The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Everyone looked at the old man, Ti Mei, hoping to learn about the story of Ricinus and the Sheep Thief from his mouth.

Judging from Maester Paggie's account, the Fire Wizard worshiped by the Scorching Tribe was very likely the Dragon Knight Ricinus, and the dragon possessed by the Fire Wizard was very likely the Sheep Thief.

Only the old man Ti Mei knew the secret.

The old man Ti Mei didn't know the origin of the Fire Wizard and the dragon, and people outside couldn't know the subsequent secrets of the Fire Wizard and the dragon living in the depths of the Brightmoon Mountains.

The old man Ti Mei saw everyone's gazes, but he closed his mouth tightly, revealing an expression of resistance.

"The story is wonderful, but it's also important to hurry, Ser Glendon, go to the back and check on the condition of the team, urge them to speed up a bit," the Mountain interjected.

Glendon Goodbrook agreed and went to the rear.

"Lord Duke, is it necessary to reply to Her Majesty the Queen Mother? Her Majesty has summoned you to go to King's Landing as soon as possible to promote the paper money plan," said Maester Hallis. He saw that the Mountain was unwilling to force the old man Ti Mei to tell the secret, so he helped to divert everyone's attention.

"No need!" The Mountain said, "The paper money promotion plan in King's Landing doesn't need to be rushed. First, do a good job with the banks in the Westerlands, let the news slowly spread throughout the country, and then it will be easier to do. The paper money plan is huge, a completely new monetary structure, we will go more steadily if we are slower."

Let the bullets fly for a while!

"Yes!" The young Maester Hallis was convinced by the Mountain's statement.

"Julie, take a light cavalry and go to Riverrun quickly to inform Duke Edmure Tully that the Clegane Legion is borrowing the Riverlands, and also tell Edmure that I hope to visit him."

"Yes, Father." Julie quickly left with her guard.

The story about Ricinus and the Sheep Thief was thus diverted and covered up. However, in the hearts of the guards, everyone had a little cat hidden, itchy, but unable to scratch.

If there really is a dragon in the depths of the Brightmoon Mountains, if this dragon can be approached and befriended, then this dragon has hope of being tamed. Of course, this is very dangerous. The news that dragons have been resurrected across the Narrow Sea has spread throughout Westeros, but no one has actually seen a real dragon. If a dragon has actually been living in Westeros all along, then can the people of Westeros rely on the power of this dragon to fight against the dragons of the foreigners across the Narrow Sea?

A dragon, a huge magical creature that can fly and breathe fire, a magical beast that is said to be extinct. Besides fire, its claws, mouth, and tail are all weapons of attack. A dragon that can befriend people, a dragon that can be approached, has the possibility of being tamed into a warrior.

The nature of a dragon is to fight!

The last dragon of the Targaryen royal family was only the size of a small eagle, and it lost its sky for battle after being locked up.

People who are willing to be close to the dragon only need to stimulate its nature. Dragons are born to fight. Fighting is not only the nature of dragons, but also their talent!

But the old man Ti Mei kept his mouth shut, and Lord Mountain obviously had no intention of forcing the old man to tell the secret.

Everyone had to endure the expectation of the dragon and the torment of the subsequent secrets.

*

A few days later, the army arrived at the Kneeling Inn.

The Kneeling Inn had been burned down in the war, but it has now been rebuilt. The owner and his wife personally served the Mountain and his party, trembling with fear and trepidation.

The owner's family of the Kneeling Inn did not choose to flee, which stemmed from the Mountain's strict military discipline and good reputation along the way.

The Mountain's Legion did not commit any crimes against the people of the Riverlands. The villages they passed through were not burned or looted, and the people who were unable to escape were not captured or enslaved. The castles of the many nobles they passed along the way were not attacked. The news quickly spread in the Riverlands, making the people and surviving nobles of the Riverlands increasingly free from fear amidst suspicion and uncertainty.

In the end, the owner of the Kneeling Inn did not choose to abandon the store and flee, but braced himself and stayed, and was fortunate enough to receive the infamous Mountain and his entourage.

At the Kneeling Inn that night, Maester Hallis received another letter from King's Landing. The letter was written by Prime Minister Mace Tyrell, who, in the name of the King, ordered the Mountain to recover the Riverlands, force the Tully family to kneel and submit, otherwise, the Mountain would have to destroy Riverrun and conquer the other nobles of the Riverlands, including Seagard in the northwest and the Twins in the far north.

