The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 345: The Escape Plan - Mountain Commands the Army

Night. King's Landing. The Red Keep.

The Tower of the Hand, dining hall.

“Lord Mountain, congratulations on recruiting two thousand new soldiers today. Those who can ride horses, hunt, swim, fight, use knives and swords, shoot arrows, aren't afraid of death, and are ruthless... you've picked them all.”

“That's not two thousand soldiers.” The Mountain sighed. “That's two thousand mouths.” If six hundred of these two thousand soldiers survive the war, the Mountain would be very satisfied. These six hundred veterans, tempered by life and death, are the real fighting force. Training is only a supplementary means to make soldiers into real warriors; it must be war with blood and fire.

“I heard you seized a lot of food in Harrenhal.”

“There is indeed a lot of food, but there are also a lot of mouths to feed.”

“Perhaps we should import food from Pentos,” Tyrion said.

“Stannis's navy has blockaded the waterways, and Renly's army has blockaded the land routes. I think King's Landing has no source of food except for the Riverlands.”

“Stannis can't stop smuggling food. I think the food shortage in King's Landing is mainly Littlefinger's trickery.”

“What good would he get from doing this?”

“He can show his importance in front of me, so I don't settle accounts with him.” But Tyrion naturally didn't say this. He wouldn't talk about Littlefinger framing him everywhere, especially in front of a 'smart' person like the Mountain, who had become inexplicably intelligent.

“Littlefinger wants to show off his skills, I guess.” Tyrion's tone was uncertain.

“If Littlefinger still does this in this situation, then he's not smart, he's bad,” the Mountain said.

The Mountain's words resonated deeply with Tyrion!

“Lord Mountain, can you do me a favor?”

“What favor?”

“I want to ask you for someone.”

“Who?”

“Bernie.”

“Bernie?” The Mountain stared at Tyrion bluntly, but he was very vigilant in his heart.

“I heard that your personal servant Bernie is a ventriloquist with particularly amazing skills. You once relied on his ventriloquism to trick open the gates of Riverrun, then broke in to hold Duke Hoster hostage, and extorted a sum of money from the Duke.”

“That's true.” The Mountain had to admit. He really wanted to deny it, but Tyrion was not easy to fool. Lying about such things in front of him would be counterproductive.

“Bernie is your personal servant, but I haven't seen him by your side?”

“That's right, he's not by my side.”

“Then where is he?”

“Can I not tell you?”

“Why?”

“For no reason, can you force me?”

Tyrion was stunned.

“I want to borrow Bernie to rescue Jaime Lannister.” Tyrion stared into the Mountain's eyes. He pushed a plate of rabbit meat, dripping with golden yellow oil and steaming hot, in front of the Mountain.

“How to rescue him?”

“We have people that Robb and Edmure want back, the most important of whom are Sansa Stark and Arya Stark. I will send an envoy, with my letters, to Riverrun to discuss exchanging hostages.”

“You don't have Arya Stark.”

“Yes, you know that I know, but Robb and Edmure don't know, and that's enough.”

“They won't talk to you about Jaime Lannister. Only an idiot would exchange two daughters for one Jaime.”

But there is indeed an idiot, and that is Catelyn Tully.

The Mountain had secretly rescued Eddard Stark. The Mountain hoped that Eddard would return to Winterfell to garrison and send troops north to support the Wall, but there was no news or indication that Eddard had done so. The Mountain judged that Eddard Stark was currently in Riverrun, or assisting his heir Robb Stark in sweeping the Westerlands.

“You don't understand Catelyn Tully, but I do. I lived with her for several months, and I almost fell in love with her, but she probably looks down on me.” Tyrion poured wine down his throat. “I will send the envoy to negotiate the exchange of Jaime and the two Starks. In the accompanying envoy, I need a thief who can pick locks, a jester who can do ventriloquism, a debater who can speak eloquently, and a fisherman who is proficient in rowing and swimming. These people, mixed in with the envoy, can enter Jaime's tower at night and rescue Jaime Lannister from Riverrun.”

“Tower?” The Mountain's eyes were suspicious.

“Yes, Edmure is a gentleman. He is also afraid that we will abuse Sansa and Arya, so he treats Jaime well. He didn't imprison Jaime in the dungeons of Riverrun, but confined him in a tower where sunlight can shine in.”

