The Mountain of Ice and Fire

"Madam, are your mine supervisor, Vambler Sharatt, and your maester loyal and trustworthy?" Mountain asked Madam Sharatt.

"Loyal and trustworthy, Duke Gregor."

"Then their words are credible?"

"Yes, Duke Gregor."

"A few days ago, we summoned Vambler Sharatt from the mine and asked him about the Silver Hall gold and silver mine. Everything he said was credible."

"Yes, my lord."

"The same goes for the maester?"

"Duke Gregor, Supervisor Vambler Sharatt and the maester are loyal and trustworthy, and their words are credible," the madam affirmed.

"Very well. Vambler Sharatt said that the gold and silver mines of the Silver Hall Mountains will be completely exhausted in less than a year. Then, in a year, the people of Silver Hall will have no mines to dig, the Sharatt family will have no gold mines, and the farmland at the foot of the mountain is very limited. Has the Sharatt family considered what to do next?"

"Trade, my lord. If it weren't for the war, our family would have already bought ships in Lannisport and started trading with the other side of the Narrow Sea."

"What kind of trade does the madam plan to engage in?"

"Spices, cloth, iron ore, silk, gold, silver, and jade."

"A good idea, madam. My father-in-law, Gavin Westerling, is also planning to do the same, preparing to trade in spices, cloth, iron ore, silk, gold, silver, jade, glass, Myr carpets, Riverland beer, and so on."

"Oh!"

"The Westerlands are mountainous and rich in minerals. As far as I know, even the richest gold mine of the Tywin Lannister family can only last for a year and a half at most. When all the nobles in the Westerlands have no mines and the farmland is very limited, if the nobles all flock to trade in spices, cloth, silk, gold, silver, and jade, it will be difficult to make money."

"Uh, what you said makes sense, my lord," Madam Sharatt said. "I hadn't thought of that."

"There's an even more serious point. The nobles can still buy ships and trade with the other side of the Narrow Sea, but what about the people in your territory? The Westerlands have many bandits, and those bandits are all former miners. However, only a few become bandits. What about the majority of the people, hundreds of thousands of them? They have no mines to dig, no land to cultivate, and no money to buy ships for trade. In the end, they will either become robbers or migrate with their families. There is no third option."

"…………"

"We can't stop the people from leaving. If the people leave, the Westerlands will inevitably decline. If there's another war in the future, we won't even have the ability to recruit soldiers."

"…………"

"The problem is very serious, madam."

"Yes, Duke Gregor."

"Tywin Lannister will never return to the Westerlands. Do you know this news?"

"…I…am not…aware…Duke Gregor…"

Madam Sharatt's eyes flickered as she looked at Mountain. It was impossible for Queen Cersei and King Joffrey to order the killing of Tywin Lannister, one being her daughter and the other her grandson. This question was too sensitive, too mysterious, and too dangerous. Madam Sharatt decided not to ask.

"Didn't the royal family send you a raven to explain the situation, madam?"

"…Uh…no…Duke Gregor…"

"Tywin Lannister has already donned the black."

"…Ah!…" the countess exclaimed softly.

Everyone understood what donning the black meant!

The Night's Watch. From then on, no land, no children, no seeking glory or wealth, no participation in the affairs of the Seven Kingdoms, and a lifetime of guarding the Wall.

"The Westerlands will never have Tywin Lannister again," Mountain said in a deep voice.

This was a thunderbolt thrown into the countess's heart! A thunderbolt!

The madam was so shocked that she couldn't speak. She glanced at her supervisor, family guards, and maester. Everyone was shocked!

The Westerlands will never have Tywin? The Westerlands will never have Duke Tywin again? Then what about the Lannister family's tax management and political administration?

"The Westerlands will never have Tywin, and I am the Warden of the West," Mountain said, staring at the countess.

"…………"

The last bit of hope in the countess's heart was extinguished. She had thought that Duke Tywin would return and make a comeback, and that Mountain's head would eventually be chopped off by the duke and stuck on a spear.

The Warden of the West was the highest official position in the Westerlands, representing the royal power loyal to the king. This was naturally an official position that could be granted and, of course, revoked. But Tywin Lannister had donned the black, and the royal family didn't dare to send a raven to inform the entire territory of this news…

"The Westerlands currently have two things that can be exported to the Seven Kingdoms and across the Narrow Sea. The first is snow salt, and the second is Westerling noodles."

"Yes, my lord."

"Snow salt and noodles were both invented by the Cleganes."

