Outside the door of the House of Order, the night wind passed through, picking up the rich smell of blood and dust, blowing Corleone's blood-stained clothes and gray cloak.
The jet-black palm emblem becomes more eye-catching against the firelight and dark red blood stains.
The whole place was completely silent. The Mountain gasped slightly after falling to the ground.
People's eyes first stopped at the terrifyingly calm figure of Corleone, and then turned to another person invariably.
Tywin·Lannister.
Hand of the King's pace still maintained an unhurried rhythm, no different from an ordinary stroll in the courtyard, as if he had turned a blind eye to the blood-spattered scene in front of him.
He walked down the last step and came to the center of the mess.
Although he didn't show any expression, everyone could see that the old lion's green eyes were full of coldness at this moment.
He didn't even lower his head to glance at the Mountain, who was lying in a pool of blood. He just stared coldly at Corleone, who was standing with a sword in front of him.
"You killed him."
Tywin spoke with a smooth voice without any obvious fluctuations. It was neither a severe question nor a rebuke.
It was more like stating the facts, but under its plainness, everyone present felt as if they heard a lion roaring.
Hearing this, Corleone retracted the sword blade neatly.
Then he clenched his right fist close to his chest, bowed slightly, and said in a clear and steady voice, "No, Lord Hand."
He raised his head and calmly met Tywin's scrutinizing gaze.
"I just taught him a necessary lesson."
"Given that Sir Clegane lost control tonight, it caused serious insult and damage to your reputation, the order of the banquet, and my friends."
"I cut off his tongue. As House Lannister's loyal dog, I thought that a dog that can't bark will bite people more ferociously in the future."
Corleone's words were logically clear and gave Tywin enough face.
As he spoke, he paused and added, "Of course, severe pain and blood loss require prompt treatment.
Hearing Corleone's explanation, Tywin raised his eyebrows.
"A dog that doesn't bark...
97
He repeated this statement, seeming to be very amused. "What you said makes sense, Sir Corleone. Dogs that don't bark often bite people, and sometimes they are more vicious."
Tywin spoke very calmly and did not seem to be angry at Corleone for being too harsh.
His eyes fell back on the Mountain. The huge body was still convulsing unconsciously, with blood and tears flowing out. The scene was very captivating.
He was silent for a moment, seemingly assessing the severity of the injury, and then looked at Corleone again and asked, "Are you sure that Sir Clegane... is still alive?"
"Please believe me, my lord."
Facing his gaze, Corleone replied very professionally, "As everyone knows, I am first and foremost a the Doctor."
"The main damage from the incision was limited to the tongue and some facial muscles and nerves. Although the amount of bleeding was considerable, it did not damage the carotid artery. For Sir Clegane's size, this amount of bleeding is not fatal."
"As for his palms...
As he spoke, Corleone pointed at the Mountain's left hand, which had only two fingers left. "Although the sword cut off three of his fingers, it was not his right hand that was used to swords, and it had little impact on Sir Clegane's combat effectiveness."
"With Sir Clegane's physique and vitality, as long as he receives timely and correct treatment, the probability that he will survive and regain most of his combat effectiveness... is very high."
These words were clearly organized and showed superb professional skills. Corleone even added, "Of course, if Lord Hand needs it, I can also personally provide follow-up treatment for him."
"But you know, professional medical services are usually not free.
As soon as these words came out, many people present, including some knights who were used to seeing blood, felt a chill rise up their spines.
So cruel...
This Vito·Corleone not only knows the structure of the human body so well, he even licks his face and makes money from the damage he causes!
I will definitely not offend this guy in the future!
Tywin stared at Corleone for a long time, silent.
At first, he acquiesced and even condoned the Mountain's provocation, and he also had the intention of beating and testing Corleone.
After all, this person rose too quickly in Flea Bottom, and his methods were too "flexible".
He needs to see how these "hands in the dark" will react when faced with pure violence and direct humiliation, where the bottom line is, and how much value they can show.
