The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 272: Forced Confession

(Today is the anniversary, and I don't want to write a single word, so I'll write two.)

*

Smack!

With a muffled thud, Ma Lin Tran's face was slapped by the Mountain, his whole body twisting, blood spurting from his mouth like red flower petals.

Ma Lin had already tried to dodge, but the Mountain's hand was too long and fast. He retreated rapidly until his heel hit the step, but he still couldn't avoid the blow.

The sound echoed in the throne room.

Ma Lin Tran himself heard the crisp sound of his neck cartilage twisting.

It wasn't that his neck was broken, but his neck, shoulders, elbows, and other joints were usually very flexible due to exercise, and they had a natural instinct for self-protection when subjected to heavy blows. His neck rapidly twisted, dissipating most of the force from the Mountain's iron gauntlet.

Because of their flexibility, the joints and bones would make sounds when the body moved.

But this also showed the power of the Mountain's slap.

Ma Lin Tran was knocked down on the steps of the Iron Throne by the Mountain.

The hall was silent, with only heavy breathing audible.

Joffrey's face was pale, his eyes flickering. He kept changing his posture, very uneasy.

Cersei's expression was even more unsightly.

The Mountain was fierce and猛, and had long only listened to Duke Tywin's orders. The morning court had not yet officially begun, and he was attacking a member of the Kingsguard in the throne room, which Cersei felt was a slap in her own face.

The Hound and Barristan were both people who dared to fight the Mountain. The Hound was indifferent, as if he hadn't seen this scene. Ser Barristan also watched this scene, his eyes filled with pity and contempt for Ma Lin Tran.

One of the Knight's vows is: Do not harm women and children. This means that a knight will not harm children or women, the elderly, who have no martial arts skills and cannot defend themselves.

This is the most basic requirement for a knight's character.

Ma Lin Tran beat Sansa in the throne room, a girl of only twelve years old, which was against the spirit of chivalry.

"If you lay a hand on Sansa again, I'll kill you!" The Mountain roared at Ma Lin Tran, who was filled with fear.

Ma Lin's five brothers were by his side, and although everyone had their hands on their sword hilts, none of them were willing to stand up for him, as if the Kingsguard's oath of shared life and death had never been spoken.

Ma Lin Tran glared at the Mountain, his heart filled with vicious words and dangerous thoughts, but he dared not answer the Mountain.

Perhaps a word would touch the Mountain's reverse scale, and he would lose his life.

The Mountain would definitely be provoked and kill him.

The worst villain in the Seven Kingdoms, the Lannister family's dog, I won't bother with him for now, there will be opportunities in the future.

The Mountain's gaze shifted from Ma Lin Tran. He knew that this session of the Kingsguard had deteriorated. Except for Barristan, who was true steel, and Jaime, who had some courage, the other five were all crooked dates and cracked dates. The previous Kingsguard was a real gathering of heroes, each one a true steel. Jaime Lannister was just the weakest little brother in there.

King Robert himself was a bastard king and昏君, so it was not surprising that he had a bunch of bastards around him.

The Mountain looked at Cersei and Joffrey: "Queen Mother, King, Eddard Stark is still missing. If Eddard cannot be found, I will have to take Sansa Stark to report to Duke Tywin. You let these noble knights beat Sansa. If something goes wrong, we will be in a passive position. Eddard Stark is a big fish. With him, we can easily contain the three countries of the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale; but you let Eddard escape. Now, do you still have to beat this little fish to death? It's easy to kill a little fish, but it's worthless."

Grand Master Pycelle, Littlefinger Petyr, and Spider Varys all agreed with the Mountain's words in their hearts. Only the foolish Joffrey would use a twelve-year-old girl to vent his anger. After Eddard Stark escaped, Sansa's value became great. Treating her well could have a miraculous effect in dealing with the North.

However, these insightful words came from the Mountain's mouth, which was surprising.

The Mountain is a rough man, a dog. This is everyone's consensus on the Mountain.

The Hound, Barristan, Beric Dondarrion, Red Priest Thoros, and many other courtiers thought the Mountain was right, with sharp eyes. Sansa was a card in the Lannisters' hands, a good card. She was only twelve years old, ignorant of the world, innocent and romantic. She was originally the easiest girl to deal with. Punishing her would only show the incompetence and cowardice of the royal family and would be despised by real knights.

Who was instructing the Mountain behind the scenes?

Joffrey nervously tapped the armrest of the throne. There were still traces of the wolf bite on his right hand: "Mountain, I don't want to kill Sansa, just teach her a lesson."

