"I had heard that the Company of the Cat was the most valiant of all the Free Cities, the mightiest mercenary company in Essos."
"Seeing you today, it seems the bards were merely spewing nonsense."
Jiang Gan held his head high, his gaze disdainful, not even deigning to look at the stiff-faced Bloodbeard.
"As it stands, House Targaryen, Braavos, and your three thousand infantry form a three-way standoff. But among these, there is one strong and two weak. I wonder if Your Excellency intends for the two weak parties to join forces to resist my Heavenly Kingdom's army, or if you will submit to the True Dragon and secure your wealth and status?"
Jiang Gan paced within the tent. With every step he took, the faces of the men inside grew darker.
"Dare I ask the envoy, where is the way out for my three thousand brothers?" Bloodbeard looked troubled. A murderous brute who had intended to intimidate the lobbyist just moments ago was now being led by the nose.
It was simply a matter of having fewer soldiers while Viserys had a mighty army.
"Your Excellency has three thousand warriors. Warriors risk their lives for wealth, fight for glory, and draw their swords for a beauty's smile. But the one thing they cannot do is accompany a dying man and a doomed state to the grave." A smile tugged at the corner of Jiang Gan's mouth as he spoke with assurance.
"These past few days, I have worried about this every night.
The self-defense force cobbled together by the Council of Five in Braavos is nothing but a mob of three thousand. The citizens value profit and their lives; no one is willing to fight to the death for the city-state.
My three thousand brothers of the Company of the Cat, why would they throw their lives away for a pile of gold and silver they can't even spend?
Envoy, you must know that although the Company of the Cat answered Braavos's call, from beginning to end, my soldiers have never fought a single battle against your army! For the sake of this sentiment, envoy, please speak plainly. Where exactly is our way out?"
Bloodbeard strode forward, standing before Jiang Gan, and asked sincerely.
"My King, Viserys, is the descendant of the True Dragon, the rightful monarch of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and the sole heir to the Iron Throne. He commands an army of tens of thousands and has the aid of the warriors of Lorath. In an instant, he can destroy city-states and sweep away lords. Can such a hero be called a conqueror?"
Jiang Gan gestured behind him, as if presenting Viserys.
"Such a hero naturally deserves the title of Conqueror," Bloodbeard answered instinctively.
"Can such a hero be the liege lord of the three thousand warriors of the Company of the Cat?" Jiang Gan pressed.
"This... My original intention was to implore His Grace to allow us passage, to let the Company of the Cat leave. From then on, we would never be enemies of House Targaryen again, and His Grace's army could march straight into Braavos," Bloodbeard replied, his gaze shifting evasively.
"Why are you still dreaming? The army will destroy the state in an instant. Three thousand more of you won't matter, and three thousand less won't be missed. I came here to save your three thousand men. If you don't listen, when the army arrives, not a blade of grass will be left!"
Having finished speaking, Jiang Gan turned to leave.
This time, Bloodbeard didn't even need to give the order. The key officers of the Company of the Cat, who had been listening for a long time, rushed forward to block Jiang Gan, their faces ashen.
"Envoy, please stay! To be honest, I have an unsettled blood feud with the Tattered Prince of the Windblown. I fear that after submitting to the True Dragon, I will be framed by villains and implicate my three thousand subordinates," Bloodbeard said, his face flushed.
"That is incorrect. Today, the Tattered Prince is but a legion commander under my King Viserys. What right does he have to cause trouble and harm others? Besides, what hatred or grievance cannot be resolved?"
Jiang Gan turned back reluctantly, looking at Bloodbeard and saying:
"If you heed my words and submit to the True Dragon, giving this dilapidated house of Braavos a kick, you could easily become a legion commander yourself. Being knighted and granted land in the future is not impossible. Or is Your Excellency willing to be a mercenary for the rest of your life?"
"My hatred for the Tattered Prince is as deep as the sea, and I responded to Braavos's call to oppose His Grace. Will His Grace truly grant me a title?"
Jiang Gan's words struck a chord in Bloodbeard's heart. A title—that was something he dreamed of.
He had risked his life for half a lifetime. Wealth was enough for him now. The only things that could still attract him were peerless beauties and the status of a noble.
"Look at me. Not long ago, I was just a commoner. simply because I could be a lobbyist and persuade the warriors of Lorath to help, His Grace appointed me as the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs. Even the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs is not out of reach in the future.
If I can shoulder such a heavy responsibility, with your three thousand warriors, if you make further contributions, do you fear my King Viserys won't reward and reuse you?"
Jiang Gan's tone was so certain that Bloodbeard turned his back and fell into deep thought.
Seeing this, Jiang Gan didn't disturb him. He simply stood there with his hands behind his back, looking as if everything was under control.
After a long while, Bloodbeard made up his mind. Damn it, what hatred? In the face of status, it's all bullshit! As long as I can be a noble, I'll pay any price!
Having made his decision, Bloodbeard turned around abruptly and looked at Jiang Gan:
"Sir, my mind is made up! I will lead the Company of the Cat to submit to the True Dragon!"
As his words fell, Bloodbeard cast his gaze upon the key officers in the tent:
"My mind is made up to defect to His Grace Viserys! You all crawled out of piles of corpses and seas of blood. We've earned enough gold and silver. Now, a chance to fight for status and become noble lords lies before us. Are you willing to follow me? Just say the word!"
"Boss, just tell us what to do! We'll listen to you!"
"We should have defected to His Grace long ago. If we keep following this sinking ship of Braavos, we're all done for!"
"Damn it, let's do it! If I can be a noble lord for a few days in this life, I'd be willing to die ten years early!"
The key officers of the Company of the Cat in the tent had long been swayed by Jiang Gan's words and had developed their own ideas.
To put it bluntly, if Bloodbeard hadn't come around today, or if he still intended to sit on the fence, his subordinates would have swarmed him, killed him, and then supported Jiang Gan to defect to Viserys.
"Good. You are all men who understand the times. My King Viserys will absolutely not mistreat you. Wealth, status, beauties, honor—everything is right before your eyes, within easy reach. All you need to do is put in a little effort!"
Having successfully scammed them again, Jiang Gan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. On the surface, he maintained his dignity, painting a big picture for Bloodbeard and the others.
"Envoy, although the few thousand self-defense troops of Braavos are a mob, the Sealord's Palace still has hundreds of elite guards.
And in the city, besides my Company of the Cat, there are Gylo Rhegan's Long Lances and Daario Naharis's Stormcrows," Bloodbeard pulled Jiang Gan to a corner and whispered.
"Oh? How many men do they have?" Jiang Gan asked.
"The Long Lances clashed with my unit not long ago and suffered heavy casualties. Originally eight hundred men, after a fierce battle, only six or seven hundred remain.
But their reputation still stands, and they've swallowed up a few small mercenary groups in the past few days, so now they have about a thousand men. As for Daario's Stormcrows, they were originally two hundred remnants, but relying on their old reputation, they took the Iron Bank's gold to recruit soldiers and horses, and also swallowed a few small groups. Now they also have four or five hundred men."
Bloodbeard thought for a moment and said.