It was just early morning.
The Throne Room of the Red Keep was already filled with guards.
One or two hundred guards had the Crowned Stag sigil on their armor or cloaks, and another hundred or so wore dark red armor in the Lannister style.
Varys and Petyr exchanged glances, both knowing the time had come.
Clank, clank, clank...
Two long lines of Gold Cloaks marched past them, armor gleaming, heading towards the Throne Room.
This was a detachment of the City Watch stationed in the Red Keep, about three hundred men. Usually, at most a third would be present for a Small Council Meeting, but today they were all here.
Leading them was none other than Janos Slynt, the Commander of the King's Landing City Watch.
This short and stout commander, of low birth, had a greed far larger than his barrel-shaped belly, but he also knew how to be loyal to the King.
"Haha, Lord Petyr, Lord Varys, rest assured, my lads are more than enough to guarantee safety. His Majesty the King will find the Red Keep completely intact upon his return!" the Commander thumped his chest in assurance.
Littlefinger chuckled softly, "Lord Varys, shall we go in together?"
Varys sighed, "I truly don't know what important matter needs to be announced at this particular time. I stayed up very late last night to keep His Majesty's Red Keep running as usual."
"Who knows," Littlefinger agreed.
They were indeed quite puzzled.
Gathering intelligence on the ministers, bribing or assassinating the Gold Cloaks in the city, and then holding a Small Council Meeting to make their move almost simultaneously, with enough manpower in the Red Keep and the city to suppress any subsequent resistance. The plan seemed very feasible; at least taking them down wouldn't be a problem.
But why did they think they wouldn't discover it?
Once this plan was leaked in advance, could a mere handmaiden and the lone Hound possibly defeat two well-established members of the Small Council? Not even with the Lannister men!
And the truth was, they had indeed discovered it and had made preparations for a strong counterattack.
The situation was excellent.
The slight confusion and unease were merely instinctive reactions and could be ignored.
So Varys and Petyr politely deferred to each other for a moment, and finally confidently stepped through the doors of the Throne Room.
Inside the hall stood all the courtiers and ladies of the Red Keep.
The familiar council table was placed below the sharp Iron Throne. Sitting at the table were Grand Maester Pycelle and Master of Laws Renly, with no empty seats.
Standing beside the Throne were the Steward of the Red Keep, four Kingsguard, and the handmaiden Hannah.
Petyr scanned the room, "My lords are truly diligent. Lord Varys and I are actually the last to arrive. Has the meeting already begun?"
The Grand Maester cleared his throat, "Please forgive us, my lords, but the Crown Prince's steward, Miss Hannah, said there was a secret decree from His Majesty the King that urgently needed to be announced publicly, which is why..."
Varys understood the other party's plan.
A secret decree? What an old-fashioned method, but unfortunately, it often worked.
Hannah walked to the council table and produced a sealed scroll. The circular wax seal bore the imprint of the King's royal seal.
"I ask that all you lords please examine it one by one to check if His Majesty the King's secret decree is properly sealed and if the royal seal is authentic. Afterwards, please ask the Grand Maester to read it aloud."
Hannah had received this secret decree from The Hound, and it was perfect for use today.
She first handed it to Grand Maester Pycelle.
The Grand Maester examined it carefully for a long time, then nodded silently and passed the secret decree to Renly.
"I trust the Grand Maester's judgment." Renly glanced at Hannah with a half-smile and passed the secret decree directly to the courtier next to him.
One by one, the secret decree finally reached Varys and Littlefinger, who were standing in the center of the hall.
Varys rubbed the scroll with his slick hands, praising repeatedly, "Exquisitely made. Especially the Crowned Stag on the wax, majestic and strong, with clear lines. What doubts could I possibly have?"
He handed it to Littlefinger.
Littlefinger respectfully received it, gave Renly and the City Watch Commander a meaningful look, then strode forward and returned it to Pycelle, before retreating back to the center of the hall.
"It seems there was a slight oversight in today's arrangements. Lord Varys and I will just have to make do and stand here to hear the decree."
The atmosphere in the Throne Room immediately became extremely subtle.
The courtiers and nobles were already deeply suspicious of the unusual summons today, and now witnessing such a scene with their own eyes, even the dullest person knew that something major was about to happen.
Pycelle broke the seal on the scroll and cleared his throat.
The Throne Room immediately fell silent, and hundreds of pairs of eyes were all fixed on the ancient Grand Maester.
Joffrey, far away in The Neck, also watched intently.
In less than a breath, the Grand Maester's eyes widened, a rare sight, and his long white beard trembled violently.
Everyone held their breath. What was it?
After mumbling indistinctly for a while, the Grand Maester finally began to read with determination:
"The following is the will of Robert I of House Baratheon, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.
I hereby declare the Master of Coin, Petyr Baelish of House Baelish, and the Master of Whisperers, Varys, guilty of treason. Both of them..."
The hall erupted in an uproar!
The Kingsguard by the Throne, Meryn Trant, immediately roared, "Silence!!"
Only then did the people suddenly fall silent, looking at the two ministers standing in the center who were being judged, but they saw two calm faces.
...Colluding with the foreign enemy 'Bloodraven' Brynden Rivers, illegally accumulating wealth, corrupting courtiers and officers, abusing power, conspiring to endanger the kingdom, murdering the previous Hand of the King, the Duke of the Eyrie and Warden of the East, Jon of House Arryn, and murdering my brother, the previous Lord of Dragonstone, Master of Ships, Stannis of House Baratheon.
Their crimes are unforgivable!
Immediately imprison the two and await my personal judgment and disposal.
The Gods above, in order to show benevolence and mercy, forgive the crimes of all those below them, and they shall remain in their respective positions. However, anyone who opposes or pleads for them shall be considered equally guilty.
The Small Council Meeting shall execute this, overseen by my son Joffrey's steward Hannah and his sworn shield Sandor Clegane."
The hall was dead silent.
Lannister guards, Baratheon guards, and Gold Cloaks couldn't help but tightly grip their sword hilts and spear shafts.
Littlefinger looked at Renly, "Lord Renly, we have been Small Council members for so many years, do you still not understand my character? It must be some villain stirring up trouble with his tongue, causing His Majesty the King to misunderstand!"
Varys collapsed onto the ground with a choked sob, "It must be a mistake, I want to see His Majesty, I am loyal to His Majesty, His Majesty has always known this!"
The courtiers remained silent.
Hannah urged them on, "The two lords' grievances can be stated to His Majesty in person later, but for now, let's follow the decree. Guards!"
Several guards subconsciously stepped forward, immediately causing countless swords and daggers to be drawn.
The Commander of the City Watch waved his hand, "Put them away! This is the Small Council Meeting, weapons are not used here!"
The Commander turned to Hannah, "His Majesty would not be so rash, that decree must be a misunderstanding!"
Hannah's face showed anger, "You want to defy the decree?!"
"I wouldn't dare. I only know that His Majesty entrusted the City Watch to me, and I must ensure peace and quiet in King's Landing and the Red Keep."
No one could fail to see the suspicious expression on the Commander's face, "Even if that secret decree is indeed true, I don't care how His Majesty punishes me after he returns to the palace, but for now, no one is allowed to act! These are two Small Council members!"
Varys and Littlefinger had already exchanged glances with most of the courtiers.
Renly stood up at this moment.
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