The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Your Majesty, Aegon threatens that if anything happens to him, all the thousand hostages in Storm's End will die,” Roland Clinton said calmly and sorrowfully.

The gold cloaks and red priests in the guard hall picked up the twenty-odd heads on the ground and placed them one by one. Maids brought brocade boxes, and the Silent Sisters of the Red Keep also came to collect the heads into the boxes.

“Ser Roland Clinton, we will crush Jon Clinton, kill Aegon, and rescue the hostages,” Prime Minister Mace Tyrell said resolutely.

“Your Majesty, please give me a force to attack Storm's End,” Ser Garland Tyrell of the Kingsguard was the first to volunteer.

“Your Majesty, the navy can land from Shipbreaker Bay, first taking the islands in Shipbreaker Bay and blocking the Golden Company's sea route of retreat,” Grand Admiral of the Royal Fleet, Wagoner Gull, said, stepping out of the ranks.

“Clifford naval commander Rolfe Spicer requests to fight, attacking Storm's End.” Rolfe Spicer stepped out. He was the maternal uncle of Jeyne Westerling and also the uncle of the Mountain. He was a simple and brave man. He had not been involved in the Mountain's many battles, nor had he been involved in the battle against the Others in the North. He was feeling very frustrated.

Queen Cersei was completely different from before, and she spared no effort in supporting the military supplies for the North and the Mountain. This was a consensus among the naval generals stationed in King's Landing.

Queen Cersei suddenly realized that the Others were the greatest and most terrifying danger to mankind. She seemed to have become a different person. The voices of the military and civilians supporting her also increased.

“Governor Gorold Goodbrother of the Iron Islands requests to fight. Your Majesty, we can land from the sea to Storm's End, attacking the various castles in Storm's End from multiple routes, so that Aegon and Jon Clinton will be distracted and unable to take care of everything.” The governor of the Iron Islands, Gorold, had been a professional pirate since he was a child. It had always been a tradition for the Ironborn to fight, plunder cities, and get rich. They were only afraid of not having prosperous castles to attack. As long as there was war, it was a great thing: a good opportunity for the Ironborn to get rich, all starting from the siege.

Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard, responsible for the defense of King's Landing, also stood up: “Your Majesty, please allow me to lead ten thousand soldiers across the Blackwater Rush and attack Storm's End from the Kingswood, subduing the territory of Storm's End one by one.” His brother and father were captured by Jon in Stonehelm, and all the family's warriors and soldiers were in King's Landing.

“Your Majesty, I request to be the vanguard of the army,” Count Ysmyr Whent of Harrenhal said with fervor. His family and territory were taken by Jon and the Golden Company on the first day.

“I am also willing to be the vanguard.” Ser Wylde of Rain House strode out of the ranks, stood in front of the seven steps of the Iron Throne, and loudly declared war.

The lords of Storm's End, such as Mistwood, Harvest Hall, Haystack Hall, Bronzegate, Felwood, Crow's Nest, Nightsong, and Longtable, all stepped out, clamoring to lead their troops back.

The throne hall was filled with anger and high morale. Both the navy and the army were eager to fight.

Queen Cersei said: “Everyone, please be calm. I have written a letter to Jon Clinton, telling him about the emergency of the Others' invasion of the North, and asking them to suspend the declaration of war, so that we humans can put aside the civil war and jointly fight against the Others. Since they are unwilling, and are indifferent and cold-blooded to the overall situation of human survival, they must declare war at the critical moment when mankind is suffering from the Others' invasion, then I have no choice but to start the emergency plan.

“The Lannisters are richer than any country. When I received the news that Daenerys Targaryen would attack King's Landing, I had secretly sent people to hire the Faceless Men. As long as the name is spoken, death will surely come. Just now, Roland Clinton has already said the names of those culprits. None of them can escape death. I guarantee this to you in the name of the Old Gods and the New. Death is coming, Aegon VI and Jon Clinton cannot escape.”

The hall suddenly became quiet.

Her Majesty had already formulated an emergency plan and hired the Faceless Men?!

Everyone was shocked!

The Faceless Men are the world's top assassins. Once the name is spoken, death will come, and no one can escape.

However, assassinating an ordinary noble, the money to hire a Faceless Man can hire an ordinary army. Assassinating a king is an unimaginable astronomical figure. And Roland just said at least five or six names. Can that money buy the entire King's Landing?!

Everyone knows that since 298 AC, the royal treasury has been empty due to years of civil war. The living materials in King's Landing are now completely supported by the Tyrell family.

But the Lannisters are richer than any country. In Casterly Rock in the Westerlands, the Lannister family has been lords for thousands of years. No outsider can know how much gold they have accumulated.

Queen Cersei's words fully proved that the wealth of the Lannister family is still amazingly rich and cannot be estimated by ordinary people.

