The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Everyone in the hall saw Jane's fainting.

Duke Tywin's expression remained unchanged.

Earl Gavin trotted to Jane's side, his face full of smiles: "My apologies, Duke, Ser Gregor, everyone. My daughter is a little weak and can't handle excitement. When she gets excited, she tends to… feel faint. It's just happiness, nothing serious, she'll be fine soon."

Amidst Earl Gavin's rambling, he helped the Lannister maids to escort Jane Westerling out of the hall and into the Maester's Tower.

Duke Tywin's gaze swept across the hall, and silence descended once more.

"Ser Gregor, my daughter Jane might have some minor health issues…"

"Duke, Gregor thanks you for the marriage proposal. House Clegane is eternally grateful," Gregor said quickly. He sensed that Duke Tywin was hinting at a 'gentle refusal,' but that wouldn't do.

Jane, as a wife, is skilled, beautiful, and unparalleled. What's the point of being a man if you don't marry such a woman?

Even though she fainted upon hearing about the engagement, he couldn't let her go. Once they were married, feelings could be cultivated slowly!

In the hall, all the young unmarried nobles felt sorry for Jane, though perhaps they were feeling sorry for themselves.

There were no noblewomen or ladies-in-waiting in the hall. The Westerlands' administrative hall was different from the Red Keep's throne room in Winterfell. In the throne room, during each administrative session, there were not only hundreds of high-ranking nobles and generals but also many noblewomen and ladies-in-waiting. However, in the Westerlands' administrative hall, Tywin did not allow vassals to bring their wives and daughters to participate in any administrative matters.

Today, Jane Westerling was an exception. Her presence beside Duke Tywin was itself an administrative matter for him today.

The earls, barons, and knights all had complex feelings, a mixture of envy, jealousy, and hatred. Jane Westerling was unparalleled in beauty and talent. She had been picky in her choices, aiming too high, but in the end, she was marrying the most infamous Mountain of the Westerlands.

It was well known that the Mountain had married two wives, both of whom had died from accidentally breaking their necks while walking. But whether they were tortured to death or actually broke their necks, the nobles had their own ideas.

In the hall, dozens of nobles, young and old, were filled with regret.

They had bet with the Mountain, wagering that Jane would marry Adon Sarwyck rather than the Mountain. After the betting started yesterday, more and more people joined in. In the end, except for Sweetmouth Ralph and a few others who were drunk and slurring, everyone else bet on Ser Adon winning.

Adon Sarwyck himself had placed a large bet: Goldleaf Bay within the Silverhill lands.

Goldleaf Bay was located on the western edge of Silverhill, close to the Clegane territory, and had not yet been mined. Gregor, driven by greed, had investigated and discovered that Goldleaf Bay was rich in gold. However, Goldleaf Bay was a small area, just a corner of Silverhill's rich gold mine.

The stones used to build Clegane's Keep came from the stone quarry west of Goldleaf Bay. After quarrying the stones, they could dig a hole downwards, make a turn, and enter the mining area of Goldleaf Bay.

Whether Adon bet or not, Goldleaf Bay was a piece of fat meat in Gregor's mouth, and he was determined to have it.

If he won the bet, he could mine it legitimately and openly.

If he lost the bet, or if Adon didn't take the bait and refused to bet with Gregor, Gregor would still mine it, but he would do it at night and sleep during the day.

One red heart, two hands prepared!

With this bet, Gregor had won big. Goldleaf Bay had become a permanent territory of House Clegane. In the future, if he was short on funds, he could dig a hole on the edge of Goldleaf Bay, make a turn, and enter the Sarwyck family's gold mine, stealing a few bites easily and conveniently.

Adon Sarwyck stood in the ranks of the knights, his face ashen.

He was heartbroken about losing Goldleaf Bay, but even more heartbroken about losing Jane Westerling.

Last night, he had a brief encounter with Jane in the Lannister dining hall. Although they only stood and exchanged a few words, they understood each other and sensed each other's feelings through their passionate eyes.

Returning to his guest room last night, Adon couldn't sleep all night, partly due to the alcohol and partly due to Jane. Earl Gavin hadn't brought Jane along on his previous visit to propose marriage, so Adon hadn't seen Jane in person, only heard about her beauty and talent. After meeting her at this ceremony, he realized that fame didn't compare to reality. Had he known Jane was so beautiful and charming, he would have persuaded his parents to agree to the marriage last time.

For a passionate young man, a girl's beauty, when strong to a certain extent, could make him overlook her family's shortcomings. Moreover, House Sarwyck was never short of money.

"Hey!" A strong noble youth beside him lightly bumped Adon. "You made me lose fifty gold dragons to the Mountain, you son of a bitch."

The one cursing him was Lyle Crakehall from Crakehall.

House Crakehall was known for being strong and robust.

Ser Lyle Crakehall was the second son of the Earl of Crakehall. Among his three brothers, he was the tallest and strongest, nicknamed "Strongboar."

His coat of arms was a black and white boar on a brown background, which was also his family's sigil.

Although Strongboar was cursing Adon, it was only in lip movements.

In Duke Tywin's administrative hall, no one dared to shout and curse at another person.

Adon's mood was already at its lowest. If it weren't for being in the administrative hall, he would have already drawn his sword and stabbed it into Strongboar's stomach. But who would dare to act recklessly while Duke Tywin was holding an administrative meeting?

No one dared.

Adon suppressed his anger and immediately mouthed a challenge: "Fool, a duel!"

"Get lost!" Strongboar responded angrily. "I'm heartbroken about the fifty gold dragons, I don't want your life."

"But I want your life," Adon said, his anger soaring.

"Alright, I'll grant you your wish." Strongboar's personality was already volatile.

Duke Tywin sat in a high position, above seven steps, overlooking everyone in the hall.

"Ser Lyle," Tywin called out.

The voice was not loud, but it sounded like a thunderclap in Strongboar's ears.

Being named by Duke Tywin was not a good thing.

Lyle Crakehall quickly stepped out of the ranks, placing his right fist on his left chest to salute his liege lord.

"What are you saying?" Tywin's pale green eyes calmly looked at Strongboar.

Strongboar was so frightened that cold sweat broke out on his back. His father, Earl Crakehall, was also anxious, his eyes wide, his gaze like angry flames directed at his ignorant son.

"Duke, I was just expressing my joy for Ser Gregor and Miss Jane's engagement. I was wondering what kind of congratulatory gift I should give Ser Gregor and Miss Jane that would be worthy of their nobility."

"Oh! Ser Adon, was Lyle discussing the gift with you just now?"

Adon Sarwyck had no choice but to stand out, placing his right fist on his left chest to salute his liege lord.

"Yes, Duke."

"Well then, since you young people are so enthusiastic and delighted, then Ser Adon, you should set an example. My daughter Jane is getting engaged to Ser Gregor today, how much of a congratulatory gift are you Silverhill Sarwycks prepared to give?"

Adon's mouth was dry, and his chest felt like it was on fire, hot and uncomfortable. He forced a smile: "Duke, Silverhill will give Miss Jane a string of pearl necklaces, two ruby bracelets, uh!" He glanced at Duke Tywin, feeling that the Duke seemed displeased. He was setting a standard for all the nobles in the Westerlands. Adon's scalp went numb. "A coral agate tree, a pair of jade emerald bowls, and, and two hundred gold dragons. Several boxes of fragrant silk, rouge and powder."

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