The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 411: Martial Display (Seeking Subscriptions with 10,000 words!)

King's Landing. The gate of the Iron Gate.

"Has the Mountain grown taller again? Impossible!" Tyrion, the Imp, looked at the Mountain's robust body, which was much taller than Jeyne's carriage, and was surprised.

Bronn glanced at Tyrion's short arms and legs: "You should ask the Mountain how to grow taller, Halfman."

Tyrion ignored Bronn's impoliteness: "Podrick, can you see the Mountain?"

"Yes!" Podrick looked at Tyrion with a strange expression. Tyrion was much shorter than him and could see the Mountain, so why couldn't he? Tsk, what a strange question!

Tyrion was ugly, and the scars on his face were frightening.

"I mean, it's impossible for the Mountain to suddenly grow so tall. Can you see what he's riding on? Or what he's standing on."

"There are too many soldiers and knights in front of and behind him. Like you, my lord, I can only see his upper body," Podrick said honestly.

"Dwarf, don't worry," Bronn said nonchalantly from horseback. "Be patient, the Mountain will be here soon."

Ahead, the vanguard of the Clegane army, a cavalry of over three hundred, began to enter the city. Dunsen and Anguy carried the flags, with six flag bearers in the lead, holding high the royal banner and the Hand's banner.

Behind the cavalry were the infantry, all men from poor families on the Crab Claw Peninsula, many of whom were still children. This was a thousand-man unit, dressed in rags, and not a single one had a complete set of armor. These people looked like they came from barbarian tribes, with unfriendly faces, dark skin, and tall, sturdy builds. They lacked armor and good swords, and some didn't even have a decent sword belt, using a vine tied around their waists to hold their swords or short axes. Their equipment was even worse than that of the noble lords' militia.

This batch of infantry was met with boos from the people on both sides of the road!

King's Landing was the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, with a floating population of over a hundred thousand and a permanent resident population of at least five hundred thousand. The avenue near the city gate was bustling with people coming and going.

After the 'barbarian infantry' came the Mountain and Lady Jeyne's carriage.

Following them were about two hundred more 'ragged' infantry from the peninsula, and then over three hundred peninsula cavalry bringing up the rear.

The Mountain was surrounded by the Clegane generals who had come to greet him: Rorge and Biter of the enforcement team; Mark, the chief secretary; Ser Jyk Lewock, the infantry general; Julie Clegane, the foster daughter; Rafford Clegane, the cavalry captain nicknamed Sweetmouth; Chiswyck Clegane, Big Head; Tobert, the infantry deputy commander; the Dothraki Zollo the Fat from the Brave Companions…

Basically, all the generals and centurions who remained in King's Landing to oversee logging, shipbuilding, and training new recruits were present.

In addition, Qylla, the beautiful girl with the necklace of human ears; the skinny Gonsal; and the one-eyed Tymo were also in the ranks.

But apart from the Mountain's own men, there were no other nobles, except for Tyrion and his party at the Iron Gate…

Tyrion looked at the mountain tribe leaders Shagga and Conn behind him, and then at Bronn and Podrick. He suddenly felt ashamed and disheartened.

He had also made great contributions in the Battle of King's Landing, but now he had to rely on his father, Lord Tywin, to feed and support the soldiers who protected his life. Yesterday he was Hand of the King, and today he was stripped of all official positions, becoming a dwarf forced to breed according to his father's will… If it weren't for the fact that he could still meet Shae through the secret passage at night, he wouldn't know how he would get through the long nights…

Looking at the Mountain, he had taken a trip to the Crab Claw Peninsula and brought back over a thousand peninsula warriors, disappointing those courtiers who wanted to see him make a fool of himself…

The Mountain was no longer the mad, cruel Mountain that Tyrion knew, recognized, and despised. He was a lord deeply loved and supported by the Clegane soldiers, and Tyrion believed that his military power was unmatched in King's Landing.

*

After the cavalry, the Mountain's ragged new peninsula infantry began to enter the Iron Gate one after another.

"What the f*ck is the Mountain riding?" Bronn said in shock.

"What the hell did you see?" Tyrion stretched his neck on horseback, but unfortunately, he wasn't a giraffe. He could still only see the Mountain's upper body.

Podrick also saw it, his eyes widening suddenly. What was the Mountain riding? A horse? Definitely not a horse! Because there was a long horn in the center of the monster's head? And it was much taller than the surrounding warhorses, with a longer waist. It was entirely like a flame, and the Mountain seemed to be riding on a ball of fire as it advanced. Those eyes were as red as if they were about to drip blood, like a demon from hell…

"What the hell did you guys see?" Tyrion was provoked by Bronn and Podrick's expressions, but he couldn't scratch the itch, so he cursed fiercely. He was riding on horseback, but he was still much shorter than the people around him, which was hopeless. When his mother gave birth to him, the innate materials had already been determined without his consent.

