The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The Mountain stood in the main castle's corridor, Lady Jeyne stood a head shorter than him.

Jeyne was standing on a high stool.

Simply comparing their builds, she was far too slender.

The people below all looked up at the Mountain, feeling that other than his beast-like physique, his eyes and expression weren't as ferocious as the legends claimed.

Moreover, he had one nose and two eyes, with no unusual or peculiar features.

Many people's gazes inadvertently met the Mountain's, and they didn't feel a savage aura pressing down on them.

The Mountain's expression was gentle, and he even wore a modest smile on his face.

His attitude was also kind when speaking with Jeyne, standing below the main castle, one could barely hear the Mountain's voice, while legends said the Mountain's voice was as terrifying as thunder. – Everyone saw it with their own eyes, and now it seemed that it wasn't the case at all.

The people's fear of the Mountain was fading.

After all, seeing is believing.

The rumors were all about the Mountain's brutality, ferocity, bloodlust, and terror.

But when they really saw this super giant, the people realized that this giant who spoke softly to Lady Jeyne didn't seem to be related to brutality and terror at all.

When the Bull walked over carrying the wood, everyone's attention focused on this stout and clumsy woman.

The wood-carrying woman was taller than the average man, with a barrel waist, broom-like eyebrows, a wide face, and thick lips, lacking any delicate feminine beauty.

People were talking about her.

The woman also had a pair of surprisingly large and funny feet.

The Mountain watched the people pointing and commenting on the wood-carrying woman and said to Jeyne, "This woman has good courage, I think you should take her as a maid."

Jeyne looked at the Mountain with disbelief.

The Mountain smiled and said, "Do you also judge people by their appearance?"

"For the newly returned people, Westerling should not force them. If you really want to take her as a maid, you need her consent, not a condescending decree."

"Okay, you're right! If we can take her as a maid, we can establish a sense of being close to the people in their hearts."

The Mountain liked this kind of simple-minded people with no scheming intentions at first glance.

Establishing trust with the people and winning their hearts all required creating role models! The Westerling family's vitality had been greatly damaged for two generations, and their prestige in the hearts of the people had dropped to the lowest point. To give the people confidence in change, they had to establish role models and be close to them.

"Ser Gregor, your idea is good, but I will still prioritize the woman's own wishes, rather than the noble's decree," Jeyne insisted.

"Okay!" The Mountain agreed.

Earl Damon and Earl Leo looked at the Mountain as if he were a monster.

The Mountain didn't avoid the three earls beside him, Damon, Leo, and Gavin, when speaking to Jeyne.

To be honest, his father-in-law's ability was very average. If he had to discuss everything with him and he vetoed it, things wouldn't get done. Therefore, to avoid conflicts of opinion, the Mountain decided to act decisively, doing what he thought was right without needing his parents-in-law's approval. He didn't even need to discuss key matters; one word, do it!

The Mountain had used his own strength to take back all the Westerling family's land, a problem that the Westerling family had been unable to solve for generations. Although Earl Gavin's ability was average, he wasn't stupid and knew that Westerling's revival and rise couldn't be separated from the Mountain's support.

In fact, the Mountain didn't even go through his decisions on some matters, which instead gave Earl Gavin a sense of relief. However, Earl Gavin didn't let anyone know about this feeling.

People with no opinions of their own are more willing to have a backbone to make decisions for them. He could avoid the great psychological pressure brought about by making choices.

Although Earl Gavin didn't know where the Mountain's money for raising troops came from, Jeyne had said that the Mountain would find a way to get money to raise troops, so Earl Gavin breathed a sigh of relief. He was stern and disliked it on the surface, but in his heart, he was happy to let the Mountain lead everything, and also let Earl Damon see who his son-in-law was if the Marbrands wanted to do something to the Westerling family in the future – the Mountain!

If the Mountain wanted to revive Westerling, let him work hard and give his life!

Why not?

The Bull carried the wood to the main castle gate, and under Reynard's guidance, she placed the round wood upright at the main castle gate. Then, Reynard took the lead in applauding.

The guards all applauded together.

The soldiers and centurions maintaining order, and the knights at the main castle gate, all applauded together.

Earl Damon chuckled, "Lord Mountain, the farce is over, give the money."

"Of course!" The Mountain smiled.

Earl Leo also smiled with a look of watching the show.

The Mountain said to the dark mass of people below the main castle, "Citizens, I am Ser Gregor Clegane." His voice was like a bell, echoing in the sky above the training grounds, deafening the people's ears.

Thousands of people looked surprised, realizing that this was the Mountain's voice. Although it was still somewhat different from the legendary thunderous voice, it was still shocking.

The whole place was suddenly silent, and everyone felt an invisible and palpable pressure.

The Mountain scanned the audience, his majesty inspiring awe, "On behalf of the Westerling family, I want to announce some new decrees to all of you. Before that, I must first give the promised reward to this girl who carried the round wood. From now on, any decree of the Westerling family will be like the small test of carrying the round wood today, what is said must be done, and there will definitely be a result, and it will never be changed casually. Girl, what's your name?"

The Bull was tongue-tied. She didn't have a name. People in the village called her Bull, and her man also called her Bull, but the woman knew that the name Bull was teasing and humiliating. In such an occasion, facing so many great nobles, the woman was tongue-tied, and her face flushed red.

She was simple, but not stupid, knowing that saying her name was Bull would cause laughter.

The Mountain said, "Girl, don't be afraid, it's okay if you don't want to say your name." The Mountain scanned the crowd, and everyone was silent. There were too many rumors about this giant's brutality and terror. Would he kill her because of this woman's rudeness?

Nobles often didn't need a reason to kill an impolite commoner.

Everyone's hearts were in their throats!

"Reynard, reward the girl with a gold dragon," The Mountain said.

"Yes, Lord Gregor!"

Reynard took out a gold dragon and handed it to the girl.

The Bull looked at the gold dragon in her hand. This was the first time she had earned money in more than twenty years, and it was a gold dragon. She was very excited, and her eyes looked at Bernie in the crowd. Bernie was in the crowd, inconspicuous because of his short stature. But the Bull found Bernie at a glance.

As long as Bernie didn't leave her, this gold dragon was nothing to him.

The Mountain continued, "I thought it would be a courageous man who would carry this round wood from the city gate to here, but who knew that among the thousands of people in the Westerling territory, more than two thousand grown men, were not as courageous as a woman. I, the Mountain, admire and respect this girl's courage."

The Mountain took out a gold dragon he had minted from his pocket. This gold dragon seemed to have been polished, and it lit up people's eyes as soon as it was taken out. The first reason was that this gold dragon was very new, and the second reason was that some red copper was added to the gold.

In this world, no one could judge that this was a fake coin because of this.

"Girl, this gold coin is specially rewarded to you for your courage and bravery."

Whoosh!

The gold dragon in the Mountain's hand flew down and landed accurately in the Bull's hand. The Bull was unprepared, and the gold dragon bounced off her hand and fell to the ground with a light clink.

Thank you 'Some Unscientific Lewd Gentleman' for the reward, thank you!