"Alright, we'll send him off here."
Early the next morning, at the gates of Highgarden, Earl Landau stopped his eldest son.
Samwell halted and said with a smile,
"Father, Brother, take care on the road."
Dickon stepped forward and gave Samwell a tight bear hug, saying,
"Brother, remember to come to Horn Hill and see me often!"
Samwell recalled his father's warning not to return. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and he nodded perfunctorily at his brother.
Earl Randall let Dickon and the guards go on ahead, but he himself stayed behind.
Seeing this, Samwell knew his father still had something to say.
Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Earl Randall said,
"Beware the women of House Tyrell."
Samwell was taken aback when he heard this.
Before he could respond, Earl Landau continued,
"They are very clever, but they often fail to recognize their proper place."
After saying this, Earl Landau did not explain further. He turned around and left.
Samwell watched thoughtfully as his father and entourage departed.
When he had first watched the TV series, he honestly hadn't paid much attention to Earl Randyll. He only remembered that the man was exceptionally strong on the battlefield.
But after this encounter, Samwell realized that the Lord of Horn Hill was actually quite a deep and guarded person.
This was someone who didn't like playing petty tricks and had never taken part in the struggle for the Iron Throne. On the surface, he seemed like nothing more than a loyal and powerful enforcer under House Tyrell.
However, thinking back carefully now, Samwell remembered that this low-key Earl Landau had later quietly entered the small council and become the Master of Laws of the Seven Kingdoms.
A person like that was definitely not just good at fighting.
And the reminder he had just given must have been because of what "the Queen of Thorns" Olenna had said at last night's banquet.
Although Earl Landau had given up on his eldest son, he still didn't want him to be used by the women of House Tyrell.
In truth, even without Earl Landau's warning, Samwell would have remained vigilant.
After all, he knew very well that while the men of House Tyrell were relatively mediocre in politics, the women—especially grandmother Olenna, the "Queen of Thorns," and her granddaughter, the "Rose of Highgarden" Margaery—were top-tier players in this game of power.
Since they had approached him this time, they must have had a plan.
However, Samwell was not too worried.
He was familiar with the direction of the plot, and he clearly understood the temperament and ambitions of the Tyrell women. On the contrary, they believed Samwell to be nothing more than a cowardly piece of trash abandoned by his own father.
This information gap was precisely his opportunity!
With that thought, Samwell steadied his emotions and returned to the castle.
Led by a maid, he arrived at a small courtyard, where the "Queen of Thorns" Olenna was already waiting for him.
The moment he stepped inside, Samwell noticed that Margaery was there as well.
This "Rose of Highgarden" stood among the rose bushes, holding a freshly cut golden rose in her slender, pale hands as she placed it into a half-finished flower basket.
At this moment, Margaery looked completely focused. Her straight, beautiful nose and slightly pursed red lips gave her a gentle, refined air. Even standing in a corner of the courtyard, she felt like the absolute center of it.
Hearing Samwell's footsteps, Margaery turned her head and smiled sweetly, then lifted the flower basket toward him.
"Sam, what do you think of this flower basket I made?"
Samwell placed a hand over his chest and saluted.
"As beautiful as you."
"Then I'll give it to you, my knight."
Samwell hurriedly accepted it and bowed his head in thanks, as though he didn't dare meet the girl's eyes.
Following Margaery, Samwell walked into the gazebo in the courtyard.
Olenna was drinking honeyflower tea inside the pavilion. Seeing Samwell, she smiled, extended her hand, and said,
"Sit down, young knight."
Samwell stepped forward to salute, then sat down opposite Olenna.
"Dear Lady Olenna, may I ask what you wished to speak with me about?"
"Of course, it's about your future direction of development. If you don't yet have a clear goal, you might as well listen to my suggestion."
"Please, go on."
Olenna unfolded a prepared map and spread it across the table. Then she circled a spot on it and said,
"I suggest you try to develop here."
Samwell leaned forward and looked carefully. The location Olenna indicated lay in the southern Reach, at the western foothills of the Crimson Mountains, on the northern shore of the Summer Sea, near the mouth of the Turbulent River.
"Here…" Samwell rubbed his chin and asked humbly, "My lady, why do you recommend this place?"
Olenna took a sip of herbal tea and smiled.
"The undeveloped areas of the Reach are mainly in the Crimson Mountains. The place I pointed out lies near the mouth of the Turbulent River, which will also make it convenient for you to engage in maritime trade in the future."
Samwell nodded, but still hesitated slightly.
"But my lady, the Scarlet Mountains are full of high peaks. I'm afraid it won't be convenient to build a castle…"
Olenna smiled faintly.