The letter also reminded the Mountain to be careful of the Northern Legion marching south. Mace said that the Northmen publicly declared that they would march south to attack King's Landing, but scouts reported that the Northmen's Legion had stopped at the Neck and had not left the last line of defense in the North. It is currently judged that the Northmen's declaration of war to attack King's Landing is mostly an excuse.

Of course, the Mountain knew that the Northmen's march south was a bluff. The Northmen's march south was a posture that the Mountain had asked Stark to make, so that the authorities in the Red Keep of King's Landing would know the tension of the situation, thereby highlighting the necessity of the Mountain's existence. This was a means of self-protection made by the Mountain. After all, he killed Kevan Lannister, and the impact of this matter was very great. It was unclear which royal nobles had secretly laid a net of revenge against the Mountain.

After Stark received the Mountain's raven, he timely made a high-profile gesture of attacking King's Landing. They also finally understood that letting Jaime go south could not obtain peace from the Lannisters, nor could they obtain food and soldiers from the Iron Throne. Robb Stark of Winterfell sent Greatjon Umber as the vanguard to lead the army south in a feint, and this military operation convinced the Iron Throne in the first place.

Many nobles in the royal palace self-righteously judged that the Mountain was still very useful because of the Northmen's march south. This evil person cannot be without him at present.

And to ensure victory over Robb Stark, a most important force must be conquered or won over, at least to keep them neutral and not let them join Robb Stark, that is, the Vale forces that have been hiding outside the war.

The royal family had sent Littlefinger early to conquer the Vale through marriage with Lysa Tully, but Littlefinger was unable to support himself. A long time had passed, but the news that came back was disappointing. So the royal courtiers felt that the Mountain should be sent again to coerce them with force, and cooperate with Littlefinger from the inside and outside to take down the Vale as soon as possible. The Mountain was ordered to attack, and soon handed over a perfect test paper to the King's Landing royal family.

The continuous stream of spy messages from the north told the royal family that the main force of the Northern Army had stopped at the Neck. The Northern Army that had passed the Neck and entered the Twins was not the main force, but only a small group of Northern militia. This convinced the royal family and the courtiers that the Mountain's deterrent force was real. - Although the Northmen have the young general Robb Stark, the Northmen, like them, are afraid of the fierce and brutal Mountain! Compared to Robb Stark, the Mountain is equally invincible in the civil war!

*

After the Mountain finished reading the letter from King's Landing, when the entire army set off the next day, he ordered Maester Hallis to reply to Prime Minister Mace Tyrell: Except for the greetings, address, and signature, this letter only had two words: As you wish!

From 298 AC to this year, 300 AC, the main battlefield of the three-year civil war has been in the Riverlands. The plains of the Riverlands have long been scarred. After the retreat of the Reach + Westerlands allied forces that besieged Riverrun, the people of the Riverlands who had fled into the mountains returned to their homes and resumed production and construction. This rich land needs a quarter of a year to heal and recover its vitality.

*

Ten days later, the Mountain and Edmure met on the south bank of the Red Fork River outside Riverrun.

Edmure, riding a warhorse and standing in front of the Mountain, looked like a child.

Red Smoke Beast was indeed too tall for a Riverlands warhorse, just like the contrast between the Mountain's body and Edmure's body.

In front of the Mountain riding Red Smoke Beast, Edmure's duke's demeanor was completely gone.

This made the young and vigorous Edmure very depressed.

Although Edmure is not a famous general, he is also a heroic person. Among the younger generation of nobles in the Riverlands, the Vale, and the North, his prestige is actually very high, and his appeal is also very strong.

"Mountain, your unicorn is not bad." Edmure's depressed words carried a hint of envy.

"How is my little sister?"

Elinor Westerling, Jeyne's younger sister, was born in the Crag in 287 AC and is thirteen years old this year. She has been living in Riverrun as Edmure's fiancee for three years.

"She has always been very good, living like a princess." Edmure's face had a slightly flushed embarrassment.

He had a mouthful of bitterness about his marriage with Elinor, and it was hard to say. Also because of Elinor, he was accused by Eddard Stark, Robb Stark, his sister Catelyn Tully, his uncle Brynden Tully, and his deceased father Duke Tully, which made him lose face, but he had no way to defend himself.

