The Mountain of Ice and Fire

King Robert glanced at Cersei's changing expression, feeling greatly pleased.

Making the Lannisters unhappy was his happiness.

The King's father-in-law, Tywin, had been the Hand of the King since he was twenty, serving for twenty years. He possessed the political talent and experience to govern the entire country. However, after Robert seized the throne, he married Cersei for political reasons and did not invite his father-in-law to be the Hand. Instead, he appointed his foster father, Jon Arryn. When Jon Arryn unfortunately passed away, he once again chose Eddard Stark from the North to be the Hand. In short, he would never choose Tywin Lannister.

Why?

Robert was a king of genuine temperament. His marriage to Cersei was purely for political reasons, and also because of the persuasion of his foster father, Jon Arryn. He himself never had a good impression of the Lannisters of the Westerlands.

This was evident from his unreservedly calling Jaime 'Kingslayer' in public. He never respected his brother-in-law, Jaime.

Castamere and Tarbeck Hall in the Westerlands were two great families that Tywin had destroyed to establish his authority. For decades, Tywin never granted those two pieces of land to anyone. He used them specifically to deter other nobles in the Westerlands who had dissenting ideas. Once, House Farman in the Great Ocean also attempted to rebel and declared independence. Tywin sent a musician to their door to play 'The Rains of Castamere,' and House Farman immediately surrendered. Castamere and Tarbeck Hall were precisely examples that Duke Tywin deliberately set up to eliminate dissent. Duke Tywin deliberately wanted to leave them desolate.

King Robert was well aware of this. He was very happy that he could bestow Castamere and Tarbeck Hall upon the Mountain in the name of the King. As for how Tywin and his vicious dog would tear at each other, or how they would get along in the future, that was none of his concern. Furthermore, Castamere and Tarbeck Hall were not Crownlands, and they were not the King's private land anyway. Bestowing someone else's property to meritorious officials was like using someone else's money to give gifts. Why not do it?!

Cersei was displeased, Janei was surprised, and the Mountain remained expressionless.

The Mountain thanked the King and stood up according to etiquette. From the perspective of honor and law, Castamere and Tarbeck Hall were already the Mountain's private territory. He had the right to make any arrangements for Castamere and Tarbeck Hall. As for Duke Tywin's displeasure or disapproval, that was another matter.

Soon, Grand Maester Pycelle would send a government order bearing the King's seal to Duke Tywin in the Westerlands, letting Tywin know about the King's land grant to the Mountain. As for the Duke's personal mood or opinion, it would not affect the legality and authority of the King's government order.

The Mountain had no expression. Cersei, the King, Littlefinger, Varys, the Grand Maester, and others could not see the Mountain's surprise at the land, nor could they see the Mountain's glory at becoming a Lord.

This made King Robert feel that the 'prank' was not perfect enough. He had hoped to see the Mountain's delighted expression, but there was none!

The Grand Maester was an admirer of Duke Tywin, and the Mountain knew this very well. He was an Archmaester with absolutely no neutrality and bad conduct, living a corrupt and extravagant life, and full of bad ideas. Although others did not know, the transmigrated Mountain knew that Jon Arryn was about to be saved by the scholars. The poison was contained, and the condition began to improve. It was Pycelle who asked the other court scholars to leave and took charge of taking care of Jon, and then he stopped the medication, watching Jon Arryn slowly die like this.

Back then, in 283 AC, it was also this upright and neutral Grand Maester who persuaded the Mad King Aerys Targaryen to open the city gates and let Tywin Lannister in, while the loyal minister who tried his best to prevent the opening of the gates was Varys. It was a pity that the Mad King Aerys did not listen to Varys, but listened to the Grand Maester, and then the city gates opened and the massacre began.

With this old fox here, the Mountain knew that he could not show any joyful expression.

A blank expression was the best expression to deal with these scumbags, liars, conspirators, and cunning kings.

