The Mountain of Ice and Fire

This was a map very familiar to Count Strella.

A complete version of the Western Territory's northern map.

From Tarbeck Hall to Castamere, and from Castamere to Casterly Rock, someone had traced the edges with a pen and then colored it a light green.

On the east side of the map, Branding City stood out prominently.

Branding City was the castle of the Marbrand family, and Marbrand was the maiden name of Duke Tywin's mother. Earl Marbrand was killed by Robb Stark of the North, and his heir, Adam Marbrand, was killed in the sack of King's Landing by Raff the Sweetling and the executioner Dunsen.

This family had declined!

From Tarbeck Hall to Casterly Rock, besides Castamere, there were also a dozen or so other small nobles in between.

None of these nobles' castles were visible, all submerged in a light green. Count Strella couldn't even see his own small city of Rhone in the location of the Rhone family's territory.

This was a modified map, making Count Strella very uneasy.

Any noble would be uneasy if they couldn't see their family's territory and castle on the map. The information it conveyed was unsettling to contemplate.

"From here to here, all connected into one area, what do you think, Earl?" The Mountain's finger划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划过划分划划划划划划划划划划划拨划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划划走了，在地图上划出了一条线，将塔贝克厅、卡斯特梅、峭岩城和十多家小贵族的领地全部包括在了一起。

Was the Mountain going to annex all the small nobles' territories between these three big cities?

This did indeed fit with the Mountain's overbearing nature!

Count Strella pondered whether he should say it was very good, or that he didn't understand and hoped the Mountain would clarify, or simply remain silent.

What was the best way to respond without angering the Mountain?

If the Mountain was angered, the Earl worried about his wife and daughter being humiliated.

Count Strella decided to first put on a smile, a smile that was like water in a sponge, always available if you were willing to squeeze it out: "Lord Mountain, this entire area is colored light green, what does this mean?"

"This is our area's future gold mine," the Mountain said, "Is there any trade more profitable than digging for gold?"

Strella felt his smile wouldn't be too stiff, he hoped to make the Mountain feel his obedience rather than defiance: "Duke... uh... you're very humorous, but painting this map light green won't make gold mines reappear in Casterly Rock, Rhone City, Alex City, Diff City, Willmore City... These places' gold mines have already been completely exhausted."

This was the truth.

His father-in-law's family, Westerling, had fallen into decline because they had exhausted their gold mines early on, and were looked down upon by the great nobles of the West. In order to rise again, the family meticulously cultivated Jeyne Westerling to become a noble lady, erudite and knowledgeable, so that she could marry a powerful and wealthy great noble in the future. In the end, the talented and beautiful Jeyne was taken advantage of by the Mountain.

Flowers could only bloom more brightly when planted on dung!

"Earl is right, these places indeed no longer have gold mines, but the gold mine I'm talking about is naturally not a real gold mine, but refers to something as profitable as a gold mine."

"What is it?" Strella forced himself to look like he was listening attentively, with a smile on his face, "Duke, ever since you received the Seven Gods' blessing, I have been extremely impressed by your wisdom and knowledge. You invented snow salt, thermometers, and turned disease-causing milk into healthy milk..."

"Silk!" The Mountain interrupted the Earl's flattering nonsense, "The West's next gold mine is silk, is there anything more valuable than silk?"

"..."

Silk? What a joke, silk all came from across the Narrow Sea, all imported, expensive, a silk shawl or dress was more expensive than gold.

Strella smiled awkwardly, laughing haha, not daring to casually respond to the Mountain's astonishing words.

He completely didn't understand what the Mountain was talking about.

Looking at the map, he did see that his family's Rhone City and the castles of more than a dozen other small nobles had all disappeared.

"Earl, have you been to Earl Audd's courtyard in Lannisport?"

"Yes, Duke, I've been there many times."

"Then have you seen the two huge mulberry trees in the courtyard, which bear mulberries four times a year? How many times have you eaten the mulberries?" (There's foreshadowing earlier, specifically written about this mulberry tree, I can't remember where, isn't that awesome?)

"Uh, several times," Earl Stanley said, "Every time I went to Earl Audd's courtyard, the Earl liked to take me to admire his mulberry trees. The mulberries were Miss Rosamund Lannister's favorite, the shiny black mulberries were sweet, fragrant, juicy, and delicious, I was deeply impressed."

"Earl, those mulberry trees are Earl Audd's proudest ornamental trees, his courtyard is the only one in the entire West with two of them. The mulberry trees came from the Rhoyne River basin in Volantis, across the Narrow Sea. A captain who often runs the Lannisport trade route specially brought them from Volantis to please Earl Audd."

"Yes, Duke, I've heard of it."

"Since Earl Audd's courtyard can support mulberry trees, then other places in the West can naturally support them too."

"Yes, Duke," Earl Strella could only answer mechanically.

What did being able to support mulberry trees have to do with silk?

"The leaves of the mulberry tree can feed a silk worm called a silkworm. When this silkworm matures, it will spin silk into a cocoon. The silk that is exported to us from across the Narrow Sea is spun by this silkworm."