"Lord Mountain is riding a beast!" Shagga, the leader of the Stone Crows, said in surprise. "That thing is much taller than a warhorse, entirely blood-red, like a burning fire."

"The f*ck, can't you help me up? Help me stand up?" Tyrion said in a cursing voice.

So, Shagga and Conn each reached out a hand and lifted Tyrion up, letting him stand on the horse's back. This time, Tyrion saw it and was immediately stunned.

"Dwarf, what is the Mountain riding?" Bronn asked in a shocked tone. He knew that the dwarf was knowledgeable and read a lot of books, so he would probably know something. If the dwarf didn't know, then basically no one would know.

"The f*ck, a unicorn. It must be a unicorn. The Crab Claw Peninsula people call it a Red Smoke Beast. 'Red' refers to the beast's color being red, its fur, skin, and sweat all being as bright red as flames, and its sweat being like blood. 'Smoke' refers to its speed. On land, nothing can outrun it, and it runs like smoke."

Tyrion was indeed knowledgeable and well-read.

"Red Smoke Beast?" Bronn said. "The f*ck, that thing looks so evil." He looked at his companions, Podrick, Shagga, and Conn, who all had expressions of fear on their faces.

"The long horn on that evil beast's head is like a short spear. Will it stab people?" Bronn stared at the approaching Mountain.

"It won't stab people, it will only kill people," Tyrion said. "The Red Smoke Beast, which has been extinct for hundreds of years, was captured by the Mountain after a trip to the forbidden area of the Crab Claw Peninsula, and it was even recognized by this thing as its master!" Tyrion's face was full of shock, bitterness, and astringency. His one black and one green eyes widened, making the scars on his face even more ugly and sinister.

He was very jealous!

The Mountain was closer, and Tyrion's horses became restless. Tyrion staggered and almost fell. Shagga and Conn quickly put Tyrion down, letting him ride on the saddle. As soon as Tyrion grabbed the saddle and pulled the reins, his horse, Podrick's horse, Bronn's horse, and Shagga and Conn's horses were all startled and ran away in fright. The masters tried to pull the reins hard, but it didn't work. In a burst of shouting and neighing, Tyrion and Podrick's horses lost control and rushed into the infantry ranks, causing chaos at the gate of the Iron Gate…

*

Night. The Tower of the Hand. The study.

"My Lord Hand, the Mountain returned today," Mace Tyrell, the Master of Laws, gently swirled the golden wine of the Arbor in his hand.

Lord Tywin was expressionless, and his brother Kevan Lannister stood behind him.

"I heard," Tywin said. There was a wine glass in front of him, with a little more than half a glass of wine in it, but he hadn't touched it.

"He rode back on a unicorn that has been extinct for hundreds of years," Mace said slowly. He himself was not familiar with the legends of the Crab Claw Peninsula about unicorns, but someone knew, his mother, the Queen of Thorns, Olenna Redwyne, knew. "I heard that whoever obtains a unicorn obtains the hearts of the people of the Crab Claw Peninsula. The people will believe that the unicorn's master is the king of the peninsula, and they will be willing to fight for him, just as the Crab Claw Peninsula was once willing to fight for the dragon family."

These words were spoken slowly, but they were extremely murderous.

Tywin knew very well that Mace could not have said these words, so these words could only have been spoken to Tywin by the Queen of Thorns through Mace's mouth. This made Tywin feel very uncomfortable. He had his own promotion plan for the Mountain, which was very meticulous. Tywin didn't want to be induced to do certain things.

"The Mountain will resign from his position as Master of Ships after completing the construction of the Royal Navy's fleet. He has already assured me of that. He will not be the Lord of Dragonstone in the future either. He has followed me for twenty years, and this is the twenty-first year. His loyalty is beyond doubt. The stronger he is, the more at ease I am."

"That's for sure!" Mace chuckled. "The Mountain's forces exceed eight thousand men, with about two thousand cavalry and reserves. Our Tyrell family has tried our best. Although we can mobilize one hundred thousand troops, our own Highgarden, with fifteen hundred family soldiers cavalry and three thousand infantry, is already all of our forces. The Mountain's forces are almost twice the size of my forces."

Mace continued to administer bad medicine.

"His naval forces belong to the royal family, my lord," Tywin said without batting an eye. "The four hundred cavalry and thirteen hundred infantry of the Crab Claw Peninsula all belong to the royal navy of the royal family, not the Mountain's family troops. He has made great contributions to the formation of the Royal Navy fleet this time, and we should commend the Mountain's merits in tomorrow's council of important ministers."