In Tywin's imagination, Corleone might rely on his cleverness or the help of Jaime and others to handle the crisis.
Even more, maybe he will mobilize his men to incite the civilians of Flea Bottom to help him, just like what he did in the bacon street the day before yesterday.
But he never expected that Corleone not only did not flinch at all, but actually crushed the Mountain head-on with his upright swordsmanship, and severely injured him in the end!
It's a very poorly done thing, but it's also really beautiful.
She is so beautiful that even Tywin cannot criticize her too much.
After all, the Mountain provoked first, and based on Westeros's custom of handling conflicts between knights, there is nothing wrong with Corleone even if he kills the other party.
But Corleone chose not to kill anyone, and even gave him a "professional" guarantee of survival.
Being unable to speak again will definitely turn the Mountain into a laughing stock.
But... this is definitely not what an obedient black hand should do.
Is he demonstrating force to himself, or showing that he can play a more important role than the Mountain?
"You must be very tired too, Sir Corleone."
After thinking for a while, Tywin's voice returned to its normal tone.
No matter what Corleone has in mind, as Hand of the King, the old lion has absolute confidence to control it.
Because he is Tywin·Lannister, it's that simple.
After that, he stopped looking at Corleone and turned to behind him and ordered, "Carry Sir Clegane to Red Keep and hand him over to Pycelle Grand Maester."
"Tell him to do your best to treat him. I want Sir Clegane to live."
"Yes, sir!"
Several Lannister knights wearing bright red armor came forward, and they tried to lift the Mountain, but the weight of the body plus the full plate armor was really staggering.
After two more people joined him, he reluctantly picked it up and moved towards the carriage parked not far away with heavy steps.
The Mountain The severed tongue was still bleeding, leaving a scarlet trace on the stone road.
Tywin then faced everyone present again and expressed his final conclusion in a clear voice. "Sir Gregor·Clegane was drunk and lost his temper, deliberately causing trouble and disrupting the banquet. His behavior not only violated the code of chivalry, but also betrayed House Lannister's trust in him."
"It seems that after Riverlands has been fighting for so long, those vulnerable opponents have made him forget his identity and the rules I set."
As he said that, Tywin glanced at Corleone, as if to say, "Don't forget your identity."
Corleone bowed again, with a very respectful attitude.
Seeing this, Tywin nodded and continued, "He has paid a heavy price for his arrogance and loss of control tonight."
"I hope this matter ends here. Any subsequent private provocation or retaliation will be regarded as blatant disobedience to Hand of the King's order."
After Hand of the King finished speaking, Corleone immediately cheered up very wisely. "Of course, sir!"
"Your ruling is fair and wise. I have no objection to it. Everything is based on your will."
His performance was perfect and he fully accepted the tone set by Tywin.
"Very good."
Seeing Corleone being so polite, Tywin nodded slightly again. "Tomorrow morning, remember to come Tower of the Hand."
"We need to discuss in detail the specific planning, budget and required support for the expansion of Flea Bottom.
"Bring your plan."
"You will live up to your expectations, my lord."
The boss wanted to see the PPT, which was normal. Corleone immediately nodded in agreement. After all, Flea Bottom's expansion plan was related to his future development.
Tywin said no more, and finally looked around at the silent guests. As far as the light could reach, almost no one dared to look at him.
Except for a certain Red Viper from Dorne, who stared at him with extremely cold eyes, but unusually did not speak.
Glancing at Oberyn, Tywin turned around and walked towards his carriage surrounded by red-armored guards, never looking back again.
The carriage drove away slowly and disappeared into the night in the direction of Red Keep.
From the beginning to the end, there was no verbal communication or even eye contact with his possibly injured eldest son.
Maybe Tywin is using this method to try to let Jaime know that without his right hand, he can no longer fulfill his duties as captain of Kingsguard, so he should think of giving up as soon as possible.
Looking at his father's leaving figure, Cersei then looked at Corleone, who was standing calmly in the field, with mixed feelings in his heart.
