The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Your Grace would be wise to refrain from making proclamations on the streets.” Ser Jacelyn Bywater stepped forward to object.

During the riot, it was thanks to Ser Jacelyn Bywater leading the Gold Cloaks in a wedge formation through the sea of refugees that the king and his party were able to reach the church doors.

Jacelyn Bywater had been more effective than the Hound, who was only concerned with his personal enjoyment of killing, and the deputy commander, Yarral Dym, combined. The Hound protected the king, but quickly lost his way and started killing on the other side. Yarral Dym did the same thing, except he came to his senses faster than the Hound, corrected his course, circled around, and returned to the king's side.

“Why can't I make proclamations on the streets?” the Imp asked. He genuinely didn't know the reason. As long as he had guards to protect him, and messengers with him, promising everyone food, why couldn't he go to the streets?

“The people of King's Landing and the refugees hate you the most,” Jacelyn Bywater said bluntly.

“Why? Why do the people hate me the most?” The Imp was completely unaware of this public sentiment. Since taking office, he had been working diligently for the benefit of all the city's residents.

The common people don't hate Joffrey, the monster, but they hate me the most?!

Bywater's sunken eyes met the dwarf's mismatched eyes, without a blink.

“Forgive my impudence, Your Grace. The entire city hates you the most. The word on the street is that His Grace is still just a child, so the one causing the kingdom's turmoil must be the treacherous minister at His Grace's side. The Queen Mother has never been loved by the commoners,” Jacelyn glanced at Queen Mother Cersei, “but during King Robert's reign—the golden age, as they call it—the Queen Mother and His Grace Joffrey were here all along, but you were not. However, ever since you came to the city, life in King's Landing has become more difficult every day.”

“So the difficulties in King's Landing only started after I came to the city. I'll be damned, I'm only finding out today how powerful I am,” the Imp choked with anger.

“The people accuse you of letting arrogant mercenaries and dirty, uncouth barbarians into the city, especially the Mountain Clans, who have no respect for the law and have turned the capital into a chaotic mess; they accuse you of being jealous of Littlefinger's frankness and integrity, deliberately suppressing his power and talent, ultimately causing this food shortage in King's Landing. The grain channels in the south and north were interrupted because you were interfering; some even say you have ulterior motives and plan to seize the Iron Throne.”

“Yes, yes, yes, besides that, I'm also an ugly, deformed monster. Remind the people not to forget that,” he said, clenching his fist, his voice hoarse.

Over the years, Lord Tywin had always looked down on the Imp, and Jacelyn Bywater's words made the Imp feel that perhaps his father was right.

The Imp had tried his best, wholeheartedly for the people, but the fact that the entire city hated him made him feel deeply lonely. Look at him, he had to rely on Littlefinger, whom he trusted—but who had once framed him and tried to put him to death; the one who could protect him was actually a mercenary who dared to do anything for money, and the woman he favored was a whore who was available to everyone, as long as you paid her, she would sleep with you, anyone.

What did this prove?

It proved that he was an Imp rejected by the world, a bastard, an ugly, deformed monster, a useless beast!

“Your Grace, the rumors outside are not to be believed. The words of the ignorant are even less credible. You must not take them to heart,” Littlefinger said seriously, his smile gone.

But Tyrion saw a smile in Littlefinger's eyes.

Tyrion felt disheartened and a stabbing pain in his heart, but now was not the time to give up. The riot outside was still continuing, the refugees were still smashing and looting, and being killed by the soldiers at the same time: “Alright, Littlefinger, you are responsible for issuing the proclamation, hurry up and quell the riot. You have to take more guards and messengers, and go to the entire city to announce that the royal family will distribute bread tomorrow morning. Tell the people to go home, and those who have no home should go to the major squares. Anyone who is still wandering the streets when the last evening bell rings before dark will be killed without exception.”

“As you command, Your Grace,” Littlefinger said respectfully.

The Imp looked at Littlefinger, no matter how he looked at him, he always felt that Littlefinger's eyes held a mischievous smile.

He resisted the urge to gouge out Littlefinger's eyes.

Soon, Littlefinger led a team of Gold Cloak spearmen, a team of Red Cloak swordsmen and shieldmen, three messengers with extraordinarily loud voices, a total of fifty men, and four personal guards that the Imp had specially assigned to him. They rode out—to announce to the entire city: the Red Keep will distribute bread tomorrow morning.

*

“Your Grace, Tyrek is missing,” Ser Jacelyn said.

Tyrek Lannister was the son of Tygett, Tyrion's youngest uncle. Tyrion and Tygett had always been very close, and his uncle had taken good care of Tyrion, being the only elder in the family who did not discriminate against Tyrion, but unfortunately, good people don't live long, and Tygett died of illness. This was also a great blow to Tyrion. It seemed that those who were good to him always suffered natural or man-made disasters or incurable diseases.

