Sword and Magic and Taxi

Zhao Mai drove THE·CHE disguised as a carriage and headed north along the King's Avenue. The road is flat, and the wheels make a pleasant rustling sound as they run over a layer of fine sand. Warm and moist wind blows from the woods, bringing the fragrance of flowers and trees. If you prick up your ears, you can vaguely hear the sound of pheasants flapping their wings, as well as the crisp sound of deer walking through the forest and breaking branches.

You are not alone on the road, you can often see groups of people marching in columns. They were heavily armed, chatting and laughing loudly, making constant noises. Most of these men on horseback held high flags depicting complex or simple emblems. Zhao Mai only knows the family emblems of a few large families, such as the black wolf head of the Stark family, the golden lion of the Lannister family, the crowned stag of the Baratheon family, etc. He also has some knowledge of some of the larger affiliated families, such as the Skinners, Twin Castles, and Big Bear. But along the way, Zhao Mai did not see these flags.

Zhao Mai said hello to them, and the other party responded to him enthusiastically. After a few simple exchanges of words, Zhao Mai knew the information he needed. These knights traveling south are rushing to King's Landing to participate in the Prime Minister's Tournament. Duke Ned Stark, Lord of the North, was invited by his good brother and almost brother-in-law King Robert Baratheon to replace Jon Arryn, the former Guardian of the East who died of a sudden illness ——This man can be regarded as the godfather shared by the two - to become the new prime minister. The Prime Minister has great power and is known as the Hand of the King, assisting the King in managing the country. Even at certain times, the prime minister can issue orders like a king, which can be said to be a position favored by careerists, planners and those with high ambitions.

King Robert trusted few people, but Lord Stark was definitely one of them. Since the new prime minister took office, he has been able to enjoy himself more unbridled. A tournament was held to celebrate the new Prime Minister. This is a grand event that affects the entire Westeros. Knights, warriors, and fighters from the south, north, and south all hope to show off their skills at this event, win the favor of the king, and gain both fame and fortune.

I wish you victory! Zhao Mai shouted loudly, sending the same blessing to each team of travelers on the opposite side. Such blessings are often reciprocated with goodwill. Through the stories of these travelers, Zhao Mai knew that there was a good hotel not far ahead, near the Sancha River. Although the charges are more expensive, the goods are genuine. At least the mutton for roasting potatoes was cut from sheep, not rats or dogs; unless the customer couldn't afford the price and asked to dilute it, the ale and fruit wine were not watered down.

Okay, just let the pheasants or rabbits in the woods go, and go to a restaurant in the evening! After more than half a year of reserve food in the desert, now I want to have fun when I see the green woods and grasslands, and I look at Zhao Mai with uncontrollable desire.

Okay, okay, stop humming and go run! Zhao Mai turned around and opened the car door, letting the big dog jump out. Remember not to run too far. It's not good to play too crazy.

The reserve waggled its tail and jumped into the woods, stirring up a flock of birds. Zhao Mai continued to drive north along the road, paying no attention to Xiao Hua, who was leaning out of the window with Xin Mu Spear in his arms. Decayed spots appeared on the surface of the heartwood spear and continued to expand. A few of Xiao Hua's hairs were wrapped around the Heartwood Spear and were constantly absorbing the weapon.

After a while, it rained. The raindrops are warm, and the touch on the body feels very gentle. Zhao Mai simply did not wear a cloak, but let the summer-like rain rain down on him. His ponytail hair quickly became heavy and clung to his scalp. The rain also soaked his sleeves and trousers, but his torso, protected by the tireless leather armor, was still dry. Not to mention a warm rain, even a blizzard will be blocked by this magic armor and will not affect Zhao Mai's health at all.

The rich moisture soon turned into gray mist, filling the woods. The leaves were hit by raindrops, making a crackling sound. Zhao Mai raised his head, spread his hands, and immersed himself in the natural force full of water vapor. The body, which had been in drought for a long time, was restored and balance was once again maintained.

The environment here is quite beneficial to Zhao Mai. The forest is the place he is most familiar with. The vibrant vegetation exudes a feeling of warmth and comfort, which is very helpful in soothing the mood hurt by the hot environment of Atas. The curse of blasphemous magic is still on Zhao Mai, and it will cause trouble when he practices natural force, slowing down his improvement. However, the natural force here in Westeros is gradually calming down the anger and sorrow from the other world, and the curse of blasphemous magic is showing signs of fading.

There is no such effect on Earth. Maybe only places where the environment is protected have such characteristics? During the few days Zhao Mai was on earth, he was always in the city. Maybe this was also part of the reason.

Before the ground started to become muddy, Zhao Mai smelled the smoke of firewood from the fog. Along with it, there is also the faint aroma of food, including the sweetness of cakes and pastries, and the strong aroma of stewed meat and cooking. Waves of mules and horses neighed, and it seemed that the hotel was not far away.

Zhao Mai whistled hard, and then shouted to reserve food. With just a crackling sound, the food reserves were directly transferred to Zhao Mai. It had a fat wild duck in its mouth. After placing it on the car seat, it stuffed the dog's head into Zhao Mai's hand for praise.

Zhao Mai rubbed its wet hair vigorously, drove around a small corner, and sure enough he saw the hotel located next to the avenue, with most of its body embedded in the forest. It was a large three-story house with a foundation and first floor of stone, painted with off-white lime and paint, and served as a tavern hall. The upper two floors are made of wooden structure, and rooms with windows are used as guest rooms. In front of the hotel is an open space with a well. The water from the well will be kept in the water tank for half a day, and then it can be fed to the livestock in the horse pen next to it. Now the horse pen is almost full, with more than twenty healthy horses of various types jostling inside, some of them even wearing saddles and soaked cloaks. It seems that a few horse owners are lazy and go off to have fun without taking good care of their horses.

The sign outside the hotel read Kneel for the Lord, and the sound of laughter came from inside. Although it was not noisy, it could still be considered enthusiastic. The sound of clinking cups and plates was mixed with the sounds of harps and singing. The simple repetitive tune, the ups and downs of the voice and the lyrics that don't rhyme very much. It is estimated that this is a bad troubadour who failed to learn the real skills from his master.

A slightly stout woman pushed open the door, and warm light slowly flowed out from the door frame behind her and merged into the rain curtain. Her temples are gray, her waist is rounded, and she is no longer as beautiful as she was when she was young. However, her skills were more vigorous, and she was carrying a large basin of clothes that needed to be washed without any sign of how strenuous it was. It seemed that she didn't expect that there would be a leisurely and slow traveler like Zhao Mai when it rained, or she simply didn't hear the noise outside. She was startled when she came out.

Hiding the chewing tobacco in her mouth, the boss's wife, Martha, not Superman, and Batman's mother, Hyde, greeted them warmly. She wouldn't be stupid enough to get her clothes wet unless she saw the big fish flag of Riverrun. The place where the inn is located is managed by the Tully family of Riverrun City. The big fish is used as the family emblem to symbolize the fertility of the Three Forks River Basin. As long as they are not lords, others are just guests, and they are not worthy of her excessive enthusiasm.

Zhao Mai jumped off the carriage, holding a fat wild duck in his hand. I want something to eat and drink, and I'll take shelter from the rain. I caught a duck on the way, please help me process it.

The prey here belongs to Lord Tully, so your duck must have been brought from home, right?

You are so discerning! Zhao Mai praised.