Red Keep, Throne Room.
Tyrion Lannister leaned against the long table, swirling the wine in his goblet. "Hah, perhaps I should prepare armor and a sword… Hmm, last night I dreamed I dueled Stannis, and he threw out his back trying to swing his sword at me."
When he finished speaking, soft laughter rippled through the room.
He grinned, "I also need to prepare a… very tall horse. I don't want to win ingloriously."
The Commander of the Gold Cloaks, Ser Jacelyn Bywater, placed a hand on his chest and said, "Prime Minister Tyrion, I will fight for you."
The Master of Coin, Earl Gyles Rosby, coughed a few times and said, "Prime Minister, forgive my presumption, but your duty is to stabilize the hearts of the people in King's Landing, not to charge into battle. Cough, cough… No one can guarantee their safety on the battlefield, and that could easily shake all of King's Landing."
"Hah, Earl Gyles, thank you for your subtle advice."
Tyrion first glanced at the sleepy Grand Maester Pycelle, then his gaze swept over the others, saying, "May Stannis's army be defeated outside King's Landing."
As soon as he finished speaking, the oak doors of the Throne Room were pushed open, and a servant announced loudly, "All rise! Pay homage to the Protector of the Realm, the Queen Regent, Empress Cersei of House Lannister!"
Then, the figure of Queen Regent Cersei appeared. She was wearing a white gown with long, trailing sleeves that revealed a gold silk lining. Her thick, golden curls cascaded over her bare shoulders, and a deep green gemstone necklace hung around her slender neck.
Tyrion blinked. Cersei's white dress gave her a peculiar innocence, like a maiden in summer… Her appearance could deceive most men, except for him.
Everyone rose simultaneously to pay their respects. Queen Regent Cersei, surrounded by the Kingsguard, walked past them and sat directly at the head of the long table.
After the other ministers had taken their seats, Cersei's emerald eyes flickered. She looked at Tyrion with a gentle smile and said, "Prime Minister Tyrion, has my son not arrived yet?"
Tyrion, who was about to take a sip of wine, paused. To be honest… he almost dropped his goblet in fright.
He smiled slightly and said, "Your esteemed Queen Regent, I heard King Joffrey just received an interesting toy. He should be at the archery range right now."
What was wrong with the Lannister Lioness?! Where was her usual, familiar gaze, the one that wished she could bite his neck off?
Tyrion's eyes shifted slightly. He thought that his threat (Chapter 240) had finally made the Lioness feel apprehensive.
For Tyrion, as long as Cersei behaved herself, he would be happy to play along with her.
As for the marriage alliance between Lannister and Tyrell, he felt… his benevolent father would surely marry his obedient daughter to Highgarden, but he didn't want to tell Cersei his guess. He worried the Lioness would go mad.
Tyrion sipped his wine… She had personally sent away her detested drunkard husband, only to receive a crippled new husband. He suddenly felt a tiny bit of pity for Cersei.
But he thought for a moment… He hoped that the limping Velas Tyrell (Duke Mace's eldest son) could perform to Cersei's satisfaction, otherwise, the consequences would be unpredictable.
… … … …
"Oh? There aren't many things that can interest him."
Tyrion collected his thoughts and replied, "Queen Regent, your steward sent his spoils of war. It's said to be a shining bronze armor."
Queen Regent Cersei's beautiful eyes trembled slightly. "Green? Bronze armor?"
Tyrion nodded slightly. He put down his goblet and grinned, "The magical armor of House Royce of the Vale. Legend has it that wearing it makes one immune to enemy blades and spears. Coincidentally, Joffrey also heard about this, and he's eager to verify the truth of the legend."
After speaking, he gestured towards Grand Maester Pycelle.
With a gentle clinking of his maester's chain, Maester Pycelle tremblingly picked up a piece of parchment from the table and handed it to Queen Regent Cersei.
Queen Regent Cersei took the parchment suspiciously and lowered her eyes to read it. After a while, her slender fingers, clutching the parchment, trembled slightly. Inside her snow-white dress… her joined legs moved.
… … … …
Queen Regent Cersei calmly placed the parchment on the table and said, "Tyrion, did you suddenly call a Small Council meeting today to proclaim Earl Green's achievements in the Vale?"
Her palm curled slightly, and she added, "Also, why do I only get to see Earl Green's letter at a Small Council meeting?!"