Queen Cersei was calm and indifferent: “Everyone, please rest assured, the Lannisters are richer than any country. Although the national treasury is empty, the Lannister family has never been empty. The one hundred hero statues in the Hall of Heroes in Casterly Rock are all made of pure gold, life-size. That wealth is only a small part of our family's gold.” Queen Cersei looked at the naval generals' ranks, “Gawen Westerling.”

Gawen Westerling responded and stepped out of the ranks. He was the Mountain's father-in-law and the supreme commander of the Clegane naval infantry on Dragonstone.

“Lord, you are a Westerman. I want you to return to the Westerlands and take over the Lannister family's gold in Casterly Rock for me, and safely transport the one hundred gold statues of the Hall of Heroes to the Isle of Gods in Braavos and donate them to the monks of the House of Black and White. Can you complete the task without being robbed by pirates?”

*

The Hall of Heroes in Casterly Rock is the statue of the one hundred most famous heroes in the thousand-year history of the Lannister family, made of pure gold. It is also famous overseas and is a symbol of the Lannister family's wealth and strength, and also the peak of honor.

Cersei suddenly wanted to transport all one hundred gold statues to the House of Black and White. This was an absolute big deal, not only the amount of gold, but also the Lannister family's respect for the House of Black and White. From then on, the one hundred gold hero statues famous overseas will no longer be kept in Casterly Rock, but in the House of Black and White in Braavos.

This is a very crazy decision, and it is also a payment method that is staggering. The Lannister family has paid for the family's historical precipitation and dignity and glory, which cannot be bought with gold. Each lifelike gold statue is the work of a master, and the added value, the meaning, honor, and symbol it represents are all priceless.

However, it seems that only by paying such a price can you afford the Faceless Men's reward. Roland just said several names. One of them is still a dragon: Aegon Targaryen VI.

In fact, only in this way can you invite the Faceless Men to kill all of Aegon and his party!

It feels like Queen Cersei has no other choice!

However, this is too crazy and too decisive!

Crazy and decisive, unbelievable! Unbelievable!

In the throne hall, Prime Minister Mace was stunned!

*

“Your Majesty, I'm only afraid that the pirates won't come,” Gawen Westerling said solemnly. He was very, very, very surprised: Her Majesty was very wary and guarded against the Mountain and him. There were many accumulated blood feuds between the families. How could she hand over the gold of Casterly Rock to him to take over? You must know that this is a great job. Since it is to take over the gold wealth of Casterly Rock, the Lannister family's wealth will no longer be a secret to the Mountain and the Westerling family. The kickbacks and hidden relationships are difficult to explain.

Cersei is resolutely making a big plan to destroy her family!

A bold decision to ruin the family!

Is she determined to die stupidly?

Gawen Westerling's peripheral vision glanced at Grand Maester Qyburn. This archmaester was the Mountain's man. Did he have any information to pass on to him? Why would Queen Cersei do such an incredible thing?

Gawen's peripheral vision only saw Grand Maester Qyburn's smile. The old fox's eyes were a little meaningful!

Gawen thought of Jeyne coming to King's Landing soon to serve as Queen Cersei's Master of Laws. This order, which stunned many nobles in the Westerlands and the Crownlands, was also issued by Queen Cersei herself.

Why?

Cersei is determined to become the closest ally of the Mountain family? Marriage, joint power, because of the Mountain's strength and dragons?

In an instant, Gawen Westerling thought of many things... Moreover, one hundred master-level gold statues, each worth a lot of money, shouldn't such shocking news be kept quiet? Queen Cersei announced it in public, was she afraid that people all over the world wouldn't know?!

Regardless of Cersei's purpose, and regardless of whether Cersei was mentally disturbed or for other reasons, Gawen Westerling decided to complete the task assigned by Queen Cersei. Since Cersei of the Lannisters was determined to die stupidly with herself and her family, Gawen Westerling decided to go all out to help.

Respect is worse than obedience!

On the road to dying stupidly, Cersei was far ahead, which made Count Gawen have to admire from the bottom of his heart!

*

In the first month of 301 AC, several shocking events occurred on the continent of Westeros, changing the trajectory of this world, causing a profound impact on the history of this world, and also changing the fate of countless people...

Event 1: At the beginning of the month, a strange and peculiar fire occurred on the Last River in the North late at night. The arsonist was Queen Selyse Florent, a believer of the Red God. She and her followers set fire together and burned down the entire Shireen army. Her Majesty Shireen died in the fire, and Robert's only recognized legitimate bastard, Edric Storm, also died in the fire. The dynasty founded by Stannis I existed briefly for three years. The dynasty was destroyed, and Shireen and Edric Storm, the next in line to Storm's End, died, and Tommen Baratheon became the heir to Storm's End.

Event 2: In the early part of the month, Jon Clinton led the Golden Company to secretly land in Storm's End. In just a few days, they swept across Storm's End and took Storm's End. Aegon Targaryen bloodily murdered the family of the envoy Roland Clinton and the accompanying knights and soldiers in Storm's End, rewarded courtiers and generals, and officially proclaimed himself king in Storm's End, claiming to be the eldest son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, the next in line to the Iron Throne, and erected the black flag with the red three-headed dragon—the one dragon three-headed flag.

