The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Jaime traveled through the night. The Kingswood was a primeval forest, and beyond Roseroad lay the Kingsroad. The Kingsroad was entirely within the primeval forest, receiving little sunlight and covered in moss, making the cobblestone path difficult to traverse at night.

Jaime held a torch, undeterred by hardship, pressing on with all his might.

He possessed information that the Mountain feared, and he hoped to use it to make the Mountain yield.

*

Inside the Red Keep of King's Landing, Lord Harres returned to the Tower of the Hand late that night, convinced that the Grand Maester had caught wind of something and gone into hiding.

The thought sent shivers down Harres's spine!

Harres stood before Kevan, who sat behind his desk in the study.

"Father, these words leave my mouth and enter your ears, yet Qyburn somehow received the news beforehand." Kevan's tone was calm, but his eyes, hidden in the shadows, gleamed like those of a cat. He was shocked.

"Indeed, Lord Hand."

"Qyburn has spies at my door."

"Even with spies at the door, they couldn't have deduced that I was going to kill him. With the Mountain attacking the city, the situation is critical, and the rockets entering the city are disrupting morale. It's perfectly reasonable for the Hand to ask the Grand Maester to discuss military matters."

Kevan fell silent!

"He must have known our plan, which is why he hid himself beforehand," Harres said, feeling a chill run down his back.

How could Qyburn have known about the conversation between Kevan and Harres?

Only the two of them were here, the words leaving Kevan's mouth and entering Harres's ears, yet a third person knew about it. And this person had informed Grand Maester Qyburn in a timely manner.

"There are only two possibilities: Qyburn happened to feel guilty, or someone is standing inside the walls of this study," Kevan said softly.

Those words made the hairs on Harres's arms stand on end!

They were talking in the study, and someone was standing inside the walls, silently listening to their conversation?

It was too unbelievable!

"The Red Keep has secret passages running everywhere. My study likely has hidden compartments within the walls; they could be hollow," Kevan said calmly. "Lord Harres," Kevan said in an official tone, "please bring soldiers and knock on the walls of the study. If they are hollow, the sound will be different."

"As you command, Lord Hand."

A moment later, four Red Keep guards entered, carrying iron hammers, ready to tap on the study walls one by one. But after just the first tap, everyone was stunned.

The wall behind Kevan's emptied bookcase echoed with a hollow sound.

"Break it open!" Harres ordered, his face ashen.

Who could have imagined that the wall behind the bookcase, filled with books from floor to ceiling, would be hollow?

Kevan had inspected the Tower of the Hand once before, focusing mainly on the fireplace walls, and had sealed several fireplaces, never suspecting that the wall behind his bookcase was hollow.

Bang!

With a loud crash, the iron hammer struck, and the wall caved in.

Bang, bang, bang!

The hammer struck repeatedly, and a large hole began to appear in the wall. Behind the wall, as expected, was a hollow space, a small space just wide enough for a person to stand sideways, a narrow, alley-like space connecting to another wall. The dark and deep passage snaked downwards. The soldier removed his cloak and armor, leaving only his innermost garment, and squeezed in sideways. His body was still pressed against the walls, but he could move forward step by step with great effort. After what seemed like forever, on the verge of suffocation, the soldier finally found himself in a wide, dark passage with cold drafts.

Kevan noticed that the soldier could barely squeeze in sideways in his thin clothing, and that each step was a struggle. A person flashed before his eyes: Bronn Clegane, who was not much taller than a dwarf. Bronn Clegane, the spymaster, whose informants were all little birds.

"The person eavesdropping wouldn't be an adult," Kevan muttered to himself, as if speaking to the late Lord Tywin.

*

"Lord Hand, perhaps we have never had any secrets from the Mountain," Harres whispered, still shaken. His back and palms were covered in cold sweat.

The discovery was terrifying!

Someone could be standing in the wall at any time, listening to any of the Hand's conspiracies… My God…

Kevan's face was like iron, but his heart was in turmoil!

Clearly, the Mountain and his cronies knew the secrets of the Red Keep's underground passages. If Qyburn knew about the kill order he had just issued against him, then was there anything the Mountain didn't know about all the previous conspiracies?