For Edmure, the past was really unbearable! It damaged the glory of the Tully family.

The Mountain saw the embarrassment and guilt in Edmure's heart. This was an honest guy, and he had no connection with thick-skinned and cunning. He fell into the trap designed by the Mountain, and the Mountain had no guilt.

Now is the time to tighten this trap. The world situation will undergo tremendous changes, and the Mountain needs the power of various parties and have close relationships with him.

The future Dragon Mother may go to war with the Mountain, and the Mountain must make the worst response.

This is a dark blood age. Honest great nobles like Edmure Tully have become extinct. It can be said that he and upright people like Eddard Stark are the real 'freaks' in this world.

"Elinor Westerling is thirteen years old this year. Has she had her moonblood?" The Mountain went straight to the point.

"Uh... this... I don't know..." Edmure Tully's eyes flickered, and the expression on his face became even more unnatural.

Elinor Westerling is a very ambitious girl, wholeheartedly wanting to marry into a great noble family. This is due to the careful education of the Mountain's mother-in-law, Sybell Spicer, from an early age. - For the Westerling family, which has fallen into decline, the hope of the family's rise is to rely on two girls marrying into great noble families.

"I know that my little sister Elinor Westerling loves you deeply. If she has her moonblood, she will tell you as soon as possible. She has already told you that she has her moonblood, right?" The Mountain pressed.

Edmure Tully's expression said it all.

If it weren't for talking about Elinor's matter, Edmure would be a proper Duke, but the Elinor of three years ago has always been a weakness in his moral conscience.

It is indeed a disaster for an honest young man like Edmure Tully to meet a guy like the Mountain who can be thick-skinned and cunning, loyal and upright, and also brutal and bloodthirsty.

"Uh... this... Mountain... do you want to enter Riverrun for a drink?" Edmure spoke incoherently.

"Edmure, you defiled my little sister Elinor's innocence three years ago, and also hurt the honor of the Westerling family, but you made a timely correction and formally got engaged to Elinor. Now that she has had her moonblood and has reached the age of marriage, you have to marry her." The Mountain shouted in a deep voice, with an unkind tone.

Edmure's face immediately turned red. The veins on his neck popped out.

"Elinor... is still a virgin... I was drunk three years ago, but I didn't touch her... She... she... she also promised me that she was willing to dissolve the engagement... I can make compensation, as long as she asks."

The Mountain's face suddenly darkened: "Edmure, you have simultaneously humiliated the Westerling family, the Clegane family, and the Tully family."

Red Smoke Beast snorted, exhaling a breath that was difficult for people and horses to adapt to, with fierce eyes and blood-red eyeballs.

Edmure opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word. The horse under his crotch was threatened by the Red Smoke Beast and began to retreat uneasily.

"Edmure, if you marry my little sister, we will be a family, and I won't kill you." The Mountain took out the Prime Minister's order from his arms and threw it over. Edmure reached out and grabbed it, opened it, and after reading the letter, his face changed. "Mountain, you deceived me into coming out to meet, but you were ordered to take Riverrun?"

"If you choose to be my family, I will naturally not touch you, nor will I touch Riverrun, but you humiliate my little sister, humiliate the glory of the Westerling family and the Clegane family, you are my enemy, I cannot tolerate you."

Clang!

With a soft sound, the Mountain drew out the Ice Greatsword with his backhand. This was a signal, and the sound of horses' hooves exploded. The Mountain's guard, light cavalry, and heavy cavalry all rushed out, instantly surrounding Edmure Tully and his party.

The two ships on the Red Fork River saw that the situation was not good and immediately pushed off with poles, the ships sliding towards the heart of the river.

As soon as the Mountain moved, the soldiers around him were as pure as wolves and tigers, just like a group of sharks smelling blood.

In the blink of an eye, all of Edmure's escort knights were controlled! Their chests and backs were filled with bright knives, guns, swords, hammers, axes, and other weapons.

From the walls of Riverrun, Brynden "Blackfish" Tully could only watch this scene unfold. Beside him, Elenya Westerling was terrified. In the past three years, the little girl had grown into a graceful young woman, much taller, with a hint of her sister Jeyne in her features. She cried out in a panic, her sharp voice carrying across the river, laced with a sob: "Uncle, you can't kill him, he's a good man!"

Thanks to 【偶尔咗下白日梦】for the support, thank you, handshake!