The Mountain of Ice and Fire

"Lord Tyrell, Qyburn is the real traitor, the one who betrayed the country," Mace shouted.

"Qyburn?"

Qyburn stopped. "Lord Tyrell, don't slander me out of thin air."

"It was you who gave me the secret letter from the Imp, do you dare deny it? It was you who persuaded me to surrender, do you dare deny it?"

"Me?" Qyburn smiled slightly. "Lord Tyrell, are you admitting that you colluded with the Imp? Is this your confession? Lord Mountain's witnesses haven't even arrived yet!"

Mace choked, his eyes rolled back, his neck bulged with veins, and his throat made a terrible hissing sound! It was as if he had been poisoned by the strangler!

"My lords, Lord Tyrell was driven to the wall just now and slandered me out of thin air. This is a real frame-up. However, he himself has admitted to the crime of treason by colluding with the Imp," Qyburn said solemnly.

Mace was so angry that he fainted, and the sound of a thousand drums rang in his mind again.

Jane said lightly, "Lord Tyrell, you said that Qyburn gave you the secret letter from the Imp, do you have any evidence?"

Mace's eyes were red, and his face was flushed purple, as if he would suffocate with the next heartbeat!

"No evidence?" Qyburn smiled. "Of course, it is impossible for the Prime Minister to produce any evidence for his unfounded frame-up against me."

Bang!

The Mountain threw Mace, who was hissing in his throat, to the ground. The strong shock allowed Mace to regain his breath, and he coughed violently.

The Mountain shouted, "Someone, take down Mace."

The Kingsguard brothers, Garlan and Gormond, had already arrived. The two brothers went up and tied Mace Tyrell up tightly. Then, Garlan lifted Mace up with one hand.

The door of the council chamber opened again, and Little Mountain Osmund hurried in. He came to the side of the Master of Whisperers, Bronn of House Clegane, and whispered something. Bronn of House Clegane's face changed slightly, and he stood up. "Your Grace, Queen Cersei, Queen Margaery, my lords, my little birds are waiting outside the hall, with very urgent information to report. I need to go out for a while."

Queen Cersei agreed.

Bronn of House Clegane and Osney quickly came outside the hall. A child stood at the gate, accompanied by Lady Janei's guard general Luke and several soldiers of the Clegane Legion.

Without General Luke, the little bird who came to report the news would not be able to enter the throne hall.

The little bird was a little taller than Bronn of House Clegane. He whispered something in Bronn's ear, and Bronn's face suddenly became very solemn. He pulled the little bird to the side. A child and an adult looked like two well-intentioned dwarves. The two small men whispered to each other, and no one, including the Kingsguard and General Luke, could hear what they were saying.

After a while, the child and Bronn came together, and Bronn said, "General Luke, send him out and protect his safety. Don't let him leave you for the time being. I still have a lot to ask him, but I must go in now and tell your lords the situation."

"Yes, Lord Bronn," Luke said.

General Luke led the child out of the throne hall, while Bronn quickly returned to the Small Council chamber. He strode to the Mountain's side, jumped onto a chair, but was still too short compared to the Mountain, so he jumped onto the table, stood on the council table, and asked the Mountain to lower his head, whispering in the Mountain's ear.

In the council chamber, everyone's eyes were fixed on Bronn and the Mountain.

The Mountain's expression slowly became very solemn.

Something big happened?!

In the Small Council chamber, besides the two Kingsguard guarding the inner side of the gate, there were a total of seven people: Queen Cersei, Queen Margaery, the Mountain (Wartime Commander), Janei (Master of Laws), Wagner (Master of Ships), Bronn (Master of Whisperers), Qyburn (Grand Maester), and Ben Blount (Commander of the City Watch).

Cersei and the others were all staring at Bronn and the Mountain.

The Mountain looked at Cersei, and Cersei frowned. "The Mountain, what exactly happened?"

The Mountain slowly said, word by word, "Lord Bronn just received news that Jaime Lannister took the King's Justice, Ilyn Payne, King Tommen I, Princess Myrcella, and the handmaiden, Conny, and fled Westeros to the Free City of Braavos."

"Braavos? Jaime? Tommen and Myrcella?" Cersei asked. Strangely, Cersei's face was calm, her expression was calm, and her tone was calm, as if she already knew about this.

In the council chamber, the important ministers were in an uproar. Commander of the City Watch, Ben Blount, stood up all of a sudden, his eyes wide, his face shocked.

