The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Silk? Silkworms? Silk moths? Mulberry trees? A silk goldmine?

The fifteen minor nobles exchanged glances. Among them were several family heirs and a few children.

The Westernlands' foreign wars affected nobles of all sizes. Some nobles had their clan leaders personally lead troops into battle, never to return. This time, the Mountain's 'Silk Goldmine' plan, convened in Lannisport, had several child heirs in attendance.

After the Mountain finished explaining his plan, the sixteen nobles, including Count Stralawn, remained silent.

They all wanted to refuse the Mountain, but they knew the consequences of doing so.

The Mountain dared to fight even Duke Tywin, and the key was that he won. So, in the Westernlands, who else would the Mountain not dare to fight?

"Your Grace," a noble stammered, "My family doesn't have gold mines anymore and is currently engaged in the spice trade. Could we perhaps not plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms? Our family has already formulated plans to further expand the spice trade."

"If you're unwilling to plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms, then I'll arrange for people to plant them."

"...Your Grace...our land is limited. Our farmers are planting potatoes, corn, wheat, and various vegetables. They graze cattle and sheep on the hillsides and slopes."

"Mulberry trees can be planted in the fields without affecting the planting of wheat and corn. Plant mulberry trees with wide spacing on barren hillsides and slopes. After the mulberry trees grow, grass will grow underneath, and the grass can be harvested to raise cattle and sheep."

"...Your Grace..."

"Ser Sharp Defford, if you keep rambling, I'll drive your entire family out of the Westernlands and let another family become the lord of Defford Keep," the Mountain said slowly.

The atmosphere immediately became tense and oppressive!

The other fifteen nobles were silent, as if sitting on pins and needles!

If the Mountain got angry and punched someone to death, they would just be wasting the Mountain's time for sixteen punches.

"...Your Grace...I'm sorry...I will obey your orders and vigorously plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms on the lands of Defford Keep, and excavate the silk goldmine..." Ser Sharp Defford's forehead and nose dripped with sweat.

The Mountain scanned the room with an unkind gaze, and the sixteen nobles were all trembling with fear. The backs of several knights were already soaked with cold sweat. Their bones, courage, strength, and integrity were not harder than Tywin's!

The Mountain looked at Count Stralawn, who understood that it was time for him to perform his oath of allegiance. However, this kind of performance was a contract, and failure to comply in the future would be defying the will of the Seven Gods. Moreover, as long as the Mountain didn't die, if the Stralawn family went back on their word, all members of the family would have to die!

"Count Stralawn, in the name of the Old Gods and the New, and by the honor of House Clegane, I, Gregor Clegane, Master of War of the Seven Kingdoms, Duke of Dragonstone, Warden of the West, solemnly ask you, are you willing to swear allegiance to me, to be my loyal subordinate for the rest of your life, and serve me with your courage, martial prowess, and wisdom? Until death do you part! If so, then anyone from House Stralawn will receive the protection of House Clegane; if I have food, the Stralawns will not go hungry; if I have a hearth, the Stralawns will not be cold."

Count Stralawn slowly stood up, and the eyes of all fifteen knights turned to him. The knights were shocked. Casterly Rock of the Lannisters still existed, and Duke Tywin was rumored to be dead, but he still had children. Although the heir apparent was currently unknown and the situation was complicated, the Mountain was forcing Count Stralawn to swear allegiance to him even with descendants of House Lannister still alive...this...

Facing the Mountain, Stralawn slowly knelt on one knee and swore allegiance to the Mountain—

"I, Stralawn, in the name of the Old Gods and the New, and by the honor of House Stralawn, solemnly swear that House Stralawn, starting with me, pledges allegiance to His Grace Duke Gregor Clegane and House Clegane. In my lifetime, I will do my utmost to follow His Grace Duke Gregor Clegane, whether in peace or war, and be loyal to him until death do us part."

The Mountain drew the Ice, the greatsword. As the greatsword came out of its sheath, a biting chill filled the air, and the blade emitted a cold light.

The Ice was taller than some of the knights present. Most of the knights present would have difficulty holding the huge hilt with both hands. With such a heavy sword, none of the sixteen knights present could wield it to meet an enemy, while the Mountain held the greatsword in one hand as easily as if he were holding a small knife.

The Ice lightly tapped Stralawn's shoulders and head on both sides. The greatsword was so wide that it had to be tilted when tapping the shoulders, otherwise the blade would cut Stralawn's neck.

After Stralawn finished swearing, he stood up. It had to be said that the catalytic effect of the ceremony was obvious. After Count Stralawn got up, he naturally stood behind the Mountain, looking at the other fifteen nobles with an air of arrogance.

