inside these private rooms, unless they deliberately lowered their voices, in which case he would be unable to hear.
Moreover, the tavern owner seemed to have left a hidden trick in these private rooms; he had embedded some copper pipes in the walls, presumably for his own convenience in eavesdropping, and these copper pipes themselves had a sound amplification effect, meaning Linde didn't even need to concentrate to listen to the conversations in the private rooms; he could hear what he wanted from the corresponding copper pipes in the walls.
So he spent the entire afternoon leaning against the wall closest to the copper pipes, eavesdropping, while Raul sat closer to the aisle, providing cover and alerting him when someone approached.
It must be said that the intelligence gathered that afternoon was not extensive; most conversations were about daily matters, along with some minor secrets of bribery and corruption among the powerful.
Although he wasn't sure what specific use this information would have, Linde still recorded it; however, due to the lack of pen and paper, he couldn't remember everything, so he could only choose to remember relatively important information, such as which influential figures in the Red Keep could be bribed and could help House Tyrell establish connections.
Compared to the information obtained in the afternoon, once the powerful figures from the Red Keep began to seek pleasure on Silk Street at night, the information Linde acquired became much more abundant and significant.
Among them, there were two most important pieces of information: one was that Duke Eddard Stark and King Robert had fallen out, and there were even rumors that the two had become sworn enemies; the reason for their estrangement was a major disagreement over how to deal with the Targaryen remnants, but some also speculated that Eddard Stark was displeased with King Robert's decision to marry Cersei Lannister.
In any case, for this grand ceremony related to King Robert's chief heir, Eddard Stark did not personally lead the delegation to King's Landing; instead, he sent his brother, Benjen Stark, who had already taken the black, to lead the team, a move that others saw as a direct insult to King Robert.
News had already spread within the Red Keep that King Robert, upon learning of this, had smashed many things in anger, and even his servants became his punching bags, beaten black and blue.
Because of this, many people felt that King Robert might launch a northern campaign this time to teach the Duke of Winterfell a lesson.
Therefore, in the private rooms above Linde, many merchants and influential figures were secretly discussing the hoarding of various strategic materials and weapons, seemingly preparing to make a fortune when King Robert announced the invasion of the North.
However, Linde knew very well that although Robert Baratheon was very angry, he did not blame or hate Eddard Stark because of it; let alone launching a northern campaign, he wouldn't even reprimand Eddard Stark's decision.
His friendship with Duke Eddard far exceeded what ordinary people could imagine; even after more than a decade without meeting or corresponding, their friendship would not diminish in the slightest.
So all the officials, powerful figures, and great merchants in the Red Keep had made a wrong judgment, and this might become an opportunity that House Tyrell could utilize, but how to profit from this opportunity was a matter for the important figures.
Compared to this information, another piece of information might be even more important to House Tyrell: the discord between Robert Baratheon and his brother, Stannis Baratheon.
Now, the discord between these two brothers was not only circulating within the Red Keep; many people outside also knew some of the situation.
The reason for this was Stannis's dissatisfaction with King Robert giving Storm's End, which had been passed down through the Baratheon family for generations, to Renly, while he only received the barren Dragonstone.
In Stannis's view, he had achieved great military feats in the Usurper War, holding Storm's End and tying down the House Tyrell's army, which allowed Robert to have no worries and kill Prince Rhaegar at the Ruby Ford, ultimately defeating the Targaryen family completely.
So, by all accounts, he should have inherited Storm's End and become Duke of Storm's End.
But now, he had become the Duke of Dragonstone; one must know that Dragonstone was the traditional seat of the Targaryen heir, but now it was the House Baratheon; what did it mean to grant Dragonstone to him, a Baratheon?
No matter how he thought about it, he felt this was the greatest insult to him, so a few days ago, during a Small Council meeting, he directly complained to King Robert, and King Robert not only did not comfort him but instead reprimanded him for failing to capture Viserys and Daenerys, the two Targaryen remnants.
This quarrel quickly spread throughout King's Landing; everyone believed that Stannis and King Robert had fallen out, but some people bribed Stannis's servants and learned that after Stannis returned to his residence in King's Landing, he did not curse King Robert, but rather cursed Renly.
This was understandable, after all, directly cursing King Robert and expressing dissatisfaction with King Robert by cursing Renly were completely different in nature; even if King Robert pursued it, there would not be too great a punishment.
And upon hearing this news, Linde quickly understood that this should be an opportunity for House Tyrell.
He knew very well that Stannis's loyalty to Robert Baratheon would not waver because of a quarrel or the title of Duke of Dragonstone; their public split, in his opinion, seemed more like an act, performed for those with ill intentions lurking beneath King's Landing; if someone at this time wanted to exploit the discord between these brothers to cause trouble, they would very likely fall into a deadly trap.
Compared to the relationship between Stannis and Robert, his relationship with Renly was the opportunity Linde valued, because his dissatisfaction with Renly should be genuine.
Because from the War of the Five Kings that happened more than a decade later, it was clear that Stannis had always been extremely dissatisfied, even to the point of hatred, with Renly inheriting Storm's End.
And now, Renly was still extremely weak and in need of allies to contend with his powerful second brother and the nobles of the Storm's End territory, and to secure his position as Duke of Storm's End; therefore, the appearance of House Tyrell was undoubtedly a godsend, and House Tyrell could also use Renly, this Baratheon Duke, as a stepping stone to gain a certain voice in King's Landing.
Therefore, for House Tyrell, befriending Renly was the best choice now; as for what would happen in the future during the War of the Five Kings, there was no need to consider it at present, at least in Linde's view, with his variable added, no one could predict what changes the future would hold.
With these two pieces of intelligence as a baseline, plus the other scattered information he had obtained, Linde felt that this mission was almost complete, so he relaxed and had time to savor the food and play with Glory, who had eaten and drunk his fill.