This often made Tyrion suspect that he had demonic attributes and would bring unavoidable misfortune to those who were good to him.

“Find Tyrek, dead or alive,” Tyrion said succinctly. “He's still just a child.” His mouth was full of bitterness and his heart full of sorrow. When his uncle died, he asked him to take care of Tyrek, who was still a child, and he had agreed. And now, Tyrek was missing, most likely dead.

His heart suddenly ached, as if many large ants were gnawing at his heart.

Tyrion felt that he had always been miserable. He had also had suicidal thoughts several times, but fortunately, he still had his brother Jaime Lannister, who was truly good to him. And Jaime's current situation was that he was suffering in the dungeons of Riverrun.

Tyrion realized that for those who were good to him, sooner or later, life was never truly good!

*

During the riot, the High Septon of the Great Sept of Baelor was torn to pieces by the mob. For hungry people, a fat priest who could barely walk was the best target.

The body of Ser Preston Greenfield of the Kingsguard, the smallest of them, was found in a corner of the square, stabbed and hacked countless times, turning reddish-brown from head to toe.

Ser Alliser Thorne lay in the gutter at the bottom of the square, his helmet crushed and his head a mass of red mud.

The daughter of Countess Tanda Stokeworth was abducted by rioters behind a blacksmith's shop, where she offered her chastity to dozens of vulgar men. When the Gold Cloaks found her, she was wandering naked on the Street of Steel.

Tyrek Lannister's disappearance became an eternal shadow and thorn in Tyrion Lannister's heart, as he felt ashamed to face the deceased Uncle Tygett Lannister.

Thirty-nine Gold Cloaks were killed and more than a hundred were injured. Seven Red Cloaks died and forty-eight were injured. More than ten Starry Septons died and more than twenty were injured. As for how many rioters died, no one cared.

The jewel-encrusted seven-pointed crown worn by the High Septon disappeared and has been missing ever since.

The riot also exposed the Gold Cloaks' rather poor combat effectiveness, because the Hound had tripled the size of the garrison in preparation for the Baratheon family's attack on King's Landing, but simply putting on a gold cloak didn't make someone a guard. Among the new recruits, there were more thugs, drunkards, cowards, and traitors than the Imp had expected. These guys were undertrained, lacked discipline, and had no loyalty—they were only loyal to their own stinking hides. Once there was a bloody conflict, let alone a real war, they simply couldn't hold on.

This made Tyrion clearly realize that once the walls were breached by the Baratheon army and the siege turned into street fighting, they were finished. The Gold Cloak garrison was simply unable to fight. They had already lost thirty-nine men against unarmed rioters, let alone against well-trained regular troops.

The Imp was internally opposed to Littlefinger's proposal to bring the Mountain's men and grain into King's Landing, but forced by the situation, he chose to suppress his inner feelings and formally expressed his support for Littlefinger's proposal in the throne room.

After the riot on King Joffrey's name day, the Imp also clearly realized that the Lannister family was simply unwelcome in King's Landing.

Back then (in the year 283 of Aegon's Conquest), after Aerys opened the city gates, his father's sack of King's Landing was still fresh in the minds of many people. It was rumored in private that the current turmoil in the kingdom was due to the Lannister family's countless sins—his brother Jaime murdered King Aerys, and his father slaughtered Rhaegar's children.

Some publicly reminisced about the time when King Robert was in power, and hinted that if the Baratheon family were to sit on the throne, good times would return. These words could be heard anywhere by sending out any spy—in the cafeteria, taverns, and brothels—the Imp estimated that it was probably the same in the barracks.

With morale fluctuating, King's Landing, despite its high walls, was making the Imp feel less and less safe every day. Every day he went to court as if wearing a mask of the Hand, acting tough and aggressive; but as soon as he returned to the Hand's Tower, he would lick his deep inner vulnerability and helplessness alone.

To prevent accidents, he ordered Shagga and Conn to reside at the Dragon Gate to protect his prostitute Shae, whom he hid in a three-story small courtyard. Using three hundred Mountain Clansmen to protect a prostitute he liked was also something the Imp found shameful, but sneaking out through the secret passage every night to meet Shae was like an addiction that fascinated him. And the guy who provided the secret passage and helped him sneak out was none other than Littlefinger, whom he hated the most.

He found that he could never do without dealing with the people he hated the most, and he couldn't do without their help. This made the Imp's temper increasingly irritable.

But the Hand had to brace himself to do what needed to be done.

