Benliu City was built on the delta where the Tengshi River and the Hongcha River meet. Based on the terrain, Benliu City was also built into a triangular castle.
The castle is bordered by rivers on its north and south sides. On the west side, there is an artificial moat that connects the Tengshi River and the Hongcha River. There are huge iron sluice gates on both sides of the moat. When the sluice gates are opened, the river water rushes in from both sides, filling the entire moat and turning the castle into a small island surrounded by water on three sides, making it impregnable.
Riverrun is a massive rock wall built directly into the water, with crenellations and arrow slits. Archers in the towers and catapults on the walls provide firepower that reaches the opposite bank. Under normal circumstances, Riverrun's supplies can sustain its people and horses for up to two years. Most of the time, a garrison of more than 200 men is redundant for Riverrun.
Therefore, during peacetime, there are very few soldiers patrolling and guarding Riverrun, especially at night when there are no soldiers patrolling the streets. Apart from the twelve soldiers guarding the three main gates, the rest of the garrison are all fast asleep in their barracks. Most of the garrison troops inside the city were once again taken outside by Edmure to intercept the Mountain at Kneeling Stairs, and have not yet returned.
Before sunset, the Mountain and his men passed Riverrun and crossed the Red Fork. Edmure's scouts, having completed their surveillance mission, returned to Crouching Lodge to report to Edmure. On the west bank of the Red Fork, the Mountain and his group traded their finest warhorses for weapons from the villagers: kitchen knives, woodcutting knives, rusty longswords, chipped machetes, and some dull daggers. In a fishing village by the river, they also traded warhorses for several dilapidated boats. At midnight, they rowed to the south gate of Riverrun. Bernie's ventriloquism was unparalleled; his imitation of Edmure Tully's voice was flawless, tricking them into opening the gate. The Mountain led his men in, storming through.
Led by the Demon Mountain, the group headed straight for the inner city without uttering a sound.
Riverrun is divided into inner and outer cities. A fortress, even stronger than the outer city walls, cuts off the connection between the two. To break into the inner city and capture Edmure Tully's father, Lord Horst Tully, the Mountain and his men need to breach the city's only military fortress.
The military fortress was extremely sturdy, with walls tens of meters thick, accessible only through an arched gate. Climbing the walls without going through the arch was impossible; even with the manpower of Mo Shan and his men, they lacked the siege machinery to breach the gate.
However, the Mountain had foresight. When he was recruiting soldiers in his father-in-law's Rocky City, he discovered Bernie, who had an unparalleled talent for ventriloquism, and he knew he had found a treasure.
Bernie's abilities, in crucial moments, can surpass the role of an army.
Then, in the stillness of the night and in the shadows of the flickering torches on the city walls, the voice of Edmure Tully, the young lord, rang out: "Quickly open the gates and let us in."
There were eight soldiers guarding the fortress, six of whom were sleeping in the temporary barracks next door, while only two were sleeping in the doorway. The two soldiers were awakened by the knocking and the young city lord's roar. They hurriedly opened the door, only to be grabbed by two large hands, lifted up, and slammed against the thick rock wall. The soldiers' brains splattered.
The brothers then stormed into the makeshift barracks next to the gate and killed the six soldiers inside.
So the brothers of the Demon Mountain received eight more fine swords, eight short swords, and eight daggers.
Upon entering the fortress, the brothers headed straight for Duke Horst's main castle: a tall, triangular stone tower. The four guards standing at the tower's entrance barely had time to react before they were hacked to death by the Mountain's brothers.
The Mountain stormed into the main castle, the thirty-one men like demons unleashed from hell, hacking their way up layer by layer. The servants, wet nurses, and guards inside the castle were mostly hacked to death in their sleep.
They slaughtered their way all the way to the top floor of the castle.
The Mountain kicked open the door and burst into the warm bedroom, where charcoal was burning. The group, covered in blood and grime, came to the bedside, panting heavily, their chests heaving.
In the light of a large red candle, on the bed, there was a head with snow-white hair facing the wall.
The old man was clearly awake. Many elderly people wake up in the middle of the night and can no longer fall back asleep.
"Edmü, you've gotten into a fight again?" the old man said angrily. "Did you kill someone this time? The smell of blood is strong!"
"I am the Mountain of the West, Duke Horst, and you are now my prisoner!" the Mountain said.
The old man's body jolted, as if struck by a powerful blow. Then, his head, covered in white hair, slowly turned around, and his body followed suit.
The Demon Mountain saw the old man's eyes, which were sunken deep in their sockets, his cheekbones protruding, his face covered with skin and bones, and his skin was as white as his hair and beard.
An elderly man who looked quite ill.
Mo Shan and his group looked at each other in bewilderment.
The Duke of Horst Tully, whom they were going to capture alive, turned out to be such a sickly old man.
Although the Mountain was mentally prepared, knowing from his transmigrated memories that Duke Horst Tully was a patient, he did not expect the old man's illness to be so serious. The old man looked very thin and small, like a severely shrunken version of the duke.
"Lord Horst Tully, I am the Mountain, and you are now my prisoner!" The Mountain declared his identity again, hoping the old man would understand his predicament.
"The Mountain? Ah, I know your name. May I have a glass of water?" Horst Tully said, his voice hoarse and trembling.
The old man looked shocked! His body was trembling violently. This worried the Mountain. He had come to capture Lord Hoster Tully in the hope that the Duke would live. Only by having the Duke alive could he extract the greatest profit. If Lord Hoster Tully died, it would be difficult for them to leave Riverrun alive.