This guy wins again, wins beautifully.
But this victory made her feel even more uneasy and... jealous.
The stronger he is, the harder he is to control.
She bit her lip, lifted up her skirt, and without even saying hello, she chose to get into the carriage and hurried away after her father.
Immediately afterwards, Olenna, also supported by Margaery, slowly walked to Corleone on crutches.
"Tsk, boy." The old woman squinted her eyes and looked him up and down. "You are really eye-opening tonight."
"Such beautiful swordsmanship reminds me of Sir Arthur Dayne wielding a sword in the arena many years ago."
"Oh, by the way, what's the name of that sword?"
"Dawn." Faced with such high praise from the Queen of Venomous Tongues, Corleone bowed down humbly. "You're too kind, madam. I just followed Miss Brienne and practiced haphazardly for two months. I'm still far behind Sir Arthur."
"If you can practice to this level in two months, then all Seven Kingdoms knights can dance Blackwater Rush."
Olenna didn't seem to believe it and snorted, but then reminded, "But you'd better be careful, kid, you cut off the tongue of the fierce dog tonight."
"When the dog calms down, it will definitely bite back."
"Then I'll smash all its teeth into pieces."
"Oh haha... What a young man full of energy."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Olenna left with his granddaughter.
As an elderly person, even though she is still wise, her body is still affected by the years and she must rest when the time comes.
But despite experiencing the Mountain farce, the vast majority of guests not only did not leave, but became even more excited after the initial shock.
Witnessing Seven Kingdoms one of the most terrifying monsters having his tongue cut out in public is more attractive than any musical.
As Corleone loudly announced, "Let's play music, let's dance," the guests immediately burst into applause, and the crowd began to flow back into the Hall of Order.
When many people passed by Corleone, they couldn't help but bow slightly or nod in greeting. The contempt in some people's eyes had long been replaced by awe.
Corleone stood there, watching the flow of people calmly.
At this time, Rorge appeared quietly beside him, lowered his voice, and reported quickly at a volume that only two people could hear, "Sir."
"Yego has been checked. Two ribs are broken. There is some internal bleeding. The lungs may have been punctured by bone stubble. Some blood foam came out after coughing up. However, the initial treatment is based on the method you taught me before. There is no danger for the time being."
Corleone nodded.
Yego's injury was as he expected. The power of the Mountain's punch was very terrifying. If he didn't kill him directly, it was already considered that Yego was physically strong.
After a pause, Rorge continued, "Also, according to your previous instructions, our people have been watching at each street entrance after dark. Except for the necessary manpower, none of the Flea Bottom civilians have come out to watch the excitement tonight."
"So except for Yego... which is unlucky, there is no other damage to our own people."
Hearing this, Corleone nodded again in affirmation.
Although he has been recognized and even loved by the residents of Flea Bottom, and the people's support is available, the time has not yet come.
After all, it would be foolish and dangerous to prematurely involve the civilians of Flea Bottom in conflicts with the nobles before they truly control absolute power or obtain a more stable official status.
They are the cornerstone of his rule and future potential, but they are not cannon fodder that can be consumed at will now.
Moreover, Corleone today's goal has almost been achieved.
The Mountain is a recognized symbol of violence. Defeating him head-on tonight is tantamount to declaring to all King's Landing forces that I, Vito·Corleone, have the strength to defend my own territory and rules. I am not just a conspirator, but also a person with real power with force.
From the beginning to the end of the conflict, he always put order and rules first, and in the end he was very "sensible" and finally handed over the disposal power to Tywin.
Defeating the Mountain is not the goal, maintaining order is.
This way of handling puts him on the commanding heights of morality and rules, rationalizing and justifying his violent behavior, making it easier for him to be accepted by the aristocracy.
As for Tywin's reaction, Corleone saw it clearly.
The old lion was so calm that he was not angry because the Mountain lost, because this proved that the "hands in the dark" he chose were strong enough.