Ben Blount, the Mountain's sword fighting enlightenment teacher, the head of Duke Tywin's bodyguard camp, the most loyal retainer of the Lannister family, and the highest commander of the King's Landing City Watch. The City Watch, that is, the gold cloaks that the common people talk about with fear.

Jaime took the king and ran away?

Why?

This is too shocking! Unbelievable!

Janei, Wagner, Margaery, Qyburn, and others were all surprised.

This matter came too suddenly, even more shocking than Prime Minister Mace Tyrell's treason!

The Mountain looked at Cersei. "Your Grace, what's going on? Why did Jaime take Tommen I to Braavos?"

Queen Cersei's face turned pale, but her eyes were frighteningly calm. "Lady Janei, our Master of Laws, if you want to catch me and Jaime's children and sentence them to hang, you must go to Braavos now. By the time the people you send chase to Braavos, they may be in Norvos, or Volantis, or some city further east, who knows?"

"Hey, Queen Cersei, did you just admit that Tommen is your and Jaime's bastard?" Grand Maester Qyburn suddenly said.

"Qyburn, whether I admit it or not, haven't you already colluded with Bronn to reveal the truth about my and Jaime's marital relationship, and to arrest Jaime, Tommen, and Myrcella and sentence them to hang?" Cersei sneered. "Now that the foreign enemies have reached a reconciliation, you are starting to commit regicide and treason, but it's a pity that I got the news one step ahead, and I stayed to confuse you, letting Jaime take Tommen and Myrcella away first."

Ben Blount was dumbfounded! Margaery Tyrell was stunned!

What was Cersei saying? Qyburn and Bronn had evidence of Cersei and Jaime's incest? Cersei sent her family away first, and stayed behind to hold them back? For the sake of her children and Jaime, she was not afraid of death at all?!

Bronn of House Clegane said, "The Iron Throne is the Baratheon family's throne, not the throne of the Lannister family's incestuous bastards. Last year, Lord Mountain wanted to gather the power of the Seven Kingdoms to resist the White Walkers, so he couldn't be distracted; this year, Daenerys is coming to attack. Although Grand Maester Qyburn and I have long grasped the fact that you and Jaime are incestuous, we did not publicize it in order to take the overall situation into consideration, so as not to cause civil strife in the kingdom. Now that the foreign troubles are all gone, it is time for the Baratheon family's throne to return to orthodoxy." Bronn looked at Margaery Tyrell. "Queen Margaery, your husband, Tommen Baratheon I, is not named Baratheon, but Lannister. Oh, by the way, Tommen is not named Lannister either. His real name is Tommen Waters, Lady Margaery Tyrell, you married a despicable bastard, a false king."

"No!" Margaery Tyrell suddenly screamed, as if she were a mother wolf shot by an arrow.

She was still wearing the Queen's crown on her head. This was glory, power, and the embodiment of her ultimate dream.

"Margaery, you married a false king. Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella are all my children with Jaime, and have nothing to do with Robert Baratheon," Cersei said proudly, with a provocative expression. Her chin was raised high, looking down at these important ministers of the court with contempt, as if these people were all trash.

"Someone, take down the traitor Cersei Lannister!" Lady Janei said lightly. She couldn't be too harsh, for fear of disturbing the fetus.

The Master of Ships, Wagner Gaer, stood up and stood behind Cersei. "Your Grace, please do not resist."

"Hmph!" Cersei said contemptuously.

The Kingsguard, Garlan Corbray and Gormond Corbray, came to the Queen's side, their expressions still in shock.

Ben Blount's face was full of horror, unbelievable! His mouth was wide open, staring blankly at Cersei.

Margaery Tyrell suddenly let out a sharp laugh, and the crown on her head fell off, clanging on the ground, but she was completely unaware.

Master of Laws Janei stood up. "My lords, in a short period of time, we have suddenly lost the king, the prime minister, and the queen. The kingdom cannot be without a proxy. I propose to immediately convene a meeting of the courtiers to make a declaration. There are now six people participating in the Small Council. According to the laws of the kingdom, a majority of the votes will pass the proposal."

Janei raised her hand. One vote!

The Mountain raised his hand! Two votes!

Wagner raised his hand: Three votes!

Bronn raised his hand: Four votes!

Qyburn raised his hand: Five votes!

Everyone's eyes turned to Ben Blount.

Ben Blount looked at Cersei. "Your Grace, tell me, Tommen is named Baratheon, these people are all traitors."

