The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Oberyn Martell was the one who poisoned them, and our Prime Minister, Tyrion Lannister, is an accomplice,” said the Mountain.

“They’ve already confessed?” Kevan's eyes gleamed. The Mountain went to the black cells, and Oberyn and Tyrion confessed? This—was too fast!

The Red Viper and the Imp were no ordinary people; they were top-notch in terms of intellect, wit, and cunning. The Red Viper was also a brave and unyielding man, the number one warrior of Dorne, living up to his reputation.

“The Red Viper has confessed, and Tyrion has also revealed the inside story of his collaboration with the Red Viper.”

Jaime Lannister was incredulous: “Tyrion confessed?”

“Yes.”

Jaime was convinced that Tyrion had nothing to do with the poisoning and that Tyrion would never confess so easily.

“Lord Duke, how did you get them to confess?” Ser Kevan's eyes were cautious, scrutinizing, probing, and suspicious.

The Mountain's brutality was well known and terrifying.

“I reasoned with them, and fortunately, the Red Viper and the Imp are both reasonable people. They have fully confessed to their poisoning.”

The Mountain would reason with people?

Of course, that was absolutely impossible!

“Did you torture them, Lord Duke?” Kevan said.

“I don’t attack people who can’t fight back, Ser Kevan. You still don’t understand me at all!”

Everyone exchanged glances!

The Mountain's words had also become sophisticated and vicious.

Jaime was the first to notice the changes in the Mountain. It was two years ago, at the ruby ford of the Red Fork, that the Mountain became different. At that time, Jaime had specifically told Cersei about his judgment and observation of the Mountain. More than two years had passed, and the Mountain had become increasingly cunning and scheming.

“Who did they hire to do it?” Kevan pressed.

The Mountain did not answer Kevan's question. He did not show arrogance on his face, but rather integrity. He directly ignored the question from the Minister of Finance and did not answer.

The Mountain looked at Cersei: “Your Grace, only a few of us here know that the Red Viper and the Imp have confessed. There are still their accomplices outside, as well as poisoners they have bribed. Please allow me to lead my men to arrest them.”

“Why doesn’t the Lord Duke use the Gold Cloaks and the City Watch? The Kingsguard is also loyal.” Jaime said. Jaime addressed the Mountain as Lord Duke, feeling particularly uncomfortable. In two years, the Mountain's status, wealth, and power had surpassed him. He could no longer order the Mountain around as before.

The Mountain also ignored Jaime's question. He looked at the Queen Mother, as if in the world, only Cersei was worthy of his attention.

The Mountain was respectful: “Your Grace, I’m worried about leaks. The Red Viper and the Imp dared to poison the King and Lady Olenna, what else wouldn’t they dare to do? Who else can’t they bribe? Honestly, among all the adults present, except for Your Grace, I don’t dare to trust anyone completely.”

Kevan, Jaime, Mace, and the Knight of Flowers all looked different, with a slight burning sensation on their faces. The Mountain bluntly said that he did not dare to trust them, which was a contempt for their honor. However, the Mountain was a duke and the temporary High Justiciar summoned by the Queen Mother, so he had the right to say such things. He did not give any knights face. In the past, when the Mountain's title was not high, saying many things that blamed the great nobles would have been deeply resented by everyone and regarded as impolite insubordination.

The Mountain's gaze swept over Jaime, Kevan, Mace, the Knight of Flowers Loras, Grand Maester Qyburn, and finally returned to the Queen Mother's face.

“Okay, I approve!” Cersei said. Qyburn was right, the Mountain was the best knife to use, otherwise her father would not have used this knife for twenty years, indulging him in committing numerous crimes, and being reluctant to cut off his head.

As long as you control him and give him glory, he is the most loyal and useful dog.

A good dog will bite whoever you tell it to bite! Of course, you must learn from your father's mistakes.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” said the Mountain.

“Lord Gregor,” Duke Mace said with a face full of grief and indignation, “Please arrest all the criminals as soon as possible. They should all be hanged, hanged, hanged!”

“Lord Mace, give me another half a day, and all the criminals will be in place this afternoon. Tomorrow, they can be sentenced to death. If you want to hang anyone yourself, as long as Your Grace agrees, I will fully support you.”

The Mountain had only been in King’s Landing for half a day, and he had solved the poisoning case that shocked the continent of Westeros and had been recorded in the royal annals by the court historians. The culprits, the Red Viper and the Imp, obediently confessed and admitted to their crimes, and also confessed to bribing a food taster to poison the food.

The Mountain followed Cersei's lead in everything and did not hide his arrogance towards others, nor did he hide his obedience to Cersei.