The entire city would fight them to the death, and even if they managed to break out, everyone in the entire River Valley would be their enemy.
As long as the Duke is alive, he can act recklessly, demand exorbitant prices, and do whatever he wants!
By controlling Lord Horst Tully, one controls Edmure, Riverrun, and even the Riverlands.
The Mountain said to Bernie, "Take twenty men to the Maester's Tower. Ten men will guard the entrance, and ten men will go up and capture the maesters. Kill all the apprentices and servants! Be careful on the way. Someone may soon discover the murdered gate guards, and then the garrison will arrive quickly."
"Yes, sir!" Bernie immediately led his twenty brothers away.
"Blackstone, you take the rest of the brothers and guard the main gate, and keep it closed."
"Yes, sir!" Blackstone led his nine brothers away.
Only the Mountain and Lord Horst Tully remained in the bedroom.
The Mountain poured a glass of hot water for Lord Horst Tully.
The old man struggled to sit up in bed. Seeing how difficult it was for him, the Mountain reached out and gently lifted the old man's shoulder. The old man was as light as a feather. The Mountain helped the old man sit up and then supported his back with a velvet pillow so that he could sit more comfortably.
The Mountain knew that young Horst was very tall and loved to travel the world. After marrying Minnie Harn of House Harrenhal, they had two daughters and a son: their eldest daughter, Catelyn (Lady of the Duke of the North), their second daughter, Lysa (Lady of the Duke of the Vale), and their youngest son, Edmure. Minnie died in childbirth while giving birth to their second son, and the baby also perished. From then on, Duke Horst was never able to recover from the grief of his deceased wife.
In Aegon's year 235, Hoster Tully was born, and this year he is 63 years old. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Lord Hoster will die of illness during next year's War of the Five Kings.
"Your Grace, how long have you been ill?"
"It's been three years, Sir Gregor!"
Call me The Mountain!
"You are magnificent, Sir!" said Duke Horst. "I am in great pain all over. Could you please get me some poppy milk?"
"I'd love to!"
The Magic Mountain was deeply harmed by poppy milk, but poppy milk is a panacea in this world that helps people sleep and relieves their pain.
The Demon Mountain poured the old man a glass of poppy milk, and he served him a bowl of it. Sure enough, the old man felt much better.
"You've breached my Riverrun?" the old man said. "Has the war begun?"
"No, I've come to ask you for a small favor!" The Mountain didn't want the Duke to die from agitation. The Duke could die, but not now.
"Sir Gregor, you are too kind to a prisoner!" said Duke Horst. "Now I no longer need to hide my illness."
"Oh, why did the Duke hide his illness?"
"I don't want my subordinates to see my current weakened state, nor do I want the people of the West to know. This will help maintain stability on the border. Well, mainly it's to prevent Lord Gregor from wantonly plundering our Riverlands' border regions."
The Mountain said politely, "I am a good man, Your Grace. I have come to see you specifically because I have a favor to ask of you, Your Grace. Could you do me a small favor?"
Horst looked at the Mountain with a strange expression: "Sir Gregor, your words are like a venomous snake smeared with honey. Are you really Sir Gregor?"
"Yes!"
"You're not the Demon Mountain of legend, I can tell!"
"Rumors always contain more exaggeration and fabrication than fact, just like praise; the vast majority of praise is false!"
Duke Horst looked at the Mountain with a strange expression: "I agree, Sir Gregor. Have you studied with a maester?"
"No, but I'm learning to read."
Duke Horst paused again, looking closely at the Mountain's face: "Sir Gregor, are you learning to read now?"
"Yes, Your Grace."
Duke Horst remained silent for a long time, as if pondering some incomprehensible problem. After a while, he said, "Sir Gregor, tell me, what is your purpose in breaking through Riverrun and capturing me?"
"Your Grace, I'll tell you when your scholar arrives!"
"Why?"
"I don't want these little things to upset you."
"Is it related to Edmure?"
"Yes, Duke Horst."
"Tell me, I just drank a bowl of poppy milk, and I've never felt better than I do now."
The Mountain carefully observed the Duke's expression and said, "Alright, Duke, since you insist on hearing it, I will tell you."
Duke Horst looked at the Mountain with a stern expression.
The Mountain said, "Your Grace, I am on the orders of Lord Tywin Lannister, leading thirty Clegane cavalrymen from the Westerlands, passing through the Lord's Riverrun, to pay my respects to His Majesty the King at the town of Earl Harlowe."
"Yes, I received a letter from Lord Tywin!"
"Your Grace, on my way back, I passed through the Kneeling Lodge and was stopped by Ser Edmure Tully, who led over six hundred archers, four hundred cavalry, and a dozen noble knights. They stole our saddles, armor, swords, money, food, and wine. Even the horseshoes were knocked off by Ser Edmure's soldiers. We were driven from the Kneeling Lodge and have nowhere to stay. We have no choice but to come to Riverrun to ask Your Grace to seek justice for us."
Duke Horst looked at the Mountain and said, "Sir Gregor, Edmure was indeed wrong in this matter, and I apologize to you on his behalf. Please forgive my son's recklessness and ignorance. Riverrun will compensate you double for the losses you have suffered."
"No, Your Grace, I only accept Sir Edmure's apology!" the Mountain said calmly, his tone resolute. "The Mountain and my brothers cannot accept Your Grace's apology. As for our losses, Riverrun must provide sincere compensation!"