The Mountain looked at Tyrion. This guy is a genius. In the original world trajectory, this guy's plan did rescue Jaime, but he was unlucky. He encountered Edmure, who had suddenly returned from the battle at the Red Fork. Edmure recognized Jaime, and the two immediately drew their swords against each other on the street. Jaime killed several of Edmure's guards, and the people who rescued Jaime were all killed. It was a very tragic street battle with blades. Jaime was recaptured, and then the good days were completely over. He was truly imprisoned in the dungeons to suffer, with heavy shackles on his hands and feet to prevent him from being rescued and escaping again.

“When did you get the news that Jaime was not imprisoned in the dungeons, but in the tower?”

“The day before yesterday,” Tyrion said. “But only you and I know this good news. I didn't even tell Cersei. Let her worry more about our Jaime.”

The Mountain said: “Your plan is good, but I won't give you Bernie.”

“I solemnly ask you, for the sake of the Lannister name.” Tyrion said, “Lord Mountain, as long as you give me Bernie, you will get my friendship. People who get the friendship of the Imp never suffer.”

“Your plan will fail. I won't give you Bernie and watch him go to his death. Most people in Riverrun know Bernie.”

“Bernie will be mixed in with the envoy and disguised. I have carefully considered my plan. If there is no possibility of rescuing Jaime in Riverrun, my envoy will not move rashly,” Tyrion said.

“Did you promise Cersei to rescue Jaime in exchange for her political support for you?”

“...Yes...!” Tyrion looked at the Mountain. The Mountain is so powerful that he could guess this.

“You can find a thief who can pick locks, a fisherman who can swim, a debater who can speak eloquently, and you can easily find a jester who can do ventriloquism,” the Mountain said. He pushed away the empty plate in front of him. He was full. “Lord Hand, I have to go back to the barracks. Bernie is my servant. I won't send him back to Riverrun to die.”

“It will succeed. I will return Bernie to you intact,” Tyrion promised.

The Mountain didn't believe Tyrion's guarantee, and Tyrion himself didn't believe his own guarantee. Tyrion was not easy to fool, and the Mountain was not easy to fool either.

“Your plan is bound to fail.”

“Then I have to send a raven to my father and ask him to order you to give me Bernie.” Tyrion revealed his trump card.

“Lord Tywin will not approve of your plan either. It's too risky, and you won't tell Lord Tywin about such a risky plan at all. With this plan, you not only want to get Cersei's political support for you, but also want to get Lord Tywin's approval. At the same time, you also crave to rescue Jaime, killing three birds with one stone. The plan is good, and it's full of courage, but I won't give you Bernie.”

Tyrion could only watch the Mountain walk out of the Tower of the Hand!

*

0345 Chapter 2 Mountain Gets Military Power

The throne hall, the king sat on the Iron Throne, the Queen Mother sat next to the king, and the Lord Hand stood on the Queen Mother's left hand.

The courtiers and generals were in their proper positions.

Under the seven steps, on the left, all the members of the Small Council, who shared a conference table, were present.

Since King's Landing fell into turmoil, this was the first time that His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, the Lord Hand, the Small Council, and all the courtiers and generals were all present at a meeting.

Under the tall, narrow windows of the hall were two rows of gold-robed guards holding long spears.

Behind the king and queen and others were twenty red-robed guards.

Queen Mother Cersei preferred to use people from the Westerlands to protect herself closely, and always had.

The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ilyn Payne, stood not far behind the king with a gloomy face. He was also a vassal of the Westerlands, a headsman loyal to the Lannisters.

Four members of the Kingsguard stood in a line under the seven steps, wearing white robes and long swords, majestic and awe-inspiring, as the first line of defense to protect the king and queen.

These four members of the Kingsguard were Ser Boros Blount, who lost the courage to go out again to rescue other courtiers and noble knights during the riots in King's Landing, and was finally forced to go out by Queen Mother Cersei's threat to remove his white robe.

Ser Meryn Trant, who lacked knightly honor, was disliked for unconditionally executing any of the king's brutal acts, without a trace of the upright and noble qualities of a knight.

Ser Arys Oakheart, as the young and handsome knight, had been protecting Myrcella and Tommen during the riots in King's Landing. After the princess and the little prince escaped danger, he did not return to the church, but had been fighting outside, rescuing many nobles and courtiers.

Ser Mandon Moore, a gloomy and cold person, any excellent qualities of a knight would be a luxury to appear on him.