Earl Strella heard of silkworms for the first time. His wife had silk clothes and silk shawls, and his daughter also had several pieces, which were expensive and symbolized the status of noble women, but they knew nothing about silk and silkworms, or cocoons.

Earl Strella could only force himself to look at the Mountain, to show that he was listening attentively.

"Remember when I held a meeting in Lannisport and asked the nobles from all over to send the handsome men they had selected to Lannisport?"

"I remember! Duke."

"We don't know how to plant mulberry trees, how to raise silkworms, or how to reel silk, but some people do. The women of the Rhoyne River basin do." (A porter of true historical stories)

"..." The Earl looked at the Mountain blankly, nodding mechanically.

"I will ask the captains from across the Narrow Sea in Lannisport to teach the handsome men of the West the customs, language, and culture of the Rhoyne River basin, and then, a month later, send them on ships to the Rhoyne River basin to purchase local specialties and agricultural products, and then bring back hundreds of women who are proficient in sericulture for us. At the same time, I will spend a lot of money to buy mulberry seedlings and silkworm eggs. As long as I pay, the captains who have been trading between the two continents for many years will compete to buy us mulberry seedlings and silkworm eggs."

The Earl kept nodding mechanically, finding it difficult to understand the... feasibility of this matter.

"Those young men will be specially escorted by the Dragonstone naval warships, which will be converted into merchant ships. They are all handsome, young, and rich, pretending to be noble sons. It won't be difficult for one of them to marry a young woman. The women who know how to plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms are all from poor families."

Strella could only swallow hard as he looked at Lord Mountain.

He didn't know if the story Lord Mountain was telling was true or false, it was the first time he had heard this story. But whether it was true or false, as long as he nodded and supported Lord Mountain's story as being wonderful, he definitely wouldn't make a mistake.

"Earl, the sericulture technology of the Rhoyne River basin is not native to the Rhoyne River. Their sericulture technology comes from the more distant East, the Eastern continent even further than Qarth. At the end of the world, there is an Eastern country that is proficient in sericulture. The first silk products they arrived in were Qarth. As soon as the light and soft silk products arrived in Qarth, they caused a sensation in the entire city."

Strella felt like he was just a child who hadn't grown up yet, he had never heard of these stories! After all, that was a story on another continent, the Eastern city of Qarth, which was said to be tens of thousands of miles away from the West.

Anyway, if he didn't understand, he should just pretend to listen carefully, and nod frequently.

"The Riverlands and the Reach are granaries, with fertile land and abundant water resources, but our West is mostly mountainous, and the hilly and gravelly areas are perfect for planting mulberry trees. We will vigorously develop sericulture, right in this area." The Mountain's thick finger pointed to the land he had outlined with a pen.

A piece of land painted light green on the map! From Tarbeck Hall to Castamere to Casterly Rock, a very large piece of land.

"Earl, are you willing to help me?"

"I'd be delighted, Duke."

"Good, then I want you to persuade the nobles of all the small castles such as Alex City, Diff City, Willmore City, Sala City, Tershi City... to come to Rhone City and swear allegiance to me. I need to uniformly plan their hills, mountains, and gravel areas. Those that need to be leveled must be leveled, and those that need to be reclaimed must be reclaimed. I will lead everyone in this area, and we will see a harvest next year. A brand new gold mine."

Earl Strella didn't clearly hear the future prospects described by the Mountain, he only clearly heard that Lord Mountain wanted him to persuade "the nobles of all the small castles such as Alex City, Diff City, Willmore City, Sala City, Tershi City..." to come to Rhone City and swear allegiance to the Mountain!

Swear allegiance!

They had previously sworn allegiance to the Lannisters.

It was actually very difficult to get these nobles to swear allegiance to the Mountain.

Of course, if the Mountain went himself, that would be another matter.

But for Earl Strella to go, with his dozens of soldiers, to persuade and mobilize the nobles family by family, this was a very difficult task!

Strella really wanted to ask why the Mountain didn't go himself, but wanted him to run errands. But it was best not to ask this question, but to think about it slowly in his stomach, and he would always figure it out one day.

"Duke, I am happy to do anything for you, but I can't clearly explain what our future silk gold mine will be like. Can I first ask them all to come to Rhone City, and then ask you to give them a unified lecture?"

This was a good idea, as long as he found an excuse to trick the other nobles into coming to Rhone City, it would be easy. For example, inviting them to dinner, these nobles would be very happy to come to the party; or expressing his unease about the Mountain leading the army and the mountain people into Tarbeck Hall and Castamere, it would easily arouse the common feelings of the nobles, and then those guys would come without setting up defenses.

"You invite them to Rhone City, and I will tell them how to dig for gold," the Mountain said, "After the meeting, you have to take the lead in kneeling down and swearing allegiance to me, so that you can motivate others to join my silk gold mine plan."

"...Uh..." Earl Strella really wanted to ask about the Lannister family's feelings first, but he was not confused about the current situation. The Mountain was right in front of him, while the Lannisters were far away, "Duke, I will do my best to encourage everyone to join your silk gold mine plan, and I will be the first to swear allegiance to you at the meeting."

Thanks to [When the Sunshine Meets Our Time] for the reward and support, thank you, handshake!