"Gentlemen, in the name of the Old Gods and the New, and by the honor of House Clegane, what I want to promise you is that there will always be a place for you at my table; there will always be a place for you by the hearth in winter. Your enemies are my enemies, and your friends are my friends. So, are you willing to swear allegiance to me? To be my loyal subordinates for the rest of your lives? And, when necessary, give your lives for me?"

Under the Mountain's glare and the threat of the Ice, the fifteen knights rose, knelt on one knee, and gave a wholesale oath.

After the swearing was completed, the Mountain sheathed the Ice. The fifteen knights seemed to be hypnotized by the ceremony. After getting up, their gazes towards the Mountain changed, with obedience replacing defensiveness and humility replacing distance.

*

A few days later, Lannisport.

In the main hall of Count Osgrey's keep, the Mountain sat in the master's seat, with the gray-robed scholar Bancroft of Lannisport to his right.

The hall was filled with nobles from the Westernlands, large and small, all present.

The Crakehall family of Crakehall in the southern Westernlands, stationed on the coast road along the southern coastal border of the Westernlands... The head of the Crakehall family was killed by Robb Stark's army in the Battle of Oxcross, and both the heir and the second son died in the war...

The Swyft family of Cornfield in the southern Westernlands, guarding the border between the Westernlands and the Reach... Count Swyft was Duke Tywin's quartermaster general, and the Count's daughter, Dorna Swyft, was the wife of Kevan Lannister, the master of whisperers...

The Lannister family of Casterly Rock was represented by Kevan's youngest son, Martyn Lannister...

The Lefford family of Golden Tooth in the eastern Westernlands, defending the eastern border of the Westernlands, was represented by the Count's son, Alyn Lefford, because he was the only son. During the Westernlands' foreign wars, Count Leo had left his son at Golden Tooth to prevent the bloodline from being cut off...

The Marbrand family of Ashemark... The head of the family and the heir had both died in the war, and the representative attending the meeting was a collateral Ser Marbrand...

The Westerling family of the Crag... The representative attending the meeting was Reynard Westerling. The Westerling family was already the most powerful family in the northern Westernlands, without exception...

The Farman family of Fair Isle... The Farman family was the first family to swear allegiance to the Mountain in King's Landing, and it was also this family that had publicly declared betrayal during Tywin's lifetime, only to be suppressed by a musician sent by Duke Tywin—the musician played The Rains of Castamere in Fair Isle...

The Sarsfield family of Sarsfield...

The Brax family of Hornvale...

The Serrett family of Silverhill was represented by Lady Serrett, who was one of the four most powerful families in the Westernlands and the first to swear allegiance after the Mountain returned to the Westernlands...

The Prester family of Feastfires...

The Banefort family of Banefort...

The Lydden family of Deep Den was the second family to submit to the Mountain after Lady Serrett. It was Lady Serrett who persuaded the Lydden family to submit...

And dozens of other noble representatives, compared to other families, were all smaller and weaker nobles in the Westernlands.

……………………

The Mountain scanned the room, and the room was silent.

The Mountain's main infantry soldiers were at the gate and outside the courtyard, all looking unkind and ferocious.

Chiswyck and Tobert, who grew up in Lannisport, were native to the port city and were the leading hooligans who swept through Lannisport. Coming to Lannisport was like coming home for them.

The Mountain's guard regiment was in the hall, behind the Mountain.

A company of a hundred men.

The Mountain's gaze swept across the room, and he didn't see many familiar knights.

After two years of war in the Westernlands, most of the ruling nobles had died in battle, and the entire Westernlands needed time to recover.

"Gentlemen, knights, generals," the Mountain stood up to speak, which made his aura even more逼人, "The previous Warden of the West was Duke Tywin Lannister. I received news that Duke Tywin was killed by the Brotherhood Without Banners at the crossroads inn in the Riverlands, and the bodies of hundreds of Westernlands knights were all sunk into the mouth of the Crab Bay, which is why we can't find the Duke's body and hold a farewell funeral for the Duke. Given that the Hand of the King and His Majesty the King have not made a formal denial or publicly denied it, I believe those rumors are true."

The nobles of the Westernlands were all alarmed.

The Mountain, who participated in the extermination of the Brotherhood Without Banners in the Riverlands, personally testified that Duke Tywin was dead, which must mean that things were ominous.

With the status of Duke Tywin, he actually died without a burial place.

The nobles of the Westernlands were all in a gloomy mood!

With Duke Tywin, the only one who could restrain the Mountain, dead, who else in the entire Westernlands would the Mountain fear?

