The soldiers of Dai Ding City watched in astonishment as Suleiman, along with his two guards, Lucien and Lauslin, walked as if no one else was present.
They were utterly shocked beyond belief: a hereditary lord, a noble Suleiman, with two guards, lining up for food at the soldiers' mess!
Having grown accustomed to lavish meals, did this Stinkfort Family knight want to try commoner's fare? This Suleiman's hobby was truly unique!
Suleiman led Lucien and Lauslin, trays in hand, to a table and sat down.
He completely ignored the curious and scrutinizing gazes of the surrounding soldiers.
After the three of them sat down, Suleiman took out two cloth bags containing things from his person and threw them to Lucien and Lauslin.
While eating the contents of his plate, he said to them, "This is your military pay."
This money was given by Lord Raymon Dayne to thank him for telling the soldiers of Castle Darry about his combat experience with the Ironborn; in fact, it was Lucien and Lauslin who performed this work.
Lucien and Lauslin were stunned, their faces revealing unbelievable shock.
"Suleiman... You, you, what are you doing?" Lucien stammered.
Lauslin also came back to his senses and stared blankly at Suleiman.
Suleiman put down his tray, frowned, and looked at the two of them, saying again, "Didn't I tell you, this is your military pay!"
His tone was as natural as if he were talking about the most ordinary thing.
But in the understanding of Lucien and Lauslin, since the lord had already provided shelter and land for his people, participating in the lord's war was their duty as his people, a way to repay the lord's kindness; even if they died in battle, it could only be attributed to their bad luck.
"You granted our families shelter on your land, saving us from homelessness, and you gave us your land to cultivate, saving us from starvation." This is what their fathers had told them, and now they relayed it to Suleiman.
Their eyes were red and swollen, and they spoke haltingly, as if taking this money would be a heinous sin.
"Su, Su, Suleiman... We, we cannot accept your 'military pay'."
"Moreover, we bear guilt towards your family, the old Lady... your mother..."
Seeing the two of them about to go on interminably again.
Suleiman was truly a little angry this time; he slammed the table:
"Effort must be rewarded, understand?!"
"You are my soldiers! Soldiers of the Stinkfort Family! No longer ordinary farmers! You are my swords!"
"I need you to stand on your own for me!"
Suleiman looked at their frightened, stiff expressions, knowing he had been a bit too emotional just now.
He felt that he was becoming less like his former self and more like a true noble lord of Westeros.
Suleiman softened his tone slightly, but still with an undeniable firmness: "Remember this! Merit must be rewarded! Fault must be punished!"
"This military pay is what you deserve by your own ability, by your own efforts."
"You serve me, and I have seen your efforts and contributions; this is the reward for your service!"
He looked at the two cloth bags, his voice becoming calm, yet resolute:
"Take this money back, buy some things in Dai Ding City for your families, for your children."
"Let them know! Let all my people know! Following Suleiman is not going to die in vain!"
"Instead, it's about earning a better life for your family through your own ability and effort!"
Lucien and Lauslin finally stopped being dazed; they began to process the meaning of Suleiman's words.
His words, coupled with this sudden military pay, this direct and frank recognition of the two of them, and the reward for their efforts, were more real than any grandiloquent speech.
Lucien and Lauslin's hearts beat rapidly; from this moment on, they were soldiers recognized by Suleiman, serving Suleiman! Soldiers serving the Stinkfort Family!
Suleiman did not not need their repayment, but rather wanted to transform this repayment from mere words into something more tangible.
Suleiman watched them finally stop struggling and pick up their money bags.
"So tiring." "Look at this world, what has it turned people into!" He thought to himself.
Suleiman picked up a piece of black bread, put it in his mouth, and mumbled, "Eat."
His gaze swept over the two of them, devoid of any emotion, yet it made Lucien and Lauslin feel an invisible pressure.
Lauslin swallowed hard, carefully putting away the cloth bag.
Lucien also silently put away the other bag.
The money was not much, the bags were not heavy, yet Lauslin and Lucien felt that holding them in their hands was heavier than holding their swords.
Both of them silently swore to the Seven Gods in their hearts: "Loyalty to Suleiman, even unto death!"
The council hall of Dai Ding City Castle was dimly lit.
The firewood in the fireplace crackled softly.
A map of the Riverlands lay spread out on the long wooden table, complete with all the major families, mountains, strategic points, rivers, castles, and even ferry crossings.
Inside Dai Ding City Castle, Lady Roslyn's finger pressed on the House Deddings's location on the Green Fork River on the map, her brows tightly furrowed with worry.
Maester Varde stood beside her, his grey robes hanging down, his maester's chain gleaming in the confined environment.
The Maester's voice was equally low and weary: "Messengers and ravens requesting aid and assistance from across the House Deddings's lands continue to arrive at Dai Ding City, Lady."
At the same time, his withered finger pressed on the mountainous area on the long wooden table where the Riverlands connected to the Vale.
"The High Mountain Clan tribes, they have descended from the Mountains of the Moon, burning, killing, and looting, numbering about a thousand, possibly even more."
Roslyn's fingers tightened, and she lowered her head slightly, saying nothing.
"They have scattered, and many villages have already been burned to ashes."
Lady Roslyn finally spoke, her voice filled with helplessness:
"How many people do we still have?"
Maester Varde was silent for a moment, then replied:
"Fewer than four hundred, Lady. Lord Balon has taken the army to Sea Dragon Point. We can hold the city defensively, but we are unable to launch an attack to rescue them."
"What about the Tully guard there? Or other Riverlands lords?" Roslyn rubbed her temple.
Maester Varde stated the cruel facts.
"The main army of the Riverlands is deployed along the long coastline at Burialtown and Eagle's Point; the threat of the Ironborn is greater than these wildlings."
"We can only rely on ourselves, and right now, we can do nothing."
The atmosphere in the council hall was somewhat silent.
Finally, Lady Roslyn broke the silence first.
She angrily pounded the wooden table: "We must find a way! Maester Varde!"
"We cannot let the situation develop like this!"
"If we ignore the wildlings' invasion and the pleas for help from our vassals and people, what will they think?!"
"They will think that House Deddings cannot protect them, and the consequences would be unimaginable!"
Maester Varde did not flatter Lady Roslyn because of her anger; he sighed:
"Lady, instead of worrying about them now, you should worry about ourselves."
"Once Deep Valley City falls, Dai Ding City will directly face the wildlings."
Maester Varde changed the subject:
"I have a plan..."
"There are no noble commanders left in the city, but I heard that Suleiman Dreadfort, who survived the battlefield, is in the city."
"We can urgently conscript three hundred soldiers and give them to him, publicly announcing that House Deddings is responding to the pleas for help from its people."
"If he fails to suppress the barbarians, or hesitates..."
Roslyn's heart sank; she understood the Maester's meaning:
"Maester Varde, how can we do this?!"
"To a young man who has lost all his blood relatives..."
Maester Varde's expression did not change.
Lady Roslyn looked at Maester Varde, pacing back and forth, and finally she stopped, looking up heavily at the House Deddings's coat of arms hanging on the wall—a shield, symbolizing the House Deddings's guardianship of its territory, and now the barbarians of the High Mountain Clan were burning, killing, and looting on the House Deddings's land!
Finally, she turned around, her expression resolute.
"Urgently conscript three hundred soldiers! Reinforce Deep Valley City to hold out! Abandon support for other areas within the territory!"
"Have Suleiman come to see me!"