The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The Mountain, holding a torch, entered the tunnel.

The tunnel grew narrower, forcing him to stoop.

Torches were placed along both sides of the tunnel, with two at each bend for illumination.

Rounding a bend, the tunnel opened up, and the corridor widened, revealing over a dozen prison cells. One of the doors was open, and voices could be heard from within.

The Mountain's footsteps alerted those inside, and Reynard Westerling appeared at the cell door.

"Ser Gregor," Reynard said.

"Bring them out! To the interrogation room!" The Mountain ordered.

"Yes, Ser Gregor."

The Mountain turned back and returned to the upper level, entering the interrogation room. The stench of blood was heavy in the air, filling it with a foul odor that made it hard to breathe.

The Mountain sat down at a long, dark table. Opposite him, on the wall, was a water hole. Water flowed down a groove in the wall, into a channel in the floor, and finally drained out through a hole in the ground.

This was for washing away blood.

When a prisoner had been interrogated and the blood needed to be washed away, a small, cone-shaped cylinder hanging on the wall would be inserted into the water hole. The water would then flow through the cylinder into a basin, which could be used to clean the table, benches, and floor.

However, no matter how much washing was done, over time, with too many prisoners interrogated, the blood seeped into the stone floor, turning it black. The blood also permeated the tables and benches, turning them black as well. The bloody stench emanated from the tables, benches, and floor, making one want to vomit.

After a while, with the clanking of chains and manacles, Stinky Mouth and Reynard led three men into the interrogation room.

"Tsk! Who beat them up like this?" The Mountain frowned.

The three men were covered in wounds and blood. One of them had a face that looked as if it had been smashed to pieces. His nose was completely flattened, and his upper and lower lips had been sliced off, revealing his red gums. It was a gruesome sight that made one feel instantly ill.

"Ser Gregor, Captain Chiswyck headbutted him," Stinky Mouth said, pointing to the man whose face looked like a paint shop had exploded on it.

"A headbutt couldn't have removed his upper and lower lips," The Mountain said.

"Chiswyck used a knife to cut off the flesh of his upper and lower lips," Stinky Mouth admitted.

"Hmm!" The Mountain nodded. "Did they confess?"

"They confessed. They are guards from House Marbrand, ordered to spread all sorts of rumors about you in Lannisport," Stinky Mouth said.

"And rumors about us imposing heavy taxes," Reynard added.

"Good that they confessed. Their Lord Damon Marbrand is our honored guest. For the sake of the Lord, let's not make things difficult for these three," The Mountain said casually.

"Yes, my lord!" Stinky Mouth and Reynard replied.

"Stinky Mouth, Reynard, we need to raise the first batch of three hundred soldiers in five days, but there's a problem. We have no money," Gregor said.

"Get some money from Lord Damon in exchange for these three guards," Stinky Mouth suggested.

Reynard said, "Ser Gregor, my mother and uncle actually have many connections for trading spices. We can hire people in Lannisport to continue the spice trade."

"Hmm, a good idea. However, Stinky Mouth's method won't bring in enough money. If we had captured Addam Marbrand, the ransom would be substantial, but these are just three small guards, not worth much. Reynard's idea is better, the spice trade is very profitable, but it requires a large initial investment. A trip across the Narrow Sea takes at least two months. The cycle is too long, and the spice trade cannot meet our immediate need for money."

Stinky Mouth and Reynard didn't know what to suggest.

The Mountain said, "Can I trust you two? What I'm about to say is absolutely confidential."

The Mountain knew Stinky Mouth and Reynard's personalities well. They were two absolutely reliable youths, and he wanted to nurture them. After this matter, they were two knights he would personally bestow.

Stinky Mouth grinned. "Ser Gregor, no matter what you tell me, I swear by the Stranger that even if the sun rises in the west and the moon falls in the east, I will keep it a secret. Even if someone smashes my teeth, I won't say a word."

The Mountain nodded. "I trust you, Stinky Mouth."

Reynard said, "Ser, the words that leave your mouth enter my ears and go into my heart. I will keep them secret from anyone without your order. I don't swear by my family's honor or the Faith of the Seven, I guarantee it with my life: I would rather die than reveal a secret."

The Mountain nodded. "Good, Reynard, you are already my family. I trust you."

The Mountain's 'I trust you,' a short sentence, a few words, dropped like a stone into the hearts of Reynard and Stinky Mouth, stirring up a huge splash.

The Mountain's words had made it clear that they were Gregor's true confidants and brothers, which filled the two young men with excitement and surging blood. To be entrusted with a secret by the brave and invincible Ser Gregor filled them with excitement, and their hearts beat faster.