In contrast, this was exactly what Cersei wanted!

After the Mountain received Cersei's approval, he left the Queen Mother's Ballroom to call his servants to arrest people in the kitchens of Maegor's Holdfast.

In the Queen Mother's Ballroom, Jaime said: “Your Grace, everyone, the Mountain came and immediately solved the poisoning case. I feel… like I’m dreaming.”

“Ser Jaime, you are a member of the Kingsguard. Don’t forget your duties. What exactly do you want to say?” Cersei said coldly.

“I know Tyrion definitely has nothing to do with the poisoning.”

“He himself has confessed, Ser Jaime,” Duke Mace said, veins popping out on his neck, hatingly, “You can’t just indulge criminals because of brotherly love and disregard the facts.” After Mace's mother was poisoned, Duke Mace's inner sadness and anger were difficult to dispel. His daughter, Queen Margaery, had fainted from crying many times last night, and he had to take revenge as soon as possible.

“We all know the Mountain’s brutality. I believe the Imp was forced,” Jaime insisted.

“Then what about the Red Viper?” The Knight of Flowers was as cold as ice, “Ser Jaime, the Red Viper’s bones are very hard, so hard that you can’t imagine. The Mountain can’t make him confess by threatening him. Even if he breaks his bones, he won’t admit it unless he is indeed the murderer.”

Jaime’s lips tasted bitter: “Ser Loras, the Mountain has now gone to arrest the food taster in the kitchens who was bribed by the Red Viper and the Imp. So, if you are the food taster, if you are innocent, but the Mountain arrives, would you dare not admit it? Who can survive the Mountain’s torture? Forced confessions are not uncommon.”

“You’re going too far, Ser Jaime. For criminals, do you think inviting them to drink and dance will make them admit their crimes? Of course, it’s severe torture. Otherwise, why aren’t the black cells turned into banquet halls? Why are so many terrible torture devices set up?”

Jaime glanced at the displeased Cersei and closed his mouth.

“Ser Jaime, everyone, stop arguing. I have never doubted the Mountain’s ability to handle affairs. He has been loyal to the Lannisters for twenty years, and his ability to handle affairs has long been proven.” Cersei made the final decision.

“Your Grace is wise. Lord Gregor’s efficiency in solving cases is truly admirable. He should be rewarded by Your Grace for his outstanding ability to handle affairs, rather than being criticized by everyone.” Grand Maester Qyburn said kindly.

Jaime looked sharply at Qyburn, who gave Jaime a kind smile: “Ser Jaime, Lord Tyrion will be hanged tomorrow. He is your own brother. If you suspect that Lord Mountain may have subjected him to cruel torture to force him to confess, then you can go visit him now and ask him the truth in person.”

Jaime's heart stirred. He looked at Cersei with a pleading look. Cersei did not say anything, but nodded slightly, allowing Jaime to visit the black cells.

Although Cersei deeply hated Tyrion and always remembered the witch's prophecy, she also understood the brotherly love between Jaime and Tyrion. From childhood, Jaime had taken good care of Tyrion and had prevented her from killing Tyrion twice.

*

The black cells.

Jaime held a torch, and the firelight illuminated him and Tyrion. Jaime saw that Tyrion was unharmed. The Mountain had indeed not laid a hand on him.

“Are you okay?” Jaime said.

“There’s no better place than this,” Tyrion shrugged, “Did you bring wine?”

“I did!”

A leather wine skin was thrown into Tyrion’s arms.

The Imp unscrewed the wine skin, and the chains rattled as he pulled his arm. He gulped down several mouthfuls of wine in one breath. The golden wine flowed down his chin onto the Prime Minister’s silk clothes. This dress was worth a lot of money.

“I stayed in the black cells of Riverrun for more than half a year.”

“Now it’s my turn,” Tyrion exhaled a long breath.

“Who did the poisoning?”

“The truth is no longer important. What’s important is that Cersei wants me to die, and the Mountain wants the Red Viper to die, so that’s how things are. The truth? No one cares about the truth!”

“The Mountain said that you and the Red Viper conspired to poison them. The Red Viper has confessed.”

“Can he not confess? Jaime, in this regard, your sharpness is not as good as your sword. I have reached the end of my rope. Can you save me?”

“…………”

“There are very complex secret passages under the Red Keep, like a maze of tunnels. Can you save me through the secret passages? I don’t want to die!”

“I don’t know the secrets of the secret passages under the Red Keep.”

“Littlefinger knows, Varys knows, the Mountain knows.” Tyrion took a big gulp of wine and then coughed.