Tywin Lannister had been Hand before, residing in the Tower of the Hand, and he loved to conspire about matters of state in his study… Tyrion Lannister had also been Hand, residing in the Tower of the Hand, and also conspired in his study… If little birds had been listening in this study all along… Kevan broke out in a cold sweat… Many things he had never understood before suddenly became clear…

The alliance between Tyrion and Oberyn against the Mountain failed, his alliance with Euron Greyjoy failed, the Mountain's night attack on King's Landing defeated Tywin and forced him into prison… A flash of inspiration suddenly struck him. Eddard Stark had been rescued from the dungeons, Sansa Stark had been rescued from Maegor's Holdfast, and Tyrion Lannister had been rescued from the dungeons. Varys, the Spider, had escaped through the underground passages. As far as he knew, only the Mountain's men were familiar with the underground passages. So, who rescued Eddard Stark… Of course, it was the Mountain! Even if it wasn't the Mountain in reality, it was the Mountain!

Kevan summoned his trusted soldiers.

"Lord Harres, take our soldiers and go to the Citadel."

"Yes, Lord Hand!"

"Also, send the captain of the guard to inform Mace Tyrell to meet His Majesty in Maegor's Holdfast first. I have very important matters to report to the King, and Lord Mace needs to witness it as well."

"As you command, Lord Hand!"

*

The Citadel.

Apprentice Simon was sound asleep when a cold sensation jolted him awake. Simon suddenly sat up, and in the darkness, a longsword pressed against his throat.

"Life or death?" The voice was calm and relaxed, clearly indicating that killing was no different from slaughtering a chicken to him.

"…Life… My Lord…"

The stench of blood filled Simon's nostrils; the sword was still dripping blood.

"You're a smart man. We'll tell you what to say, and you'll say it. We'll tell you what to do, and you'll do it. Can you do that?"

This sword had just killed someone.

Simon wasn't the only apprentice in the Citadel.

"…Yes, My Lord… Whatever you tell me to do, I'll do it. I wouldn't dare disobey…"

"You're very obedient. I like that. Get up, Simon, and put on your apprentice's robes!"

The assassin in the darkness knew Simon!

"Yes, My Lord!"

Simon put on his apprentice's robes and was led by the man to the Citadel's hall, which was lit with candles and torches.

Inside the hall sat Hand Kevan Lannister, his face like iron, with several knights behind him and more red-robed soldiers guarding the surroundings.

"What's your name?" the Hand asked.

"My name is Simon, Lord Hand."

"Grand Maester Qyburn is one of the Mountain's men. He's a spy who's been involved in many illegal and treasonous acts. Did you know that?"

"…Uh…" Simon glanced at the knight who had threatened him. "…I didn't know beforehand that Grand Maester Qyburn was a traitor… Lord Hand…"

"Do you know now?"

"…Yes… I know now… The Grand Maester is a traitor, Lord Hand…"

"Very well. Lord Harres, bring out the letters of secret correspondence between Maester Qyburn and the Mountain."

Lord Harres brought out a stack of letters and handed them to Simon.

Simon was dumbfounded!

If they were secret letters between Qyburn and the Mountain, how could the Lord Hand have them?

If they were secret, why would they show them to a Maester's apprentice?!

Simon didn't dare disobey, took the letters, and opened them. The first letter was from the Mountain to Qyburn, asking when Queen Cersei would return. The second letter was from Qyburn to the Mountain, saying that Bronn and Vargo Hoat were ready and would cooperate with the Mountain's attack on the city. The third letter was from Qyburn to the Mountain, explaining King's Landing's military deployment.

…………

As Simon read on, there were letters from the Mountain to Qyburn, mentioning that Sansa Stark and Eddard Stark's mysterious disappearances had involved the use of underground passages. The Mountain told Qyburn that in case of emergency, he should use the underground passages, where someone would be waiting to escort him to safety.

Simon couldn't tell if the letters from the Mountain to Qyburn were genuine. He didn't know which Maester the Mountain used, so there was no way to verify the handwriting. But the secret letters from Qyburn to the Mountain were in Grand Maester Qyburn's handwriting.

There was just one obvious point: if they were letters from Grand Maester Qyburn to the Mountain, the letters should be in the Mountain's possession. Why were they in the Lord Hand's possession?