*

Podrick Payne was the royal standard-bearer for the day, bearing Joffrey's stag-lion banner, somewhat overwhelmed. Bronn, on the other hand, was carrying Tyrion's own banner, the Lannister golden coin on a crimson field.

The golden coin—Tyrion's own exclusive banner design.

Tyrion Lannister rode on a pony. Bronn and Podrick could already see the banners of the Mountain's forces, but he was still a little short in height.

The Mountain's army held high—the Lannister family's golden lion banner, the Clegane family's three-dog banner, the Mooton family's red salmon banner, the Brave Companions' black goat banner, and the Amory Lorch family's manticore banner—cavalry in front, infantry in the rear, coming slowly. The formation was neat and solemn, with no end in sight.

Having the Hand greet him outside the Dragon Gate was a condition that the Mountain had made for agreeing to transport grain and lead troops to King's Landing. For the sake of the overall situation, the Imp agreed to the Mountain's rude request. He knew that the Mountain needed to feel respected, not ordered to come. No one could order the Mountain, except Lord Tywin.

The Imp, despite being the Hand, was only a temporary Hand with limited powers. The real Hand was Lord Tywin.

The Mountain's troops were endless, with strong men and horses.

Under the protection of his mercenaries and Mountain Clansmen, the Imp greeted the Mountain and his generals outside the city.

The Mountain rode at the front on a tall horse. As always, he was followed by two empty horses. His greatsword, shield, and armor were transported in a special carriage, guarded by two soldiers.

Those heavy armor could not be moved by two soldiers.

Unless he was fighting, the Mountain would not wear that two-hundred-plus-pound armor, which was a humanoid piece of steel.

“Lord Mountain,” the Imp rode forward to greet him.

“Hand,” the Mountain said, his tone no different from calling the Imp by his name, which sounded ironic to the Imp's ears.

“The barracks and your accommodations have been prepared. Please enter the city,” the Imp was still the Imp. Just because he was the Hand, the Mountain had made such a condition for the Hand to greet him outside the city, which could satisfy the Mountain's vanity.

The Mountain did not respond to the Imp's invitation, but frowned as he looked at the endless rows of houses built below the city walls.

Outside the walls of King's Landing, wooden houses, some two meters high and some even three meters high, were built against the base of the walls, filled with refugees. Some of the houses were built by the locals of King's Landing, selling small goods to the sailors in the port. Littlefinger also built two three-story brothels here, one near the Dragon Gate and one near the Dung Gate.

“All of these houses must be demolished,” the Mountain said. “First, if the Baratheon army attacks, they will set fire to these houses to attack us; second, if they don't set fire, they will use them as a springboard, making it very easy to build siege equipment.” The Mountain raised his voice and shouted, “Fat Zollo—”

The sound was like muffled thunder, rolling towards the rear of the army.

Soon, a fat man in Dothraki attire rode up on horseback. He was very fat, but his movements were agile and his horsemanship was also very superb. Arakh curved sword was slung around his waist.

“Lord Mountain, what are your orders?”

“Tear down all the stone huts, wooden buildings, thatched houses, and tent houses built on the city walls,” the Mountain pointed to the vast expanse of low buildings outside the Dragon Gate along the city walls, stretching out of sight. “I want the area below the city walls to be clean, without giving the enemy any chance to take advantage.”

“As you command, Your Grace!”

Tyrion said, “Lord Mountain, King's Landing has just experienced a riot. If you demolish all the buildings under the city walls as soon as you arrive, I'm afraid it will cause dissatisfaction among the people and lead to some chaos. We should first make an announcement to the people and then demolish them.”

“Jaqen Lorch,” the Mountain shouted again to the rear.

The messengers relayed the orders layer by layer, and soon, Jaqen Lorch rode up on horseback.

The Mountain waved his hand, encompassing all the houses and buildings outside the city walls: "You lead the Lodge family soldiers and are responsible for driving all the residents of these houses into the city. You are responsible for moving people, and Zoro is responsible for demolishing the houses."

"Yes, sir."

Little Devil said, "Lord Mountain, what if some people are unwilling to move? Many residents are natives who have lived here for over a decade. I suggest we have a royal herald announce the situation, explain the consequences, and ask them to move on their own first."

"This is wartime, Little Devil. You are the Prime Minister; focus your attention on handling those complicated political affairs. Leave the military matters to me. Sir Jeko Lodge, forcibly relocate any residents who refuse to move. If they resist with force, warn them once. If they don't listen, kill them all, regardless of gender or age!"

One should not be a policeman if one is kind-hearted, nor should one command an army if one is merciful. The transmigrated university engineering student understood this principle.

"Yes, sir!"

Thank you [Chau534] for your support and reward. Thank you, handshake!