Of the only four remaining members of the Kingsguard, three were solid trash. Knightly honor was a joke when used on them.

But this was not surprising. The Red Keep of King's Landing was a magical place full of liars, politicians, schemers, and despicable people.

The atmosphere in the throne hall today was solemn, because it was to welcome a heavyweight figure who made everyone's mood very complicated—the Mountain.

The Mountain was notoriously fierce, but since he entered the city, the turbulent days of King's Landing had come to an end. Refugees had bread, and the city's defenses were unprecedentedly strengthened. Walking on the streets at night, the phenomenon of murder was almost extinct. In the streets and alleys of the most chaotic Flea Bottom, cases of fighting, robbery, and murder also declined sharply.

Everyone had a deep understanding of the stability and security of King's Landing.

This was the change brought about by the Mountain, but the Mountain himself was a notoriously fierce guy, which made the nobles feel strange in their hearts. If King's Landing became more turbulent and bloody because of the Mountain's arrival, everyone would feel normal and would not feel awkward in their hearts.

With heavy footsteps and a huge figure, the Mountain appeared at the gate of the throne hall. He walked into the hall, carrying a daunting giant sword on his back. The huge flat-topped helmet was not hideous, but it still made everyone feel nervous.

The Mountain came to the front of the king's throne, facing the four members of the Kingsguard. He pushed up his mask, revealing a face that was rough and mixed with perseverance.

Meryn Trant's heart skipped a beat, because the Mountain's eyes swept over him. After the Mountain left King's Landing, he had beaten Sansa a lot. And this violated the Mountain's decree to him.

The Mountain stood in front of the Kingsguard, without saying a word, his eyes looking at Meryn Trant, whose back was almost instantly wet with cold sweat.

“Your subject, the Mountain, pays homage to Her Majesty the Queen Mother, His Majesty the King, and the Lord Hand.” The Mountain's voice was rumbling, its power was like substance, suffocating.

Like the late king in power, he stood with his head held high and did not kneel.

Joffrey forcefully controlled his fear of the Mountain. He smiled, nodded, and unconsciously grasped the armrests of the Iron Throne, feeling the hardness and coldness of the twisted hilt: “Mountain, you brought food and troops, making King's Landing stable and peaceful, and the commoners dare not riot again. I thank you for your arrival on behalf of the royal family and the nobles. What kind of reward do you want?”

“Your Majesty, Renly's and Stannis's armies may attack tomorrow, or they may attack in two months. I hope that Your Majesty will grant me all the military power of the city. I will do my best to protect King's Landing and defeat the enemy.”

“Okay, Mountain.” Joffrey waved his hand to stop his mother Cersei from interrupting, “The King's Landing garrison, the militia, the royal red-robed army, and the Royal Navy fleet, I all authorize to you. You have supreme dispatch power. Mountain, you must ensure the safety of King's Landing and give the rebels a severe lesson. I want you to cut off my uncle Stannis's head, and the heads of my uncle Renly Baratheon.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

Tyrion, as the Hand of the King, had a lot to say, but he was also stopped by Joffrey's wave. Joffrey believed that the Mountain was the real candidate for commander-in-chief. Look at his big size, terrifying long sword, and arms thicker than tree trunks. Who else can beat him?

The Mountain did not expect to get the command of the entire army so easily. He was overjoyed in his heart, but he remained calm on the surface. After he lightly thanked His Majesty the King, he retreated into the ranks of the courtiers according to etiquette. Some courtiers and nobles immediately showed their goodwill to him in a low voice, some nodding, some smiling, some paying attention, a piece of flattering gaze.

After the king authorized the military power to the Mountain, it seemed that he had completed all the work today, or perhaps the Mountain's retreat into the ranks of the courtiers made his pressure disappear, and he seemed to suddenly lose interest in everything: “Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Lord Hand, the next things, you come.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Cersei and Tyrion said in unison.

Above the high hall, the Queen Mother and the Hand had to put on a solemn and sacred expression, and act in a serious manner in accordance with the orders of His Majesty the King.

The Queen Mother looked at Tyrion, so the Lord Hand cleared his throat and said: “Ser Barristan Selmy, please come forward.”

Barristan Selmy was the bravest person in the riots, leading a team of gold-robed guards in and out of the sea of people several times, rescuing the king and all the other courtiers, with great loyalty and great merit.

Thank you to [Riding a Donkey While Reading] and [Chau534] for the support! Thanks, handshake!