"Your Majesty," the Mountain shouted, "Ma Lin Tran is wearing iron gauntlets. If he punches a few more times, he will beat Sansa to death. We don't know if we can catch Eddard Stark back. If we can't catch him back, Sansa Stark will be the only card in our hands. Your Majesty, in order to prevent Sansa from having an accident, I request Your Majesty to temporarily hand Sansa over to me for safekeeping."

Hand Sansa over to the Mountain?!

Joffrey was furious and wanted to slam the throne and scold the Mountain for his boldness. He really wanted to cut off the Mountain's head, but he suppressed the anger in his heart, gritted his teeth, and turned to look at his mother.

Sansa was the object of his ridicule when he was in a bad mood, and even more so his plaything when he was in a good mood. He was hot and cold to her, doing whatever he wanted. When Sansa had her period, he would let her get pregnant for him, just like his father Robert. His father Robert sowed seeds everywhere, had his first daughter at the age of fourteen, and didn't have to take any responsibility at all. Joffrey felt he could too.

"Mountain, Sansa is His Majesty's fiancée. It's not good to keep His Majesty's fiancée in your own military camp," Cersei said coldly.

Cersei was more experienced than Joffrey. She knew that no matter how fierce the Mountain was, it was for others. The dog's loyalty to its master was beyond doubt, and she was one of the Lannisters.

This sentence was too powerful, although it didn't take the overall situation into account.

"Okay, Queen Mother, Sansa will stay in Maegor's Holdfast until the Eddard Stark matter is over."

"After it's over, Sansa is still Joffrey's fiancée. Only Joffrey and Sansa herself can decide where she stays?"

Joffrey saw that the Mountain was no longer insisting, which gave him confidence and strength. His Majesty's majesty was back: "Sansa," he shouted, the corners of his mouth upturned, revealing a cool smile, "Come out and tell everyone loudly, including the Mountain, are you willing to stay in Maegor's Holdfast, stay by my side, or are you willing to live in the Mountain's military camp?"

Joffrey was confident that Sansa would stay by his side. Sansa knew who the king was. He had repeatedly taught her this, which was very important.

Sansa said: "Queen Mother, Your Majesty, courtiers, Ser Gregor, I am willing to stay in Maegor's Holdfast, stay by His Majesty King Joffrey's side. I deeply love him, and the Seven Gods bear witness for me. His Majesty Joffrey is my fiancé."

"Mountain, did you hear that!" Joffrey laughed, complacent. He looked at Sansa with approving eyes, but Sansa did not look at him. Her eyes had no focus, her expression was calm, and her tone was mechanical.

*

The Mountain said: "Okay, Sansa, I respect your choice."

Grand Master Pycelle stood up, trembling: "Queen Mother, Your Majesty, Earl Gregor, a raven delivered a letter this morning, asking me to hand it over to the Queen Mother."

"Oh? Where did the letter come from?"

"From the West."

Kingsguard Captain Barristan took the letter and handed it to the Queen Mother.

Cersei opened the letter and read it. She didn't dare to give this forged letter to Joffrey to read, for fear that Joffrey would tear it up again: "Mountain, Tywin sent a letter, asking you to listen to me and His Majesty's orders in King's Landing, restrain your temperament, and not act according to your violent nature, and not kill or arrest people at will."

"Oh!" the Mountain said.

"Ser Barristan, may I ask you to read this letter to the Mountain?"

Cersei knew that the Mountain did not recognize words. But this Mountain not only recognized words, but could also write letters.

"Yes, Queen Mother."

Ser Barristan's reputation was well-known in the Seven Kingdoms, but his reputation had been tarnished in Eddard Stark's unjust case. He was not bad or stupid, just a martial artist. When Eddard Stark was arrested, the guards were killed, and the Prime Minister's Tower was slaughtered, he did not stand up and say a word. He had stayed with the bastard king for too long, and his sharpness and honor had been worn away.

He was still thinking about continuing to be King Joffrey's Iron Guard Captain!

Varys stood up: "Queen Mother, Your Majesty, before reading Duke Tywin's letter, can you please announce the cancellation of today's people's petitions? We need to quickly hold a meeting to discuss Eddard Stark's case."

"Granted, Lord Steward, please announce the cancellation of today's people's petitions," Queen Mother Cersei said.

The fat Lord Steward, standing next to the third step, received the order and stood up to announce loudly that today's people's petitions were cancelled. The gold-robed guards responsible for guarding the gate of the throne hall received the order and immediately drove away the people who were queuing in the corridor outside the throne hall, waiting to come in to petition.