"Duke Tywin is dead, and I am the new Warden of the West appointed by His Majesty the King. At the same time, I am also the Duke of Dragonstone and the King of the Claw," the Mountain glared down at the representatives of the Westernlands nobles. Many of the representatives were younger teenagers, and most of the older and prime-aged knights had died in battle. Those who hadn't died were still fighting alongside Randyll Tarly's army in the Riverlands.

"The position of Warden of the West, the title of Duke of Dragonstone, and the title of King of the Claw are all jointly granted by the Hand of the King, Tyrion, and His Majesty King Joffrey. I have the qualifications, status, and power to stand here and speak to you, and I also have the power to convene you to attend a meeting. My power comes from His Majesty King Joffrey Baratheon."

The Mountain made his position clear, first establishing his position.

The Westernlands nobles all closed their mouths!

They looked up at the beast-like Mountain, feeling very awkward in their hearts.

Being lectured and overridden by a great villain was difficult for many knights with pure hearts to accept.

"Today's meeting is to talk about something very simple, but very important. First, starting tomorrow, the four hundred handsome men recruited by Countess Serrett in the Westernlands will take large merchant ships to the Free City of Volantis across the Narrow Sea."

Most of the knights heard this news for the first time and were all stunned!

The Mountain did not pay attention to the knights' surprise and confusion. He didn't need them to understand. He was just telling them the facts: "The handsome men of the Westernlands will go up the Rhoyne River in Volantis and enter the Rhoyne River basin. Each man needs to marry a local woman who can plant mulberry trees, raise silkworms, reel silk, and spin and weave, and bring her back to the Westernlands. We will build houses, silkworm houses, and weaving workshops for these four hundred new families... I stipulate that the Westernlands youths must return home within six months."

The knights looked at each other!

Most of the knights were hearing for the first time that the Mountain's 'handsome men' recruited throughout the Westernlands were being sent to the Rhoyne River basin across the Narrow Sea. Most of the young knights were hearing about the Rhoyne River basin for the first time.

And raising silkworms, planting mulberry trees, and reeling silk—most of the knights were also hearing about it for the first time. Everyone was very unfamiliar with it.

"There are many pirates in the Stepstones, but you don't have to worry. I have also prepared the escort naval formation. They will sail large warships disguised as merchant ships, departing from Dragonstone and converging in the waters of the Boneway in Dorne."

Lady Serrett raised her hand: "Your Grace, I remember you said that you would train the children of the Westernlands in Lannisport to speak the language of the Rhoyne River basin, learn the customs, customs, customs, anecdotes, and anecdotes of the Rhoyne River basin, and send them off after a month of training and learning."

"Yes, Lady Serrett. But Captain Petyr Cole, a good friend of General Chiswyck, told me that it takes almost two months for a large merchant ship to travel from Lannisport to Volantis at sea. The two months on the ship are just enough to teach the children to speak the Rhoyne language, learn the customs, customs, beliefs, geography, and anecdotes of the Rhoyne people."

"I see!" Lady Serrett was relieved.

The Mountain said: "The second thing is that the snow salt of the Westernlands has always been managed by Ser Kevan Lannister. Now that Ser Kevan has gone to the Red Keep in King's Landing to be a high-ranking official of the Imperial Council, he will not usually return to the Westernlands. All matters related to the production, pricing, management, and sales of snow salt in the Westernlands are now entirely the responsibility of Lady Serrett."

"Thank you, Your Grace." Lady Serrett received the first exquisite candy from the Mountain since she swore allegiance to him.

Martyn Lannister, the youngest son of Ser Kevan, moved, but the child ultimately did not choose to stand up. His mouth also opened, but no sound came out.

The Mountain dared to rape and kill even the royal princess, dare to kill the prince, and dared to wage war with Duke Tywin and win, and forced Duke Tywin to wear black and go to the Wall. Looking at his barbaric and brutal appearance, let's just say whatever he says.

"The third thing is that the Westernlands will soon become the silk production area of Westeros. Our silk will not only be sold in the Seven Kingdoms, but also sold to the Summer Isles, the nine free trade city-states across the Narrow Sea, and even the world further west. If you believe that planting mulberry trees and raising silkworms will make a lot of money, you can invest money and join the partnership. In the future, you will be the partners of the Westernlands 'Silk Trading Company'. We will hire a grand maester to be the treasurer of the silk trading company, and then everyone will distribute the money according to the proportion of investment. Everyone present can invest, starting from one hundred gold dragons, capping at ten thousand gold dragons. Who is willing to invest money?"

When the words fell, there were more than a hundred nobles, large and small, present, but no one responded for a while!

Thank you to [Child-Giving Imam] for the reward, congratulations on being promoted to Grandmaster, thank you for your support, handshake!