He also did not reward Corleone immediately, because too fast a rise would break the balance.
He handled the conflict with a "business-like" attitude, which not only maintained the surface fairness, but also gave Corleone space to continue doing things, but everything was within the framework that Tywin had formulated and mastered himself.
After tonight, Tywin saw the value of Corleone, and also saw the potential threat in him.
The next game will be more subtle and dangerous.
He needs to develop his own power faster, truly build Flea Bottom into a monolith, and at the same time, he also needs to start broadening other paths.
"Well done."
After thinking for a while, Corleone praised Rorge, and then told him, "Have someone clean the door, wash away the blood stains with water, and replace it with gravel.
"Then, go tell the kitchen to add another barrel of Arbor golden wine to each table."
"Yes, Sir." Rorge took the order and quickly left the arrangement.
At this moment, a slightly frivolous voice sounded beside Corleone: "Tsk, tsk, I thought you were just skilled in the game Blade Dance, but I didn't expect you could even play the long sword so beautifully."
No need to look back, Corleone also knows who it is.
He slowly turned around and faced Oberyn Martell. The prince had already put away the poisoned scimitar and came to him.
There was a playful smile on that handsome yet sinister face, but in the depths of his black eyes, there was a hint of regret dancing in his eyes.
"When people live in this world, they must learn more skills to survive, Your Highness."
Corleone responded calmly, "Swordsmanship and medical skills are just the more practical types. Not only that, I can also climb trees and pick apples."
"Haha!" Hearing this, Oberyn grinned. "Well said."
"But I'm curious..." Looking at his bohemian look, Corleone raised his eyebrows. "You were so impulsive towards the Mountain before, why didn't you say a word when you saw Tywin·Lannister?"
When Tywin's name was mentioned, a stern look flashed in Oberyn's eyes, which was filled with unforgettable hatred.
But soon, he pushed it down again, glanced at Corleone, and explained with rare patience, "You personally taught that damn dog a lesson, which makes me happier than killing him."
"I can see that you are not from Lannister, at least your ambitions don't stop there."
"My hatred is my business, but tonight, you are the protagonist."
These words were spoken in a relaxed tone, but sincerely, which made Corleone slightly surprised. After a moment of silence, he joked, "It's really surprising, Red Viper of Dorne actually starts to think about others?"
"I have heard that you stole someone else's mistress and killed that person by applying poison on your sword."
Hearing this, Oberyn not only was not annoyed, but was as happy as if he heard someone else complimenting him, proudly showing off. "Hahaha!"
"I have to say, that woman is indeed very moist!"
He commented without any scruples, and then looked at Corleone seriously. "But that's for women and fun, and some things, some hatred, are worth waiting for a more suitable time."
The two looked at each other for a moment, and suddenly laughed softly at the same time.
There is not much joy in the laughter, but more of a tacit recognition of each other.
"How are you doing, Your Highness?"
Looking at the nobles who entered the room like a stream of water, Corleone suppressed his smile and said casually, "The wine tonight is not bad. Are you interested in staying and having a few more drinks?"
But when faced with his invitation, Oberyn shook his head. "No."
"Even if you just drink under the same roof with people from Lannister's family, the wine will turn sour."
He paused and glanced behind him pointedly.
Corleone looked along his own light and saw Jaime and Brienne walking side by side.
Looking at Jaime, who has blond hair mixed with gray, Oberyn's eyes are complicated.
He hates all Lannister, except a certain dwarf who exists as a shame to Tywin.
And Jaime... Although there is no intersection between the two of them, it does not prevent Oberyn from hating him and Lannister as a whole.
After a moment of silence, his eyes finally returned to Corleone, with a hint of regret in his voice. "It's a pity that I couldn't unscrew that mad dog's head with my own hands in the end."
Corleone patted his arm, his tone was calm but with a strange certainty. "Don't worry, there will be a chance.
"But remember, when that day comes, you will owe me another favor."