Mace felt his mouth dry. He had hinted so obviously, but did Lord Tywin not understand what he meant? This old fox, what is he thinking? He refuses to cut off his arm.

"After the Mountain completes the formation of the Royal Navy, I suggest that he be ordered to go out to fight non-stop, only allowing him to use his own troops. First fight the pirates, then fight Dragonstone, then the Riverlands, the North, and let him fight non-stop," Mace smiled. He felt that his plan was very clever.

"Lord Mace, when the Mountain was in the Westerlands, he only had five hundred cavalry and one thousand infantry. He fought a fierce battle with the nobles in the Westerlands and the North, and recaptured the lost territory for his father-in-law. After this battle, the Westerling army increased by three thousand infantry."

Tywin gently turned the wine glass in his hand: "I sent him to capture Harrenhal, and his infantry increased by six hundred men; at the Green Fork River, we fought a great battle with the Northerners, and he added a thousand mountain infantry and two hundred Northern prisoner soldiers."

Tywin poured the wine in his glass into the glass of Lord Mace, whose face was gradually turning ugly: "In the Battle of King's Landing, he beheaded Stannis Baratheon, and the army increased by two thousand spearmen; the king personally bestowed upon him the titles of Lord of Dragonstone and Master of Ships."

Mace's face changed!

"He went to the Crab Claw Peninsula to comfort the fallen naval soldiers, and when he came back, he had fifteen hundred more peninsula warriors…" Tywin stared at Mace, expressionless, but with a cold look in his eyes. "A man like the Mountain, Lord Mace, do you think you can wipe out all his troops by fighting?"

Mace was speechless, his mouth full of bitterness, and he chuckled: "…The Mountain… is good at fighting and leading troops… This is all thanks to the good training of the Lord Hand…!"

Tywin looked at the inflated fish lord, expressionless, as if looking at an idiot.

"My lord, the Mountain came back today and went to the barracks first. He didn't come to me tonight. Since he didn't come to see me, then I'll go see him first. The Mountain's army has a habit of training early in the morning. Do you want to come along tomorrow morning? I've only heard legends about the Red Smoke Beast of the Crab Claw Peninsula, and I haven't seen it with my own eyes."

"Since the Hand invites me, I will definitely come early tomorrow morning to let the generals of our Reach also see the Mountain's training."

*

The next morning, the Hand of the King, Tywin; the Master of Whisperers, Kevan; the Master of Laws, Mace; the Commander of the City Watch, Addam Marbrand; the temporary Captain of the Kingsguard, Loras Tyrell; the Master of Coin, Petyr Baelish Littlefinger; and dozens of courtiers and generals, all marched mightily, with the sound of horses' hooves, slowly out of the Red Keep, along the Kingsroad, turned to the Mud Gate, and headed towards the Mud Gate Square.

From far away, they could hear the sound of training at the Mud Gate Square.

The crowd walked slowly along the way, and the sunlight filled the whole city, also shining on everyone's bodies, warm and enjoyable.

Suddenly, the sound of dense hooves rang out behind them. The crowd turned around and saw a handsome and valiant young man in golden armor, leading five white-robed knights, galloping towards them. The valiant young man at the front was naturally King Joffrey Baratheon. Last night, he heard that the Mountain had captured a unicorn that had been extinct for hundreds of years. The beast was as red as fire, taller and more majestic than a warhorse, and exceptionally divine. He was overjoyed and wanted to take it for himself. He was the king, and good things were definitely his.

Joffrey had a hard time falling asleep until dawn last night, and when he woke up, he saw the sunlight shining on the quilt. He quickly got up, dressed neatly, and led the Kingsguard to rush to the Mud Gate.

"Your Majesty," the Hand stopped his horse and saluted, neither humble nor arrogant, and expressionless.

Joffrey reined in his horse: "Lord Hand, my lords, where are you going?"

"Returning to Your Majesty, we are going to see Lord Mountain's Red Smoke Beast."

"Hehe, the Red Smoke Beast? That is already mine," Joffrey laughed. "We will go first, you can come slowly."

With the sound of hooves, Joffrey led five Kingsguard away with a whoosh.

Tywin said: "His Majesty does not understand the fierceness and ferocity of the Red Smoke Beast. We must follow and watch, lest His Majesty be injured by the Red Smoke Beast."

*

The Mountain's troops were already numerous, and the Mud Gate could no longer accommodate them, so they were divided into three places: the Iron Gate; the Mud Gate; and the Riverside Road.

The Mud Gate Square was the main place for training soldiers and generals. Usually, the Mountain himself also practiced swordsmanship, javelin throwing, and horsemanship here.