Event 3: In the middle of the month, Queen Cersei announced that she would transport one hundred gold hero statues of inestimable value to the House of Black and White on the Isle of Gods in Braavos as a commission. It is rumored that this was part of the additional commission from Queen Cersei. She claimed that she had launched an emergency plan and hired Faceless Men to assassinate Aegon Targaryen VI, Jon Clinton, Sister Lemore, Captain Harry Strickland, Ser Rolfe Duckfield, and Maester Haldon, a total of six people. She publicly declared to the outside world: Once the name is spoken, death will come! This news shocked the continent of Westeros, and everyone feared Cersei's decisiveness in killing.

When the news came out, the morale of the Golden Company in Storm's End was weakened. Jon Clinton made emergency deployments, released a large number of hostages in Storm's End in order to ease the tense situation, and urgently started negotiations with Queen Cersei.

Event 4: In the latter part of the month, Jeyne Westerling led three thousand Clegane troops into the Red Keep in King's Landing. At the meeting of the Small Council, she was successfully elected as the Master of Laws, becoming the first female Master of Laws in the history of the kingdom. She took office as the Lord Justiciar of the Kingdom, acted vigorously and resolutely, amended the laws, and issued strict orders. In just a few days, the city of King's Landing was free of hooligans and thieves, and the city's public security was unprecedentedly clean and safe. It is rumored that people did not pick up lost items and doors were not closed at night. It can be called a miracle.

From then on, Cersei and Jeyne became the two major female power holders in King's Landing, daring to act and make decisions, holding great power, and their reputation grew day by day.

Event 5: In the North, to the surprise of the Mountain and the generals, after the Night King entered Last Hearth, he calmed down and did not advance towards Winterfell. News from the scouts came every day that the wight warriors outside Last Hearth stood quietly on the snow, their blue eyes motionless, just like human puppets.

The Mountain went to investigate several times on a dragon. The Others were riding on zombie horses to guard the surroundings. In every gathering place of wights, a tall Other resembling the Night King stood motionless with a spear. The Mountain was unwilling to take risks and did not rashly attack with the sheep thief.

The Night King actually calmed down!

This made the Northern Allied Forces unbelievable!

Is the Night King waiting for winter to come? Is he going to launch an attack on Winterfell in winter?

*

No one knows the real reason why the Night King suddenly stopped moving forward, but the Mountain believed that one person might know, and that person was Bran Stark, who occasionally had a three-eyed raven perched on his shoulder.

So, under the Godswood of the Stark family, the Mountain and Bran Stark, who was sitting in a wheelchair, faced each other.

Meera Reed, who was responsible for pushing Bran's wheelchair, had left Winterfell and returned to her territory in the Neck, Greywater Watch. Her father, Lord Howland Reed, wrote to her asking her to return to inherit the territory and title of Greywater Watch. Greywater Watch is built on a floating island in the swamp, and even ravens cannot find the specific location. Since ancient times, no one except the locals has been able to find Greywater Watch. After Meera left, unless she herself was willing, no one would be able to find her again.

The Mountain looked at Bran Stark's expression, and there was no emotional reluctance for Meera's departure.

“Bran, Meera likes you. If you open your mouth, Meera will stay.” This was the first sentence the Mountain said.

“Mountain, do you want to ask me why the Night King didn’t launch an attack?”

“Well, yes. If he doesn’t launch an attack, our morale will decline day by day, and the consumption of supplies is also worrying me that it will be difficult to last.”

“The Night King will launch an attack in winter. Winter can increase his power.”

“Did he foresee my fire attack plan?”

“He can't. The Night King is the Night King. He is not a Green Prophet.” Bran looked at the faces on the weirwood trees. The eyes on those faces were watching him, just like the eyes of a living person. “The Children of the Forest's sorcerers can see the surroundings of the weirwood through the eyes on the weirwood. I can see some past events, some things that are happening now, and fragments of some future events through the Three-Eyed Raven. The Night King prays to the Cold God for some enlightenment. However, the Cold God's territory is in the Land of Always Winter. Winterfell believes in the Old Gods. Because of your caution, the Night King cannot attack your dragons. When winter comes, his power will be strengthened. This is beneficial to the Night King and the wights.”

“Hmm, so how much do you know about me?”

“I know you control Littlefinger. In meetings, Littlefinger always says sharp and sarcastic things, hitting the nail on the head. It's actually you who allows it.”

“Heh heh!” The Mountain chuckled dryly, a malicious thought flashing through his mind: Does Bran know everything? Will he be a threat to me? Do I need to kill him? A suicide soldier, a knife, or a fist. The Mountain has no shortage of suicide soldiers, no shortage of knives, and certainly no shortage of fists.

“What about Cersei?”

Thanks to 【Chau534】【一道之下万道之上】for the reward, thank you, happy Lantern Festival!????