She suddenly changed… The Lioness was back… The honeymoon period between the Lannister siblings ended before it had barely begun… Tyrion "helplessly" shrugged.
Queen Regent Cersei's gaze slowly swept over everyone, finally settling on the hunched Grand Maester Pycelle, saying, "Pycelle, you tell me the answer."
Grand Maester Pycelle shrank back, trembling as he said, "Your Majesty, this… this was… Prime Minister's order."
Seeing Queen Regent Cersei's gaze shift to him, Tyrion said with a grin, "Queen Regent sister, I thought we had a friendly agreement. I also thought you needed your obedient brother's help. It seems I need to persuade father to quickly solidify the alliance between Lannister and Tyrell."
As his words fell, Queen Regent Cersei's expression stiffened instantly, and she said, "You dare threaten me?"
Tyrion grinned: "My dear Cersei sister, you should get used to it sooner."
"You!" Queen Regent Cersei clenched her fists.
Tyrion smiled at his Queen Regent sister, then picked up his goblet and took a sip of wine, stating seriously, "Everyone, the topic of today's Small Council meeting is to discuss the war in the Vale…"
Queen Regent Cersei suddenly raised her goblet and extended it to the side, instructing Ser Lancel, who stood behind her, "Come, pour the wine."
Tyrion ignored the Lioness's childish disruptive behavior. He continued, "Everyone has already seen the letter sent by the ravens from the Eyrie. Yes, they are protesting. I see blood and tears in their lines…"
"Cowardly Valemen." Queen Regent Cersei elegantly sipped her wine.
Tyrion looked at his sister, whose lips were curled, and said, "Your esteemed Queen Regent, your current demeanor reminds me of the young sister at Casterly Rock. It truly delights us."
Queen Regent Cersei snorted coldly and said, "Did you call me here to listen to the wails of those losers?"
Tyrion spread his hands and said, "No, the Valemen are pitiful losers, but they are relatively fortunate, because they can still cry to the Red Keep. We are different. If we become losers, we can only beg Stannis."
"Begging…"
Muttering to herself, Queen Regent Cersei raised her chin and said coldly, "Stannis might break into the Red Keep and seize my son's Iron Throne, but I will never let him capture me!"
Queen Regent Cersei knew that if the city fell, although she would be worth a large ransom, after a mad battle, soldiers were often more interested in soft flesh than money.
If it were someone else, she might still try to coax him before the city fell, but the enemy was Stannis Baratheon. She might as well try to coax his horse.
Therefore, if they lost the battle, her choice would be to end her own life immediately.
… … … …
Tyrion smiled and raised his goblet in a toast, saying, "It's rare for our thoughts to align, my dear sister."
Cersei glanced at Tyrion disdainfully and said, "It's a pity, I won't get to see you desperately begging Stannis."
"The Gods bear witness."
Tyrion shrugged and continued his original topic: "The wails of the Valemen have not only reached King's Landing but also Harrenhal. The raven that arrived this morning, our perpetual King's Hand, Lord Tywin, demanded that the King and the Small Council immediately order Kleber's army to withdraw from the Vale."
Queen Regent Cersei stopped drinking. She put down her goblet and said calmly, "Tyrion, does father want us to bring Earl Green's army to King's Landing?"
Tyrion looked at his Queen Regent sister, paused, and grinned, "No, dear sister, our wise father has ordered the Small Council to command Earl Green to attack Dragonstone and promise him the title of Duke of Dragonstone."
Queen Regent Cersei extended her slender fingers to pick up her goblet again, taking a small sip of summer red, and said, "Pycelle, Gales, Tyrion, Duke Tywin's suggestion is not advisable. If Stannis breaks through King's Landing and the Red Keep, what meaning would it have for Earl Green to occupy a rocky Dragonstone? Can it bring Joffrey and us back to life?"
After a moment of silence, Earl Gyles coughed a few times and said, "Dowager Queen Lannister, I am concerned that even if the Small Council issues the order, Earl Green, who is in the Vale, will not have enough time to bring his army back to reinforce us."
Queen Regent Cersei nodded slightly with a serious expression, saying, "That is a sincere concern. Army movements indeed require time. But we know that Stannis's fleet has only just arrived at Dragonstone; he will need some time to rest. Perhaps we can order Earl Green to return to King's Landing first, while his army is only required to advance as quickly as possible."
She sighed softly, "It's not that we need him, but that the King and King's Landing need him. Green can defeat tens of thousands with a few thousand, which has already proven that his combat ability is no less than that of the famous general Randyll."