Robert returned the longsword to the Captain of the Kingsguard, Barristan Selmy the Bold, sat back in his seat, and said, "Instruct the court kitchen that I will host a banquet for Lady Janei and Lord Mountain today, let them prepare."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" A servant immediately bowed and said.

"Then let's go, to the dining room, I can't wait to get ready to get the Mountain drunk. Grand Maester, arrange it, pass the order down, buy milk from all over the city. There are many nobles and wealthy people in the city, especially those tycoons from across the Narrow Sea, sell them fresh milk at a high price, and keep the sterilization technology a secret. As for the large and small nobles in the Crownlands, they have to pay to buy it."

"Does the making of mercury thermometers still require Lady Janei to teach me the technology?" Grand Maester Pycelle said with a smile.

"I have prepared some thermometers myself." Lady Janei said calmly, "In the Westerlands and the Riverlands, a thermometer costs one hundred gold dragons. As for hourglasses, everyone can find a way to get them themselves, it's not difficult at all. I will donate two thermometers to the royal family."

Grand Maester Pycelle's smile was a little awkward. Janei said a lot of things, but did not say that she would teach him the technology of making thermometers. However, as long as he had a sample, it would not be difficult for him. Near the Blackwater River in King's Landing, the mint and the glass factory and the iron factory are next to each other, making mercury thermometers is convenient.

A group of people followed behind the King and Queen to the dining room. Before they left the reception room, the door opened, and Kingslayer Jaime Lannister came in: "Your Majesty, several mercenaries have come to the city guard, reporting that Catelyn Tully has taken my brother Tyrion Lannister from the Crossroads Inn in the Riverlands. Please allow me to go to the Tower of the Hand to ask Lord Eddard why this is?"

The King's face turned ugly as soon as he heard Eddard's name. He was angry at Eddard's refusal to carry out his orders: "Kingslayer, don't make trouble, I will ask him about the specific situation tomorrow. Seven Hells, how could Lady Catelyn appear at the Crossroads Inn in the Riverlands? What on earth is she doing?"

"Robert, Tyrion is also your brother-in-law, are you just going to sit back and watch the Starks act recklessly under your nose?" Cersei said indignantly. She had no liking for Tyrion, but she had even less liking for the Starks. She had always believed that Jaime was more suitable to be the Hand than the Northern stone man.

"We don't know who is right and who is wrong, and we don't know what happened, but I will deal with it impartially. Woman, stop pointing fingers at me." King Robert said angrily.

"Your Majesty, I heard that Lord Eddard is packing his luggage and preparing to return to Winterfell." Jaime added.

"It will take him two weeks to pack his luggage and prepare to go north." The King said in annoyance, "Kingslayer, step back!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" A flash of blue appeared on Jaime's face, and then he lowered his head and stepped aside.

The Mountain could see that although Robert was very angry with Eddard, he was still instinctively defending his old friend. After all, they had grown up together and fought side by side, and finally conquered this great country. The life-and-death friendship between the two people, knowing each other's roots and knowing each other's bottom line, no matter how fierce the quarrel is, it is also an internal contradiction between brothers. Once external forces intervene and want to use this contradiction, it is basically impossible.

Littlefinger glanced at the Mountain, and then said: "Your Majesty, I still have some government affairs to deal with today, and customs officials want to come to report taxes, so I will not go to the restaurant, please approve it, Your Majesty."

Robert waved his hand, and Littlefinger left quickly.

Varys also immediately found an excuse to get away. The King was in a rage, and the Queen also looked bad. It was best to stay away from this wine!

Varys also left, and then Grand Maester Pycelle excused himself, saying that he wanted to study and make more mercury thermometers. Janei and the Mountain also found an excuse to leave. After a while, the King's leisurely mood to entertain guests and get drunk disappeared completely.

*

The rain in the sky was getting heavier and heavier, as if spying on Eddard's frustrated heart.

Accompanied by Littlefinger, he had just returned to the Red Keep from Shae's brothel. Behind him were his captain of the guard, Jory Cassel, and guards, Varly and Hayhead.

