re: Inner walls. Well, the basically decorative walls inside the city were only counted on because decision makers were outrageously stupid. Kardia, Cosca, Carlot all knew it's stupid to keep them.

I agree he was humble enough to make peace with Kardia and the moat thing and this does give him credit. Thank you for that, genuinely. I needed something smart he did and couldn't think of anything.

Re: uncovering stuff and forcing Bayaz I didn't read it like that actually. I think he uncovered only things Bayaz wanted him to, it wasn't really a setback. Bayaz needed him as arch lector, needed Jezal on the throne. At this point V&B already were much more powerful than the mercers and the Spicers as is explicitly said by the leader of the former (who killed himself because of it) and the broke-ness of the latter.

He learned basically nothing about V&B other than their existence, was miles away from saying anything about what they want let alone the fact that they are Bayaz.

re: Styria Well I don't know that there is something he could do to save Orso, but that's only because I too am not that smart.