The Mountain said, "Lord Tywin told me that the Seven Kingdoms will undergo great changes, and war will break out soon. I must train an elite force. The current military plan is: five hundred Clegane cavalry, one thousand of Chiswyck's mercenaries, and one thousand infantry from Crakehall." Gregor paused here, looking at the two solemn and serious young men, he could see sparks of fire in their eyes.

"Three armies, a force of two thousand five hundred, requires a large sum of money to train. But Duke Tywin doesn't give me money, but he gave me a right, this is a violation of existing laws of power, that is to coin money myself."

Gregor paused again.

He stared at the two young men.

Although Stinky Mouth didn't say a word, his heart was surging, and he admired Ser Gregor even more. He was a young man who despised the law, because if he obeyed the law, he would have starved to death in the streets long ago.

Coining money, something no one dared to do, Ser Gregor dared to do it, which was really amazing.

Reynard's eyes were firm, since Duke Tywin acquiesced, what was there to be afraid of, just do it!

The simple-minded young man didn't think deeply, what if this was actually Ser Gregor's idea?! With Gregor's personality of daring to do anything, it was possible.

Reynard said, "Ser Gregor, there are still three Marbrand guards here."

Gregor ignored Reynard's reminder and continued, "To the east of Crakehall, there are two places that people dare not enter, one is Castamere, and the other is Tarbeck Hall. These two places are rich in gold mines, but no one dares to touch them. Although I have the tacit consent of Duke Tywin, I can't openly move them, so I want you two to be responsible for this matter, finding miners to secretly enter Castamere and Tarbeck Hall to mine gold. I will send people to coin money."

"The Rains of Castamere" was sung throughout the Seven Kingdoms, and people knew that Castamere and Tarbeck Hall were exterminated by Duke Tywin when he was nineteen years old, leaving no one alive, killing all men, women, old and young. In order to deter the other nobles of the Westerlands, these two places became barren, and no one was allowed to cultivate, plant, occupy, or mine.

The two young men were staring at Ser Gregor, their eyes without the slightest fear, and their young hearts were filled with fiery passion and fighting spirit.

"In terms of manpower, find citizens who have received the Westerling family's favor for hundreds of years to be the miners; the guards should be mainly family relatives; the family ties accumulated by the Westerling family as lords here for thousands of years, I believe there is no problem. In terms of supervision, Stinky Mouth should put in more effort. If there are miners who disobey orders or want to escape, kill them!"

"If I mobilize the family's loyal guards, my parents will definitely find out," Reynard said.

"I will send you to establish a training camp in the eastern territory," Gregor said.

"Okay, I will take care of these things properly. The families of the mining workers will be arranged near our Crakehall. I will find the most reliable relative mining boss to gather people."

The Mountain nodded and said, "Stinky Mouth, Reynard, if you do this beautifully for me, I will grant you knighthoods."

Stinky Mouth and Reynard were overjoyed, and although they tried their best to control themselves, they couldn't help but smile.

"Stinky Mouth, I will ask Lady Jeyne to give you a name, and then give you the Clegane surname."

Stinky Mouth's chest was as if he had been hit hard by someone, and as if his chest had been ignited by a magical force in an instant, with a bang, the flames burned, and his whole body became hot.

He couldn't say anything, knelt on one knee, and placed his right fist on his chest where his heart was beating: "Ser Gregor, I swear to follow you to the death, and I am honored to become a Clegane."

The Mountain gently patted Stinky Mouth's shoulder and helped him up: "From today onwards, you and Reynard are my family and brothers."

Stinky Mouth's mouth twitched, his eyes were red, and his heart was agitated. For an orphan who had grown up in the streets and despised right and wrong, he was the first time being so valued by a nobleman, entrusted with important matters, and allowing him to become a knight, a nobleman, from being nameless. Not to mention one life, even if he had ten lives, Stinky Mouth would not hesitate to sell them to the Mountain.

The Mountain asked Stinky Mouth to take some time to digest his turbulent emotions, and he looked at Reynard: "Reynard, have you ever killed anyone?"

Reynard blushed, and he shook his head.

Reynard was only three years old when the last national war ended. There had been sixteen years of national peace, and the young man had no chance to go to the battlefield at all. The Westerling family had begun to decline rapidly from Ser Gawen's father's generation, becoming worse year by year. The young man had practiced martial arts since he was a child, living under Ser Gawen's protection, and had never killed anyone.

The family also had an executioner to carry out punishments for crimes in the territory, without the need for the family heir to do it himself.

"A kind heart cannot make a good general, and a soft heart is not worthy of being a qualified soldier. Kindness does not control the army, and kindness does not make a good soldier," The Mountain said lightly, pointing to the three Marbrand guards. "Reynard, go kill these three."