“Littlefinger is not in King’s Landing, Varys has been missing for more than a year, and the Mountain, I can’t persuade him.”

“I accuse the Red Viper, and the Mountain saves me. That’s my self-help.” Tyrion smiled, with mockery of himself.

“He can save you?” Jaime didn’t believe the Mountain was so kind.

“He has saved me once. Look at the scar on my face. Kingsguard Mandon Moore slashed my face with a sword, and when he raised the second sword, Anguy’s arrow hit his throat. Anguy was sent by the Mountain to save me. Jaime, you saved me twice when I was young, and now, the Mountain is about to save me a second time. This time, can you persuade Cersei to spare my life?”

Jaime was silent!

He knew he couldn’t persuade Cersei!

Joffrey’s death had stimulated Cersei too much, and his words were useless.

Cersei wanted Tyrion to die!

“How will the Mountain save you?”

“Jaime, it’s better if you don’t ask for details. They are all dark deals. I have also sworn in the Mountain’s presence in the name of my personal life, family honor, and the Seven Gods.”

“Will the Mountain believe your oath?”

“I don’t know. He wanted me to swear, so I swore!”

Jaime sat down, leaning against Tyrion: “Cersei wants to kill you, and the Mountain wants to save you. I can’t imagine how he will save you. After he saves you, how will he explain to Cersei? And where will you go?”

“Across the Narrow Sea!” Tyrion said.

Jaime felt heavy: “I will prepare gold dragons for you.”

“No need, the Mountain has arranged everything.”

Jaime was silent, grabbed the wine skin and took a big gulp. He admitted that he had misjudged the Mountain. He wanted to save Tyrion, but the Mountain was also saving Tyrion. If there was a deal between the Mountain and Tyrion, it would definitely not be as simple as perjury. Some unspeakable secret deals, if Tyrion didn’t say, then he wouldn’t ask.

“Jaime, was Tysha really a prostitute or a good woman?” Tyrion suddenly said.

Jaime was stunned!

“Tysha?” he said subconsciously, his whole body stiff, tongue-tied.

Tyrion shrugged: “Hehe, I can’t even remember her face anymore, and you still remember the name of a prostitute from more than ten years ago?”

Jaime was hit hard, and his face became very ugly!

The Imp's one black, one green, one big, and one small eyes stared at Jaime: “You react strongly as soon as I say Tysha’s name. Is it because you have been feeling guilty for more than ten years? Tysha was not actually a prostitute. She was a good woman, my wife. Was it my father who asked you to deceive me?”

“……Yes……but I didn’t know that Father would then ask a company of soldiers to gang rape Tysha……and ask you to stand by……I’m sorry……” Jaime couldn’t go on. His face began to twist. This was his heart disease. For more than ten years, he couldn’t forget it. This was also a fundamental reason why he tried his best to be good to Tyrion.

“Our father is very evil, Jaime. I’m glad he died without a burial place.” Tyrion chuckled, his voice full of grief and indignation.

Jaime was silent and continued to drink. Soon, the wine skin was empty. He threw away the wine skin, stood up, and staggered away.

“Jaime!”

Jaime stopped.

“You are also a scumbag!” Tyrion’s voice was full of curses, “If you weren’t my brother, I would find a way to kill you.”

Jaime's back stiffened, and he quickly left.

*

Afternoon, Maegor's Holdfast, Queen Mother's Ballroom.

A man with a broken face was thrown onto the floor by the Mountain.

His two wrists were twisted at strange angles, and the Mountain had crushed his joints. His face was no longer recognizable, and his two eyes were unable to open due to congestion and swelling.

“Addison Hill, from the Reach, Margaery’s food taster. He was the one who poisoned the pigeon pie,” said the Mountain.

Mace's face immediately flushed red, and with a clang, he drew his longsword, took two steps forward, and slashed Addison's head with his sword.

Suddenly, a black shadow flashed, and his wrist was grabbed by the Mountain. The Mountain gently exerted force, and Lord Mace's wrist made a slight cracking sound of bone breaking. The Lord Duke screamed loudly, and the longsword in his hand fell to the ground with a thud. The Knight of Flowers was shocked and shouted: “Mountain, let go of my father!”

“Okay!” The Mountain gently pulled Lord Mace, and Mace crashed into the Knight of Flowers. The Knight of Flowers quickly came to help, and with a bang, the father and son crashed together and fell to the ground with a crash.

"Lord Mace, what are you in such a hurry for?" Cersei said coldly. "Addison is a Reachman, yet before I even ask, you're already eager to kill him?"