Simon was puzzled, but didn't dare ask.

One wrong move could cost him his head.

Looking through an open side door, he saw the corpse of a Maester's apprentice lying on the ground.

"Simon, Qyburn colluded with the Mountain in treason. You are Qyburn's most trusted apprentice. You were responsible for sending raven messages to the Mountain. You secretly hid the original copies of Qyburn's letters to the Mountain, then copied them and sent the copies to the Mountain. You were afraid that one day the matter would be exposed and implicate you, so you kept a backup. All the correspondence between the Mountain and Qyburn was reported and provided to me by you, Simon. You have done a great service," Lord Harres said solemnly.

Simon was speechless. So the letters of correspondence between Qyburn and the Mountain had been fabricated by the Lord Hand. And he was the despicable informant!

Simon looked at the red-robed knights around the Hand. Anyone could draw their sword and chop off his head.

Simon steeled himself, hardened his heart, and decided to betray everyone as long as he could survive: "Lord Hand, I am Grand Maester Qyburn's most trusted apprentice. I have long seen the Grand Maester colluding with the Mountain in treason. I secretly hid the originals of some important letters, then copied them and kept the copies. I was afraid that one day the Grand Maester's treason would be exposed and implicate my life, so I kept a backup. Now that the Mountain is attacking the city, endangering the safety of the kingdom, I mustered the courage to inform Lord Hand, begging Lord Hand to pardon my sins, capture the traitor Maester Qyburn, and expose the Mountain's treasonous crimes to the people of King's Landing."

"Simon, your memory is good, and you're clever. You memorized the information after reading it once. I admire you. You must come with me to Maegor's Holdfast to meet the King. You will give this information to the King, proving that the runaway Qyburn is the Mountain's spy. You must personally testify to His Majesty about the Mountain's treasonous crime of rescuing Eddard Stark mentioned in the letter. After this matter, I will consider promoting you to be the spymaster or the acting Grand Maester. Your intelligence and talent are enough to bear my greater responsibilities."

Simon had no desire to be promoted or become rich. He just wanted to live.

"Yes, Lord Hand. I will expose the Mountain and Qyburn's treasonous crimes. These letters are the evidence," Simon said, his tone becoming calmer.

"Good. Let me ask you, how did the Mountain commit treason?"

"Two years ago, the Mountain secretly released the traitor Eddard Stark. A year ago, the Mountain forced Tyrion to release Sansa Stark. Qyburn told the Mountain everything about the royal family's military, political, and personnel affairs through ravens, and followed the Mountain's instructions to influence Her Majesty the Queen Mother and the Small Council. Spymaster Bronn Clegane is the Mountain's vassal, and his little birds are all over the corners of the Red Keep in King's Landing… There have long been little birds listening to the Hand's political secrets in the Hand's study. The Mountain is secretly monitoring the Iron Throne. He is an unprecedentedly huge traitor."

*

Maegor's Holdfast. King Tommen I still showed traces of sleep. Although the Queen had not yet officially held a wedding with the King, the King was as infatuated with her as he was with his mother, Cersei. It was no secret that Margaery resided in the King's palace. Tommen I needed someone to take care of him, and he liked and trusted Margaery Tyrell.

Margaery Tyrell wore light makeup, unable to conceal her natural beauty. She sat with the King in the high seat, so that the King had the interest and energy to listen to state affairs late at night.

Hand Kevan and Lord Mace Tyrell came to Maegor's Holdfast late at night because the Lord Hand had very important matters to report to the King.

"Your Majesty, after months of secret investigation, I have now confirmed that Grand Maester Qyburn is the Mountain's spy. He once knelt and swore allegiance to the Mountain. The Mountain secretly controls the Red Keep's underground passages. Many incredible major events and secret affairs that have occurred in the palace are related to the Mountain. Among them, Eddard Stark's mysterious disappearance in the Red Keep two years ago was done by the Mountain."

Upon hearing this, Tommen, Margaery, and Mace Tyrell were all shocked.

"Evidence!" King Tommen said at the reminder of Queen Margaery.