"Ser Ben Blount, Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella are all my children with Jaime. I swear in the name of the Seven Gods and the Lannister's honor that I hate Robert, hate him to the bone. I am very happy that the three children have nothing to do with him."

Ben Blount slumped back into his chair, his eyes fixed on the table in front of him, and slowly raised his right hand. His face was pale, as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

"Margaery Tyrell, according to the law, you married a false king and are no longer our queen. You have no right to participate in the Small Council meeting, let alone live in the Red Keep. In order to prevent the news from leaking, you must be temporarily guarded. Kingsguard Gormond, take her out and lock her in the silent cells, and send soldiers to guard her."

"Yes, Lady Janei."

Margaery Tyrell laughed hehe. "You..." She pointed to everyone, "are all hellhounds, demons, regicides, traitors... Cersei, you should have been sentenced to hang long ago. I am very happy that you will be sentenced to hang... Lannister... all should die..."

Margaery was dragged away by Gormond and locked in the silent room next to the Small Council chamber.

"Everyone, there is a very serious problem now," Master of Laws Janei said. "We must guard against the rebellion of knights and soldiers loyal to the Lannisters; we must also guard against the rebellion of the Reach army." Janei looked at Ben Blount, and Ben Blount threw out the token of the commander of the City Watch with a clang. "Lady Janei, Lord Mountain, can you allow me to return to the Westerlands and be a farmer?"

"Lord Ben Blount..."

"Don't persuade me, Lady Janei. Either let me go, or kill me."

"I agree to dismiss Ben Blount from the post of Commander of the City Watch," Qyburn raised his hand.

"I agree too!" Bronn raised his hand.

"Agreed!" Wagner raised his hand.

"Okay, Ser Ben Blount, I wish you a smooth journey, but today's situation... how about this, you have to return to the Westerlands three days later," the Mountain said. The Mountain was afraid that Ben Blount would go out and tell the information. There was no need for more people to know about the earth-shattering changes in the palace at this time.

"I will strictly abide by the rules. Lord Mountain, please rest assured about this." Ben Blount's voice became much older.

Grand Maester Qyburn proposed, "My lords, we are now in urgent need of strength to stabilize King's Landing. I propose that Balon Swann atone for his crimes. He is a member of the Kingsguard, a nobleman, has a very high prestige in the City Watch, and his loyalty is beyond doubt. Although he communicated with the Imp, I guarantee that he will not betray the country. Let him temporarily replace Ben Blount in charge of the City Watch."

Qyburn's proposal was passed unanimously!

"My lords, I have a proposal," Bronn of House Clegane said. "The former commander of the Maegor's Holdfast Royal Guard, Bronn, was forced to leave by Queen Cersei. The later members of the Royal Guard were all established by Bronn and Jaime. Bronn has prestige among the members of the Royal Guard..."

"Where is Bronn?" The Mountain interrupted Bronn's rambling.

"He lives in Flea Bottom. On the night when our navy defeated Daenerys' navy, Bronn came to me. He hoped to return to your side, Lord Mountain. He said to me that he was originally one of your guards, and you lent him to Ser Jaime. He eagerly desires to come back, but Queen Cersei has issued an order for his arrest..."

Cersei, who was being held aside, sneered! On the floor beside her, Prime Minister Mace was tied up. He was gagged because he was talking nonsense and shouting.

"I propose that Bronn come back and serve as the captain of the Maegor's Holdfast Royal Guard," the Mountain said.

Whoosh!

The important ministers raised their hands together, passing the proposal unanimously.

*

In the afternoon, the throne hall.

The left and right sides of the hall were filled with royal courtiers and military generals. Nobles and ladies from the Crownlands were also gathered together. Among the ladies, there were also many from the Westerlands, who came to the palace with Lady Janei.

Except for the North, all Seven Kingdom nobles had representatives in this hall. The children of the great nobles were all arranged to have certain official positions in the palace. This was a political need, and it was also the king's means of holding the great nobles hostage. Without war and conflict, they were officials; with war and conflict, they were hostages.

On the Iron Throne, neither Queen Cersei nor Tommen I sat. It was an empty seat. Behind the Iron Throne, the King's Justice, Ilyn Payne, with his giant sword on his back, was also gone.

However, under the seven steps of the Iron Throne, the Kingsguard still stood. They were Little Mountain Osmund, the handsome Alex, the Corbray brothers Garlan and Gormond, and Garlan Tyrell. The door of the throne hall was guarded by Ser Balon Swann, the white-robed general who was ordered to take the lead in atoning for his sins.