Queen Regent Cersei said gently to Tyrion, "My dear brother, everyone can see your determination to fight Stannis, but you need more help…"
The corners of her eyes were slightly red: "I can feel your fatigue. Once you have Green's assistance, I believe you will be much more at ease."
After listening to Queen Regent Cersei's words, the previously silent Commander of the Gold Cloaks couldn't help but nod.
"Cough, cough, cough…" Earl Gyles maintained his silence by coughing.
Maester Pycelle glanced at Tyrion and said, "Your Majesty, the Eyrie is protesting Earl Green's atrocities in the Vale…"
Queen Regent Cersei was about to furiously rebuke Grand Maester Pycelle, who was becoming more muddled with age, but Tyrion reached out and interrupted him first.
"Speaking of atrocities, Westeros truly rarely gets nicknames wrong. The half-savage noble… the Blood Earl… With heads rolling in the Vale, Earl Green has left too deep an impression on the Valemen. I think they will never forget him, for generations."
Tyrion shook his head slightly: "I think if Earl Green stood on the walls of King's Landing, the attacking soldiers might just wet themselves in fear, but it's truly a pity…"
He winked at his Queen Regent sister: "Green only loves you, not Lannister, and that's something everyone knows. Not just me, even our benevolent father wouldn't feel comfortable putting his obedient children next to the Blood Earl."
Queen Regent Cersei's fists, hidden beneath the table, clenched. She forced a smile and said, "My Tyrion, your sister will keep a close eye on Earl Green."
Tyrion said with a grin, "Dear sister, I remember we reached a consensus on this matter during our warm and pleasant dinner. Perhaps you could try to persuade Lord Tywin."
He grinned: "He likes clever children the most."
Queen Regent Cersei stared fixedly at Tyrion for a while, then drained the wine in her goblet and said, "Then I shall listen carefully to your wise words. Come, pour the wine!"
Tyrion leaned back in his chair, taking a comfortable sip, and said, "Queen Regent Cersei, I invited you here today to hear your decision. Without your consent, I don't think Earl Green will obey."
Queen Regent Cersei raised her chin slightly, a hint of triumph on her face, and said, "You're not entirely stupid, Tyrion."
Tyrion had grown somewhat accustomed to his good sister's foolishness. He patiently reminded her, "Queen Regent sister, I'm referring to father's command. How should we handle it?"
Queen Regent Cersei frowned. Just then, Grand Maester Pycelle suddenly spoke, "Your Majesty, Duke Tywin might have a deeper meaning…"
Queen Regent Cersei frowned and said, "Deeper meaning? What deeper meaning could he have?"
Grand Maester Pycelle tremblingly said, "I haven't seen it yet…"
Tyrion's soft sigh happened to reach Queen Regent Cersei's ears. Her eyes moved, and she saw Tyrion, who seemed to want to speak but held back.
The siblings' gazes met. Tyrion looked hesitant, then, unable to bear it, mouthed: Myrcella.
Queen Regent Cersei gripped her goblet tightly and gritted her teeth, "Ridiculous deeper meaning!"
Seeing this, Tyrion, under the guise of drinking, curled his lips. He was a reliable ally.
Queen Regent Cersei announced, "The Valemen have been crippled by Green. They are no longer worth our attention."
Grand Maester Pycelle opened his mouth and said, "Your Majesty, we cannot ignore barbaric atrocities…"
Queen Regent Cersei's pent-up anger seemed to find an outlet: "Shut up! Losers don't deserve any sympathy, and neither do we, you old fool!"
"But… but… this concerns…"
"No buts! Tell the Valemen to crawl over and kiss my son's boots, or else they can all go to the stranger's embrace. And you…"
The Lannister Lioness's gaze towards Maester Pycelle was dangerous. The experienced Tyrion immediately guessed her next move: her glittering goblet would soon fly towards Pycelle's head, followed by the wine pitcher.
Tyrion quickly slid off his chair, trotted closer to Queen Regent Cersei, and coaxed ingratiatingly, "Charming sister, I must say Green is truly a lucky fellow, no wonder he only loves you…"
His persuasion had no effect. The goblet in Cersei's hand was violently thrown in the direction of Maester Pycelle.
Tyrion quickly turned his head to look… Where was Pycelle? How did he suddenly disappear?!
He tilted his head. When did he hide under the table?
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