"Your Majesty, I have the evidence of secret letters between him and the Mountain, which I found in Grand Maester Qyburn's study in the Citadel. I also have a witness." Kevan took out the forged letters from his arms and waved his hand to signal Harres, who gestured for Apprentice Simon of the Citadel to be brought in by the red-robed guards of the Westerlands.

"Where is the Grand Maester?" Mace Tyrell said. "Since this matter involves the Grand Maester, we must send someone to find him and confront him face to face."

Kevan said, "Lord Mace, I received a secret report confirming that Qyburn was the Mountain's spy, so I ordered Lord Harres to arrest Qyburn. But Qyburn was able to hear the news in advance and fled through the Red Keep's underground passages to escape punishment."

"Tonight?" The King didn't believe it. "Lord Hand, tonight, the Grand Maester had dinner with me, and before bed, he even came in to say good night to me."

“Your Majesty, I issued the order to arrest Grand Maester Qyburn in my study. The order came from my mouth and entered the ears of only Earl Harrenhal, yet Grand Maester Qyburn, coincidentally or not, escaped beforehand. Throughout the Red Keep, Your Majesty can send people to investigate; Qyburn is nowhere to be found. But he didn't leave through the Red Keep's bronze gates, and he can't sprout wings and fly away, so there's only one possibility: he escaped through the Red Keep's secret underground tunnels.”

“The order came from your mouth and entered the ears of Earl Harrenhal. How could Grand Maester Qyburn have foreseen this and known in advance?” Queen Margaery voiced everyone's doubts. “I know Grand Maester Qyburn researches necromancy in the black cells, but he isn't a sorcerer and can't see prophecies.”

“Your Majesty, Queen, Qyburn's sudden disappearance after I issued the arrest warrant has baffled me. I was inspired after obtaining a large number of letters between Qyburn and the Mountain while searching Qyburn's study. I remembered Sansa Stark's mysterious disappearance from the high tower of Maidenvault, and the subsequent investigation revealed a hollow space in the fireplace wall. Could my study also have a hollow wall? Was someone ordered to stand in the wall and eavesdrop on me, thus hearing my order? I had soldiers try smashing the wall. After moving the bookshelf, a hammer blow revealed a hollow space. If the King and Queen still don't believe me, please move to the Tower of the Hand, and you will see the broken wall.”

Seeing his chance, Earl Harrenhal knelt. “Your Majesty, Queen, the hollow wall in the Tower of the Hand's study, the secret letters between Qyburn and the Mountain, and Qyburn's apprentice, Simon, testifying in person – these are all solid evidence. The letters between the Mountain and Qyburn reveal that the Mountain was responsible for Eddard Stark's disappearance two years ago. Please, Your Majesty, order the Mountain to be summoned to the palace and then execute him.”

King Tommen I's big eyes were watery, filled with considerable doubt.

The matter was not simple, and he felt he needed to catch his breath. Qyburn was someone he felt close to, and the Mountain was a senior official his mother trusted greatly, but suddenly, both had become heinous traitors. Qyburn was loyal to the Mountain, reporting all the royal secrets to him. The Mountain, though outside, controlled the Red Keep's secrets and monitored the Hand's daily activities. Every piece of information was shocking and unbelievable.

The child king looked at Margaery, seeking help in his eyes. The child was sentimental and unwilling to admit that Grand Maester Qyburn, who was as kind as a grandfather, was a traitor.

Margaery was also shaken. She took a deep breath, telling herself to remain calm, calm, calm!

The Mountain had performed great service, storming the Great Sept of Baelor, killing the High Sparrow, and saving Cersei and her life. Suddenly, he had become a traitor in the Hand's mouth, and, on the surface, the evidence was irrefutable.

“Your Majesty, we need to ask a maester from the Citadel to authenticate the letters between the Mountain and Qyburn,” Margaery said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Tommen felt greatly relieved.

Margaery was insightful; one sentence struck the crux of the matter.

“Lord Steward, summon Maester Felix Martyn. He is the maester who taught me to write, a calligrapher. I trust his judgment.”

Soon, Maester Felix Martyn arrived. He took the letters written by Qyburn to the Mountain and carefully examined the handwriting before bowing and saying, “Your Majesty, Queen, esteemed lords, this is indeed Grand Maester Qyburn's handwriting.”

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