In the center of the Mud Gate Square was the place for the generals to practice martial arts. Around it was the place for the soldiers to practice battle formations and defenses.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves rang out, and the king and his Kingsguard arrived. The king was very excited and rode around, watching the generals and soldiers practice martial arts.

Although his high-profile military drills were envied, the Mountain refused to be 'low-key' about it. More training in peacetime means fewer deaths in wartime, that was undeniable! Train hard usually, and in wartime, it's others who die. This was a bargain, regardless of others' jealousy or slander, he couldn't slack off.

"The Mountain? Get him here!" Joffrey barked.

As soon as Joffrey arrived, soldiers had already been sent to notify the Mountain, who was patrolling River Road.

The Mountain immediately rode back on Red Smoke from River Road, entering the city gate, just in time to hear the King calling him: "Your Majesty, the Mountain is here."

Joffrey was overjoyed when he saw Red Smoke.

As the Mountain rode Red Smoke closer, Joffrey's horse immediately neighed in terror, reared up, and bolted. Several Kingsguard rushed to help control the horse, but their own steeds were also frightened and uncontrollable.

The Mountain jumped off Red Smoke, shouted a command, and Red Smoke obediently left through the Mud Gate and ran off.

Only then did Joffrey's and the others' horses slowly calm down. All six of them were pale with fright.

Joffrey's face was even more ashen, his lips turning purple.

The sound of hooves announced the arrival of the Hand of the King, leading the courtiers and military officers.

Joffrey steadied himself, angry and ashamed of his earlier fear: "The Mountain, assemble your troops in formation."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

The Mountain blew his military whistle. All present were generals and veteran soldiers. Upon hearing the whistle, they immediately formed ranks, perfectly aligned, each line as straight as a drawn line. The generals, mounted on horseback, stood before their respective legions, each looking imposing and stern.

The military presence was disciplined and awe-inspiring!

The Kingsguard Captain, Loras Tyrell, glanced at Brienne of Tarth. Brienne's gaze, however, was fixed on the Mountain, his military might imposing as they awaited their lord's command.

Joffrey shouted: "Spearmen, all of you, engage in pairs, practice!"

Two thousand spearmen remained motionless!

Joffrey's face showed impatience. He raised his voice and shouted: "Sword and shield men, begin your formation offense and defense drills!"

The sword and shield legion remained motionless!

Lord Tywin looked at the Mountain, who stood before his troops, his expression as steady as a mountain, unmoved.

All the courtiers and military officers were aghast.

The Mountain's army would not even obey the King's order to drill.

Mace Tyrell looked at Lord Tywin in disbelief. Tywin remained expressionless, sitting on his horse, not uttering a word.

Joffrey blinked several times, his mouth opened, his face beginning to turn white. What was happening? I am the King! Don't these soldiers recognize me?

"The Mountain, what is the meaning of this?" Joffrey demanded.

"Your Majesty, the kingdom has its laws, and the military has its regulations. If Your Majesty wishes to see the Clegane troops drill, please command the vassal, the vassal orders the generals, and the generals command the soldiers to drill according to Your Majesty's command. Usually, the Clegane troops train in this manner. Without the King's command to the vassal, the soldiers below have not received orders, and therefore remain unmoving."

Joffrey paused for a moment: "The Mountain, I order you to have the Clegane spearmen practice offense and defense."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

The Mountain blew his military whistle, and the spearmen legion's training officer, Jekko Locke, blew his whistle. Two thousand spearmen began their drill, battle cries suddenly erupting, sounding like a real battlefield. Those attacking desperately attacked, those defending defended with all their might. Clang, clang, bang, bang, after a short while, training spears were seen snapping, splinters flying.

Tywin glanced at the Mountain, who seemed oblivious, watching the drill with rapt attention.

Soon, the battle became even more intense. Soldiers who had broken their training spears wielded the broken shafts, entangled with each other, fists and feet joining the fray. They bared their teeth and glared, as if they wanted to knock down and kill their opponents.

Joffrey watched with delight: "Alright, not bad, not bad, everyone stop."

No one stopped!

The broken training spears had become short clubs, and many attacking and defending soldiers wielded the short sticks, attacking each other without mercy.

"Stop, stop," Joffrey shouted.

No one stopped!

"The Mountain, tell them to stop!"

The Mountain blew his military whistle, and Jekko Locke followed suit, blowing his whistle. The spearmen in the midst of the melee stopped abruptly, each returning to their ranks, aligning themselves neatly, as if in an instant, the formations were as sharp as knives.

Of the courtiers and military officers watching the martial display, other than Joffrey who was in high spirits, and the Hand of the King Tywin who remained expressionless, all the other courtiers and military officers were shocked and dismayed.