In front of Eddard's eyes, there seemed to be a young and tender girl's face, with faint freckles on both sides of her nose. She was holding a newborn baby girl in her arms, with black hair and black eyes, just like Robert.

Another of Robert's bastards. The girl had just come from the countryside and was deflowered by Robert. She was madly infatuated with Robert and swore to Eddard that she had never been intimate with any man other than Robert.

This girl was the one Jon Arryn had gone to see with Stannis before he died. Eddard went to see her again when he was about to leave King's Landing. It was out of a promise. He had promised that he would not let the girl's baby lack food and clothing. He was going to send money. When he was about to leave, Eddard was still fantasizing about finding a clue to Jon Arryn's cause of death from the girl's mouth.

But Eddard was disappointed again. He did not find any more useful clues than last time.

Thinking of the Lannisters surrounding the King and taking action at any time, Eddard felt complicated, but he was no longer the Hand of the King, and the King ordered him to get out of the Red Keep. No matter how complicated and sad he was in his heart, he had to leave, and he had to leave as soon as possible. The King had become unfamiliar, and he was very likely to give an order and chop off Eddard's head.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the cloak had become a heavy burden. Raindrops dripped from the helmet in front of his eyes, like strings of sad tears.

"Why did Jon go to Shae's brothel to see that girl before he died?" Eddard asked Littlefinger beside him.

The short man, soaked to the bone, shrugged: "He is the Hand of the King, presumably Robert wanted him to take care of her on his behalf."

"It must be more than that, otherwise why kill him?"

Even though he had to leave King's Landing, Eddard was still worried about Jon's cause of death, and he was not worried about the danger around Robert at all.

It's just that God didn't open his eyes, and he still couldn't find any clues. To persuade the King to deal with the Lannisters, protect himself and avenge Jon, Eddard needed evidence.

The rain became heavier, stinging his eyes and pounding the ground.

The heavy rain turned into a roaring downpour, and black torrents poured down from the hills, the ground was flooded, and the turbid water from the sewers rolled onto the street. The rain was too heavy.

At this time, Jory shouted: "Lord Eddard!" His hoarse voice was full of tension. In a blink of an eye, the intersection ahead was full of soldiers.

Red-cloaked soldiers, lined up in a row, with a mountain-like giant in the middle. Beside the giant was a hesitant freckled boy: Anguy the Archer. On the other side was a handsome general in golden helmet and golden armor: Jaime Lannister.

Ned's heart tightened.

He saw the Clegane soldiers opposite him wearing ringmail over their leather clothes, iron gloves and knee pads, steel helmets, and cloaks soaked by the rain tightly attached to their bodies. The soldiers lined up in two rows, blocking the way on foot, the front row holding longswords, and the back row holding iron spears.

"Behind!" He heard Varly shout. He turned his horse's head and found that there was a mess of footsteps behind him. The Mountain's four Clegane knights led more people to cut off their retreat. The four knights were riding horses, and the rest of the infantry were all spears.

Jory's sword was unsheathed with a clang. "Death to those who block the way!"

Jaime rode his horse slowly and walked up. Rainwater kept dripping down his golden helmet, but Jaime seemed to be walking in a garden.

"The wolves are howling, but unfortunately, it's just a small group of wolves."

Littlefinger rode his horse forward: "Ser Jaime, what do you mean by this? Eddard is the Hand of the King."

"Former Hand." Jaime said contemptuously, "As for now, what is he?"

"Jaime, I advise you to calm down?" Littlefinger said, "Let us pass quickly, we should go back to the city, this is King's Landing, if the King orders to arrest Lord Eddard, please show us your warrant?"

"Littlefinger, get out of here if you don't want to die!" Jaime said contemptuously, "Mountain, if Littlefinger says one more word, chop him down."

"Yes, Ser Jaime!" The Mountain's words rumbled like a giant bell, drowning out the sound of the rain.

Littlefinger's face suddenly turned pale.