The countess's mouth was full of bitterness: "Yes, Duke Gregor, the people of the Westerlands are grateful for the Cleganes' inventions."

"And the disinfection method for diseased milk was invented by my wife, Jeyne, allowing the nobles of the Westerlands to drink healthy milk instead of pouring it away."

"Yes, my lord!" Why was Tywin Lannister so foolish as to put on the black? The countess couldn't understand. With the Westerlands completely losing Tywin Lannister, who could restrain Mountain?

"Madam, I am the Warden of the West, and I will replace Tywin Lannister in revitalizing the Westerlands. And I have already found a way. Recruiting these handsome children is one of the methods. I can make the Westerlands stronger, more glorious, and richer. Snow salt, military whistles, milk, and noodles have already proven the Cleganes' new creative and inventive abilities. Madam, are you willing to kneel down and pledge allegiance to me, and completely follow me?"

"Duke Gregor, I am not the head of Silver Hall Sharatt."

"Madam, if I say you are, then you are. Addam Sharatt will be your future heir." Mountain's eyes stared at the countess. "The first person to swear allegiance and follow me can enjoy the snow salt trade and the noodle-making technology, and this is just the beginning."

Madam Sharatt's heart fluttered.

The snow salt had always been monopolized by the Lannister family, with Kevan Lannister being the specific person in charge.

She looked at her supervisor and maester. The supervisor and maester nodded slightly. If they didn't nod, Mountain might chop off their heads. This was what the supervisor and maester were concerned about!

The countess knelt on one knee: "Countess Sheryl Deeby of Sharatt, in the name of the Old Gods and the New, and in the name of the honor of the Sharatt family, I swear allegiance to Duke Gregor Clegane, Warden of the West, Master of War. Sheryl Deeby will henceforth follow you to the death, and the Sharatt family will never betray you."

There was a small loophole in this oath, which was that Mountain must always be the Warden of the West and Master of War, so the Sharatt family would never betray him. Once Mountain was no longer the Warden of the West or Master of War, then Sheryl Deeby and the Sharatt family's betrayal would not violate the oath.

Mountain heard the loophole in this oath, and her supervisor and maester heard it too. They were very worried that Mountain would also hear it. If that were the case, their necks would be left with a bowl-sized scar.

The maester glanced at Mountain, at Mountain's subordinates. No one's expression changed, and the maester secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at the supervisor, whose right hand was trembling slightly, and whose left hand was wiping cold sweat from his forehead. This small lapse was also dangerous and could be noticed.

Supervisor Carol Sharatt was too nervous. He couldn't even realize that his body language was betraying himself and the countess.

Mountain naturally heard it too. As long as he lost power, Madam Sharatt and the Sharatt family would no longer be loyal to him. This reasoning was correct. Tywin had donned the black and could never return. Wasn't the Sharatt countess, who had been loyal to the Lannisters, kneeling down and turning to be loyal to the more powerful him? He couldn't expect these nobles to be as loyal and unwavering as the people of Crabb's Claw. That was unrealistic!

But this was just the beginning. Rewarding and punishing with both kindness and power was a long-term task. Although it was difficult to win over the hearts of the nobles, it was easy to win over the hearts of the common people. Whoever made the common people live happily, the common people would support them, without a doubt!

Mountain got up from his seat, walked around the long table, and personally helped the madam up. He had to be polite to those who were willing to kneel to him.

"Madam, please issue an order to remove the Lannister family's banners from the Westerlands and raise the Clegane family's 'Red Smoke Beast Ice Sword' banners."

This was the most powerful thing!

When the common people and vassals saw the banners being changed on the city walls, everyone would know that the Sharatt family had abandoned their old Lannister master and sworn allegiance to the Clegane family. If the Sharatt family wanted to return to the Lannisters in the future, this would be evidence of their political enemies kicking them when they were down. Once Duke Mountain's path was embarked upon, it would be difficult to get off the ship.

It was difficult to get off a pirate ship!

The current Mountain was no longer the Mountain of the past. Being black-bellied was just a small part of his personality.

Thus, on the walls of Silver Hall City, the golden lion banner of the Lannister family, which had been flying high, was replaced by the Clegane family's 'Red Smoke Beast Ice Sword' banner! This new banner was a little higher than the Sharatt family's own peacock banner.

*

"Madam, please lead your supervisor and maester to the Layton family in the Deep Den ahead to check the household registrations, land properties, and taxes, and have the Layton family transcribe a copy. All original contracts and documents must be submitted and temporarily kept by you. Bring them to Lannisport in a month."