This decision made Joffrey show a happy smile, his upper and lower rows of teeth neat and white. He hated these stupid people coming to the king every day to petition for trivial matters such as land boundaries, debts, and daughters being raped by nobles. Joffrey was not opposed to the people coming to petition, but hoped that the people's petitions could have some fresh and novel content, rather than these kinds of trivial matters.

Littlefinger, dressed in an elegant and high-end dress, with a cyan-flowered shoulder shawl, made him full of noble aristocratic demeanor. He smiled and said: "Queen Mother, Eddard Stark's case should leave the important ministers and courtiers behind, and all the other noble ladies and ladies can be dismissed."

"Sansa stays, she is my fiancée, she has the right to know the sins of her father's escape, she may want to know what means we will use to catch Eddard Stark, am I right, Sansa?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Sansa replied mechanically, without looking sideways.

The Lord Steward announced the avoidance of noble ladies and ladies, and the noble ladies and ladies left one after another.

*

After the hustle and bustle, the throne hall returned to calm.

The courtiers who remained were all knights and heirs of the major nobles of the Seven Kingdoms. They came from the Stormlands, the Reach, the Riverlands, the Vale, and the Crownlands, only lacking the noble knights from the North and Dorne.

Barristan first read Duke Tywin's letter. This letter was written to Queen Cersei and also to the Mountain. Duke Tywin knew the Mountain's character well and was afraid that he would cause trouble in King's Landing, so he specially calculated the time and wrote this letter, ordering the Mountain to listen to the Queen Mother and His Majesty's orders in everything in King's Landing.

The Mountain agreed after listening. He bowed halfway, put his right fist on the position of his left chest heart, indicating that all actions in King's Landing would be subject to the Queen Mother and His Majesty. He had followed Tywin for twenty years, and had long developed the habit and character of taking Duke Tywin as the supreme authority.

This made Cersei and Joffrey breathe a sigh of relief.

If the dog is willing to listen, then it is a good dog.

Joffrey had long wanted to take the Mountain as his second dog. Although the Hound was also very strong, he was too weak compared to the Mountain. The Hound and the Mountain dueled at Ruby Ford and were beaten by the Mountain without any power to fight back.

The Mountain said: "Important ministers, courtiers, in the name of the Queen Mother and the King, the Mountain interrogated Janos Slynt last night. He has confessed that he colluded with the rebels to rescue Eddard Stark." The Mountain kicked Janos, who was covered in wounds, on the ground, "Janos, get up and explain to the Queen Mother exactly what you did."

Everyone originally thought that the bloody man brought in by the Mountain was already dead, but they didn't expect that the bloody man would start to squirm after the Mountain spoke. He raised his head, but it made Cersei's heart tighten, made Sansa's eyes show fear, her face turned pale, and she turned her head. There was not a single place on this guy's face that had intact skin. The cuts were crisscrossed and horrible.

Joffrey was overjoyed, his eyebrows danced. He saw this method of cutting people's faces for the first time and thought it was wonderful and brilliant. Obviously, Janos was only injured in the skin and flesh, not in the tendons and bones. This kind of knife technique gave Joffrey a shock and opened his eyes. It turned out that there was such a way to torture people. He was also happy, but it would not kill the other party immediately.

"Whose knife technique is this?" Joffrey's handsome face was glowing. His skin was very good, and with this excitement, his skin glowed like his eyes.

"Your Majesty, this is the knife technique of my subordinate vassal, Polliver Clegane."

"Good, the knife technique is good, declare him in, I will reward him with thirty gold dragons." Joffrey stood up and waved his big hand.

The Hound's eyes flickered, Cersei choked, Barristan was stunned, and the Lord Steward, the Chief of Justice, and others unconsciously moved their standing positions.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Mountain said.

So soon, Polliver Clegane was declared in. Joffrey laughed when he saw Polliver's twitching right face with nerves. He liked Polliver very much: "Polliver, how many knives did you cut on Janos's face?"

"Joffrey?" Cersei said in a low and stern voice.

Joffrey was in high spirits and didn't care about his mother's expression and tone.

Littlefinger smiled and said: "Your Majesty, if you like this knife technique, you can ask Polliver to perform it for Your Majesty alone. There are many death row inmates in the black dungeon."

"Yes!" Joffrey said with great joy.

"Then let's focus on Eddard Stark's case first. Commander Janos Slynt, did you rescue Eddard Stark?"

"Yes!" Janos Slynt said weakly. His voice was low, but everyone still heard him.

"Where is Eddard Stark now?" Joffrey stood up abruptly, pointing a finger at Janos, furious.

"He boarded the 'Bitch' bound for Braavos and left King's Landing."

"When?" Varys asked.

"Three days ago." Janos was extremely weak, coughed, and spat out half a mouthful of blood.