"I'll go find the City Watch." Littlefinger turned around and assured Eddard. He kicked his horse forward, and the Clegane soldiers opened the way, and then the formation returned and surrounded Eddard and his party of four.

"Eddard, my brother is in Catelyn Tully's hands. He is a person who cannot protect himself. I really want to know who gave her the courage to kidnap my brother even though she knew you were in King's Landing. Eddard, do you think you can survive today?"

"Kingslayer, if you kill me, your brother will not escape death."

Jaime laughed: "You're right, Lord Eddard, but I think someone should pass a message to your wife that the Lannister family always pays its debts. Is she stupid or has she been ignorant since she was a child? Has she never heard the saying that the Lannisters always pay their debts? Lord Mountain!"

"Yes, Ser Jaime."

"Leave Lord Eddard's life, kill his three lackeys for me!" Jaime ordered leisurely, and then reined his horse and left.

Clang clang clang!

Eddard's longsword was unsheathed, and Varly and Hayhead also unsheathed their longswords.

The Mountain slowly drew out his greatsword. He stepped forward slowly, looked at Eddard's solemn and tense expression, and said lightly: "Lord Eddard, winter is coming, I reminded you!" He then stepped back and shouted, "Clegane brothers, kill Lord Eddard's three guards."

"No!" Eddard roared.

However, the Clegane soldiers quickly surrounded them from the front and rear. Eddard waved his longsword and launched a charge. His warhorse jumped high, and the steel horseshoes on its front hooves hit a soldier's face, and the sound of bones breaking was so sour that it made one's teeth ache. The longsword slashed down like lightning, cutting open several spears that were stabbing at him, but more spears stabbed at him. They did not dare to stab Eddard's body, but they could stab the horse.

In just an instant, Eddard's warhorse was hit by several spears in the neck and abdomen.

Eddard roared, a flash of cold light, and his longsword struck a soldier's helmet, the finely crafted steel helmet splitting in two. Blood filled the soldier's face as he staggered and knelt, but at the same time, Eddard's horse's legs were cut off by a sword.

The warhorse crashed down, and Eddard somersaulted to the ground, splashing water everywhere.

Anguy, still on horseback, hesitated. His longbow was already drawn, but he had a good impression of Lord Eddard. He knew that once this arrow was released, he would be complicit and there would be no turning back.

Eddard rolled off his horse and before he could stand up, he saw Weel being pulled from his horse by many hands. His warhorse was pierced by many spears, and countless short swords slashed at Weel's body. Swords rose and fell, rose and fell, and in the blink of an eye, Weel was covered in blood.

Hua rode to save Weel, slashing wildly with his longsword, cutting down two Clegane soldiers in quick succession. Suddenly, a long spear pierced his abdomen. Hua's body jolted violently, and several more spears pierced his body... Hua's longsword fell, and he crashed down... Street water splashed up in waves...

Eddard's heart was filled with terror. The Mountain, Anguy, and the four Clegane knights sat motionless on their horses.

Eddard got up, and Jory had already cut a bloody path. When he saw Lord Eddard, he immediately reined in his horse and returned, raising his longsword and cutting through several spears. The warhorse's front hooves were raised high, the horseshoes made of finely crafted steel, kicking the enemy's head. However, the Clegane soldiers rolled away on the ground, dodging the warhorse. Several longswords slashed horizontally along the ground, and the horse's legs were cut off. Jory fell from his horse, and before he could get up, several longswords and spears stabbed into Jory's body... Jory screamed... In the water on the ground, bright red blood gurgled out...

Eddard roared and charged towards the soldiers surrounding Jory, raising his longsword. Suddenly, the sound of rapid hooves sounded behind him, and a great force slammed into his back. He soared into the air like a straw doll, over the horse carcasses, severed limbs, human corpses, wounded soldiers, blood and water, and with a crash, he landed in front of the four Clegane knights' warhorses...

*

ps: Today is my mother-in-law's birthday, so there will only be one update today. Special explanation! Please vote for recommendation! Thank you: [Chau534, See what books are available] for the reward, thank you, handshake!