*

Deep Den was located next to the Golden Road in front and was the home castle of the Layton family. Their family crest was a white badger.

Lymond Layton, the Earl of Deep Den, had already been killed in Mountain's siege of King's Landing!

Jeyne Layton, the sister of Earl Lymond Layton, was the second wife of Stevron Frey, the eldest son of Lord Walder Frey, and the mother of Aegon Frey and Magna Frey, who had already sworn allegiance to the North.

*

"…Duke Gregor…I have no right to investigate…anything of the Layton family…This will make them feel humiliated…and will cause the Sharatt family and the Layton family…"

"Madam, you represent the Warden of the West!" Mountain used honorifics when addressing the madam. She had sworn allegiance and had to be made to feel respected.

"But…"

"Ser Rafford Clegane, Ser Polliver Clegane, Ser Dunsen Clegane, lead your heavy cavalry and be under the madam's command. Go to Deep Den with the madam and select all the handsome boys in the Layton family's territory. Order the Layton family to send them all to Lannisport in a month."

"As you command, my lord."

Sweetmouth Rafford, the artist Polliver, and the executioner Dunsen stood up together and bowed in agreement.

Mountain's eyes softened: "Madam Sheryl Deeby, my soldiers are your soldiers. If the Layton family does not obey you, who represents the Warden of the West, you can order Rafford, Polliver, and Dunsen to kill all the people of the Layton family, leaving only the vassals and common people."

The pirate ship had been boarded, and the ship had left the shore!

"As you command, Duke Gregor," Madam Sheryl Deeby had no choice but to carry out the order.

*

Lannisport, the largest city in the Westerlands, was larger, more prosperous, and more populous than Casterly Rock, the home of the Lannister family.

Lannisport was the third largest port city in the Seven Kingdoms. The first was Oldtown Port, under the control of the Tyrell family, and the second was Blackwater River Port, under the control of the King's Landing royal family.

The advantages of a seaport trading city were unique. Lannisport's trade business spanned two continents: Westeros and Essos across the Narrow Sea.

Last year, the Northmen entered the Westerlands and were unstoppable, invincible in every battle. But later, they suddenly withdrew their troops, allowing Lannisport to escape unscathed and avoid the disaster of war.

Now that the Westerlands were at peace, the enemy Northern army had gone far away, traveling thousands of miles to recapture their old lair. There was no war in the Westerlands, but the entire Lannisport was as if shrouded in the shadow of war. The entire city was filled with an atmosphere of unease.

In the western city port, merchant ships carrying goods and preparing to leave crowded the port. The wages of dockworkers soared. Some cargo ships hurriedly unloaded silk, cloth, carpets, ironware, ornaments… and loaded Riverland beer, snow salt, glass… onto the ships.

Once a ship completed loading and unloading and left the shore, the captain would breathe a sigh of relief, and the sailors on board would cheer together as if they were victorious warriors.

In the eastern city of Lannisport, the soldiers guarding the city gates, the soldiers on the city walls, and the patrolling soldiers all looked uneasy, occasionally looking towards the end of the Golden Road, as if some prehistoric beast would appear at the end of that road…

Due to the needs of the war, Daven Lannister, a branch of the Lannister family, had recruited three thousand new soldiers in Lannisport. Now, two thousand of the three thousand new soldiers had deserted. The remaining one thousand were incorporated into the Lannisport garrison, and most of them had changed their names. Anyone with the last name Lann, Lannys, Lannis, or Lannister had changed to a false surname…

The lord of Lannisport was Earl Oddwell, who collaborated with Mountain on Westerling noodles. Earl Oddwell followed Duke Tywin and led troops to fight, leaving Lannisport. Kevan Lannister, who remained behind, became the acting commander and city lord of the port.

Now the acting city lord had abandoned the city and fled, taking the entire family with him, leaving no one behind. He hired a large ship in Lannisport and fled in the dark of night, abandoning all his subordinates. Now Lannisport had become a city without a master.

Daven Lannister fled with his family, and his three thousand-strong army immediately scattered and fled for their lives. Finally, the few soldiers who had no way to escape were all incorporated into the severely undermanned garrison.

Maester Bancroft, the gray-robed maester of Earl Oddwell, had to bite the bullet and put nine-year-old Rosamund Lannister on the city lord's throne and guide her in managing this vast city.

Although the sun was shining brightly, illuminating Lannisport, there was an indelible haze over the entire city, shrouding the heads of everyone, whether commoners, soldiers, generals, knights, or dockworkers… everyone was filled with fear…

Mountain—had returned!

*

ps: There's more coming.

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