Jon's voice wasn't loud, but it carried to every corner of the throne room, surprising everyone and causing them to look at Jon as if he were a monster.
Refusing a royal reward in public?
Your Majesty, he's slapping you in the face!
Sure enough, Stannis's mood, which had just been pleasant, immediately plummeted, and his blue eyes stared at Jon like sharp arrows.
" Jon! This is a gift from the King, how dare you refuse! This is disobedience!" Prime Minister Alliser jumped out to reprimand him, now he had to appear more loyal than anyone else.
"This is outrageous!"
" Jon! Apologize to Your Majesty right now!"
At this moment, members of The Queens Party and The Loyalists seemed to have found a united front, jumping out to criticize Jon. Dondarrion and Thoros looked at Jon with concern, wondering what he was up to. In their view, Jon was definitely not the kind of fool who didn't know when to back down.
But in an instant, the accusations and insults in the throne room were incessant, and those who cared about Jon were worried for him.
Dondarrion and Thoros both recalled what Jon had said when he launched the coup in Harrenhal that day.
Especially when faced with Roose Bolton's threats, his attitude of "if all else fails, I'll just go back to the Great Wall, and if all else fails, I'll have Robb kill me" is so unhelpful.
Both of them thought that Jon might forget his previous words after witnessing the prosperity of King's Landing. He's a young man, so it's perfectly normal and even understandable.
Who hasn't said a few silly things when they were young?
But Jon's direct refusal of the king is an extremely irrational move. Dondarrion, steeling himself, approached Jon and said, " Jon! Quickly tell Your Majesty..." I'm sorry!
However, Jon remained unmoved and looked directly into Stannis's eyes.
Seeing this, Pycelle sighed, feeling sorry for Jon. While Harrenhal was indeed not a good place, Jon's way of refusing was rather crude. He was still too young, after all.
Only Varys stared intently at Jon, believing that Jon shouldn't be so reckless.
"Quiet!" Stannis interrupted everyone's emotional outburst, his words revealing impatience and even annoyance, which made him subconsciously want to grind his teeth again.
Once everyone fell silent, the king, who had just ascended the iron throne, asked Dao, "Tell me, what do you want?"
All eyes turned to Jon again, who said, " Your Majesty, I want to send my two sisters back to the North. They are trapped in enemy hands and have been separated from their mother for too long."
Excuse!"
This is the first reaction many people have when they hear Jon's request.
idiot!"
This is the second reaction.
The excuse was that they believed Jon was using the pretext of sending Sansa and Arya back to the North, and that he didn't want to serve Stannis.
The fools thought that since Jon had already opposed Robb becoming king, it would be difficult for him to... Will Robb make him a duke?
" Jon, what kind of time is this and you're still thinking about currying favor with the Stark family?! Quickly go to Your Majesty... " " I apologize." Rhaegar Frey said somewhat anxiously.
Old Walder gave them two tasks: one was to secure political status for the Frey family in the new regime, and the other was to win over Jon.
The second task can only be completed once Jon's reward and status are confirmed. If Jon really leaves, they might even incur Stannis's wrath.
But Jon ignored him and remained standing there like a sculpture in the wind and rain.
As for the others, they were speechless, but one insightful person explained the reason.
" Stark must have treated Jon very badly. Since every generation of Stark has the tradition of sending their offspring to the Wall, why did they specifically choose Jon, the bastard? I think Catelyn must have done this because she couldn't bear to part with her own son."
" If Stark treated him badly, why did he continue to go back and serve Stark?"
"That's just how people are. Some people become more loyal the more they are bullied."
"Sigh—that Jon."
"No, that's not it! No, that's not it!" Arya was so anxious that she was about to cry when she heard the crowd's discussion. She grabbed Selyse's sleeve and pleaded with Dao, " Your Majesty, it's not like that, Jon, it's not like that."
Selyse didn't know what to say to Dao at this moment. Looking at the tomboyish Arya, her first reaction was to push Arya's hand away to avoid tearing her lace cuffs.