"Have you forgotten where Casterly Rock and the Eyrie were built? Mountain fortresses are difficult to construct, but once completed, they are extremely easy to defend. Moreover, there are many free folk living in the Crimson Mountains. If you can win their support, you won't have to worry about the population of your territory."
Samwell knew that the "free folk" Lady Olenna referred to were actually the wildlings who lived in the Crimson Mountains.
They were descendants of the Andals and the First Men, dark-skinned and short in stature. Refusing to submit to any lord's rule, they hid within the vast red mountain range and formed primitive tribes. They lived by gathering and hunting, often descending from the mountains to plunder nearby villages and towns.
The Reach lords bordering the Crimson Mountains had tried many times to wipe out these wildlings, but all had failed.
The Crimson Mountains were simply too vast. The savages could hide within them without a trace. Once the lord's armies withdrew, they would emerge again to loot recklessly, making them extremely troublesome.
These hostile savages were also one of the greatest obstacles to Samwell's planned development.
Of course, according to Lady Olenna, if Samwell could subdue them, they would become the largest source of population for his new territory.
Samwell scratched the back of his head awkwardly and put on a timid expression.
"But, my lady… I'm worried that if I go there, I'll be torn apart by those ferocious mountain savages before I can even gain a foothold…"
"The Tully family has always produced outstanding warriors, and I believe you won't disappoint me," Olenna said immediately, not giving Samwell a chance to continue. "Don't worry. House Tyrell has long wanted to bring those wildlings under control. If you follow my advice, I'll select one hundred soldiers from the family guard to accompany you."
Samwell's eyes immediately lit up, and he swallowed the words he had been about to use to refuse.
In truth, after seeing the location Olenna had chosen for him, Samwell already had a rough idea of the "Queen of Thorns'" plan.
She wanted to use him—and control him. But Samwell had no intention of relying on House Tyrell's power to carve out his territory.
Still, these one hundred soldiers were incredibly important to him right now. Of course, it would be even better if there were more…
So Samwell continued to shrink his shoulders, hesitating as he said,
"My lady, a hundred soldiers… isn't that a bit few…?"
"Too few?" Olenna grew slightly impatient. "Back in the distant Age of Heroes, when Garth Greenhand came to Highgarden to open it up, he didn't even have a hundred people at his side!"
At this moment, Margaery smiled and said,
"Sam, I believe that with your abilities, you can definitely open up a territory there. How about this—I still have some personal savings. I can use them to support you."
As she spoke, Margaery took out a dark green coin purse and stuffed it into Samwell's arms.
Feeling the heavy weight of the purse, Samwell immediately put on an expression of being deeply encouraged. He patted his chest and vowed that he would absolutely live up to Lady Olenna's and Lady Margaery's expectations.
Olenna smiled in satisfaction, clearly pleased, and ordered the steward to prepare five crates of golden-tailed prawns for Samwell to pack up and take with him.
Samwell, of course, accepted everything without the slightest hesitation.
After Samwell left, Margaery sat down beside her grandmother, affectionately hugging her arm as she asked,
"Grandmother, why did you have Sam develop that area?"
"If you don't even know what I'm planning, why did you give him your own savings?"
Margaery shook her grandmother's arm coquettishly.
"Helping Grandma complete the arrangement—isn't that what I should be doing? As for the reason behind it, it doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm sure you're right if I just listen to you."
"Little fox," Olenna said with a smile, tapping her granddaughter's nose. "Then try to guess my intentions."
Margaery glanced over the map.
"It's for Dorne, isn't it?"
"Smart," Olenna nodded with satisfaction.
"Then why not send a brave knight to pioneer the land? Why let someone like Samwell…"
"It's an important location, but also a barren one," Olenna explained vaguely. "Production is difficult, there are savages constantly harassing the area, and it's close to Dorne. It's hard to establish a territory there using conventional methods. That's why I need to borrow the name of an abandoned son of House Tully and employ some… less honorable means."
Margaery frowned slightly.
"But Grandma, isn't it… inappropriate to use someone from House Tully like this?"
"What's inappropriate about it?" Olenna replied coolly. "A piece of trash abandoned by his family—without our support, do you really think he could complete the development on his own? Of course, our support isn't free. This is simply the price he should pay."
Olenna gazed out toward the lush courtyard beyond the pavilion and sighed softly after a while.
"The more beautiful the rose, the sharper the thorns it needs. If I don't dirty my hands a little, am I really supposed to expect your foolish father to do it?"
(End of Chapter)