Listening to the crowd's discussion, Sansa instinctively shook her head. She wanted to tell everyone that her mother, Catelyn, wasn't that kind of person. Going to the Great Wall was Jon's own decision.
But upon closer reflection, those people's guesses seem to be correct. When Eddard took him and Arya to King's Landing, Arya, the only one who was close to Jon, left. No one in Winterfell liked Jon, which is probably why he decided to become a Nights Watchman.
Sansa suddenly remembered that whenever there was an important occasion, Jon would sit with the grooms and servants, or simply huddle in a corner.
Especially when she thought about how she had deliberately distanced herself from Jon in the past, Sansa felt a lump in her throat and felt extremely guilty.
What's even more disheartening is that Stannis seems to feel the same way. He had already given Jon his sword, which was such a great favor, yet Jon still wanted to leave him, which stirred up his bad memories once again.
Stannis coldly replied, " Anything else? Just say what you want. "
Jon paused for a moment before speaking, "Also, Your Majesty, the Great Wall sent a plea for help the other day, saying that the King of the Frontier, Mance..." Rayder's army has assembled, with the Wildlings numbering as many as 100,000, while the Wall garrison numbers only 1,000. Castle Black is at risk of falling. I hope Your Majesty can send troops to support the Wall. I will also continue to fulfill my duty as a Night Watcher, guarding the gateway to the Seven Kingdoms.
""
Huh?! To the Great Wall!!!
Everyone thought Jon was going back to Winterfell, but they didn't expect him to be going so far north!
Seriously, is this guy stupid? Why would he go to the Great Wall, that godforsaken place?
Upon hearing Jon's words, Stannis also wore a strange expression. Could there really be such a strange person in the world?
The Duke doesn't want to be the Duke, he wants to be the Night Watch?!
The Great Wall? Isn't that just a place for exiling criminals?
Stannis would absolutely not allow Jon to go to such a place, nor would the Loyalists and the Queens Party. Once Jon went to the Wall, they would be too embarrassed to mention or even ask for any rewards.
In Alliser's view, if things were to get even more serious, if the lords of the Seven Kingdoms were to learn of Dao... Stannis treated his meritorious officials who had made tremendous contributions in this way, which inevitably aroused suspicion and alienation.
Rewarding Jon was not only a matter of course, but also a political necessity for Stannis himself.
Varys was also quite surprised – Jon! You're serious!
However, before anyone else could say anything, Melisandre was the first to speak: " Jon, you were personally chosen by the Lord of Light to assist Your Majesty. The Wall is not a place for you, especially since you have not taken the formal Nights Watch oath."
Seeing Melisandre's words, the previous insults and accusations turned into earnest advice and guidance.
Alliser spoke first, speaking in the name of the hand of the king: "Yes, Jon, Mance... " Even if Rayder leads 100,000 savages, so what? The Wall is 80 feet high! Besides, how many of those 100,000 savages are actually capable of fighting?
" If all else fails, Your Majesty, just send all the prisoners in the dungeon to the Great Wall."
" Jon, it would be such a waste to put your talent on the Great Wall. It's no different from paving the road with pearls." Yassel, who had always looked down on Jon, actually spoke up to dissuade him.
" Jon!"
" Jon ————"
" Jon, huh?!"
Everyone chimed in, trying to dissuade him from this absurd idea.
Seeing that Jon still wouldn't budge, Stannis finally spoke up: " Jon, tell me, what is my title as king?"
Jon looked at Stannis and said, "Andal, King of the Rhoynar and the First Men, Guardian of the Seven Kingdoms and the Realm, Stannis Baratheon I. "
"Yes, I am the Guardian of the Realm. How to protect the country is my decision. This country is not only facing danger and challenges at the Wall. There are many more places where your talents are needed. You are not to mention going to the Wall again, understand?! Regardless of whether you are a Night Watch or not, I have the right to revoke your oath!"
"Understood, Your Majesty."
After all, he is the king now, and Jon knows that Dao cannot disobey the king too many times in one day, otherwise it will only backfire.
However, Jon also knew that Dao's one refusal was not enough to make Stannis make up his mind; he wanted to do something even bigger!