The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Captain Erlin.” Shataya had a deep impression of Erlin.

Two years ago, when Prime Minister Eddard was investigating the cause of death of Prime Minister Jon Arryn in Shataya's brothel, the other guards were joking and playing with the women, playing little games like 'take off a piece of clothing if you lose a bet,' but Erlin didn't say a word, standing as straight as a gun, not joking with any of the women, as serious as a piece of wood.

Although two years had passed, Erlin was now mixing with big figures like Eddard and the Mountain, and Shataya, a well-informed person, had never forgotten this tough guy from the North.

The mother and daughter followed behind Erlin and went straight into the Mountain's stone house.

The Mountain was on the second floor.

Shataya and Barbara went up to the second floor and saw a boss handing over account books and cash to the Mountain. Shataya saw several maesters helping the Mountain check the account books, one of whom was from the court and an old acquaintance of Shataya's: Maester Locke.

Maester Locke was the court's historical record maester, recording the major events that happened to the royal courtiers. He should not belong to any political faction, nor would he belong to any great noble. The maesters sent by the Citadel were neutral and would not do private affairs for a great noble. The Citadel was like the Night's Watch of the Wall, never participating in any political factions, and it was even less likely for the court record maester to do private affairs for a great noble.

Of course, that was the rule. In fact, Maester Locke appeared here to do private affairs for the Mountain, who could do anything about it? Who could have any objections? Maester Locke, like the former Grand Maester Pycelle, was a regular at Shataya's brothel. If they followed the Citadel's regulations, they would have been exiled long ago.

“Lord Gregor.” Shataya and Barbara were both carefully dressed, wearing colorful feather ornaments from the Summer Isles.

The Summer Isles were located in the southernmost part of the known world. The people on the islands had very dark skin, like the night. Shataya and Barbara were no exception. Their skin was jet-black, their figures were hot, and their teeth were white, each like a jade stone.

Barbara winked playfully at Maester Locke. Every time Maester Locke went to Shataya's brothel, Barbara arranged for the best women to serve him.

The Mountain signaled Captain Erlin to bring a chair for Shataya, a respect that other bosses had not enjoyed.

Her daughter Barbara stood behind her mother.

Shataya sat down gracefully, looking like she was preparing for a 'long' negotiation with the Mountain. She reached out to hold the Mountain's giant hand on the table, but the Mountain leaned back, the huge chair creaking, and Shataya grabbed at the air.

Shataya's heart tightened. The Mountain didn't fall for that, so it was time for 'formal negotiations.' She also put away her smile and became dignified.

The Mountain admired Shataya's ability to control herself.

“Madam Shataya, there are three paths in front of you. I'll speak, you make a choice, don't interrupt,” the Mountain said. He looked at Comm Warner and Landon Garner, “You two attendants, if Madam Shataya interrupts me while I'm speaking, knock out all her teeth. If she doesn't obey, cut out her tongue.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Comm Warner said, lowering his head.

“Yes, Father,” Landon Garner said, lowering his head.

Shataya and Barbara's expressions changed slightly. They had originally made many plans, but now, the Mountain didn't give them any chance to speak, they could only make choices and couldn't have any opinions.

“Shataya, the first path is that you retreat completely, leave King's Landing, and develop in other places, or return to the Summer Isles. This is the freedom of you and your daughter. Shataya's brothel will be taken over and managed by someone I send.”

This was a rhythm of driving people away without even giving them a sip of soup. This was blatant robbery!

If it were other nobles, Shataya could still struggle to petition, but with the Mountain, it was better to forget it.

“The second path is that you manage all the brothel businesses in the city for me. There can't be a single error in the accounts. Merge what should be merged, renovate what should be renovated. I only take one-fifth of the profits from Shataya's brothel. In return, if Shataya's brothel encounters any trouble, whether official or private, I will solve it and guarantee the safety of everyone in the brothel.”

This path was not bad, but the workload was huge. Shataya knew that she and her daughter could not manage all the brothels in the city, so to ensure that there were no problems in management, it was actually necessary to increase the number of managers.

The second path that the Mountain gave was similar to the professional manager in his Earth civilization.

“The third path is that you mother and daughter still only operate Shataya's, and I will protect your safety and handle any big or small troubles. We split the profits in half.”

After the Mountain finished speaking about the three paths, three choices, he stared at Shataya: “Don't say any other nonsense. There are still many bosses waiting outside for us to deal with. Please choose, Madam Shataya.”

“I choose the second path, Your Grace,” Shataya said.

“Good.” The Mountain stood up and moved the chair away. “Please sit, Madam Shataya. You will take my place in handling the accounts and losses and profits of the brothel owners.”

This was starting work already?!

Yes, immediately starting work. This was the Mountain's style. No nonsense, directly to the point.

Shataya ran the most profitable brothel in King's Landing. Although there was only one, she was clear about the brothel's operation, profitability, and management. Those bosses who wanted to fool her were either stupid or bad.

So Shataya immediately sat next to the court record maester Locke. She ordered the Mountain's guards to bring another chair so that her daughter could sit next to her. The mother and daughter sat upright at the long table, replacing the Mountain and working with several maesters to review the account books and golden dragons handed over by the brothel owners in the city.

Coincidentally, after Shataya, the brothel owner who was called in was a member of Littlefinger's faction: Erica, the manager of the Blackwater River brothel.

*

The Mountain was relieved to have Shataya working.

With Shataya's rich social experience, she would know that the consequences of deceiving the Mountain were unbearable for her and her daughter. The Mountain believed that a sensible person like Shataya would not do anything to deceive him. No one would joke with their own life and future. Therefore, the Mountain went to the first floor hall with peace of mind.

In the first floor hall, Sea Minister Waggener Garner was waiting for the Mountain with a team of Garner tribe naval guards.

The Mountain arrived accompanied by Captain Erlin. Everyone in the hall stood up. Several people were strong and dark fishermen.

The fishermen of Claw Isle, because they wanted to eat snow-white and exquisite snow salt, moved to Dragonstone to live and established their own fishing villages. Hundreds of fishing boats, in addition to fishing in the sea, also began to enter the Blackwater River basin to fish. The people on Claw Isle also responded to the call and went to the Blackwater River port docks to find work. The number of workers at the Blackwater River port docks suddenly increased.

*

“What's your name?” the Mountain asked a burly fisherman with a scar on his face.

The scarred fisherman immediately knelt down. This person's eyes were very fierce, like a wild beast, exuding a fierce aura, but upon seeing the Mountain, his eyes were full of humility and humbleness.

“King of the Peninsula, my name is Osbert Garner.”

“Fisherman?”

“Yes, King.” Osbert knelt on one knee, respectfully.

The Mountain was the king among villains, naturally possessing the aura to subdue other villains. The fiercer the person, the more they had a sense of identity and admiration for him.

This may not be a good thing.

The respect of these people seemed to be innate, which might make the Mountain, a transmigrated university engineering dog, lose himself and become arrogant. Fortunately, this guy had not yet lost control because of the great convenience brought by his notoriety.

“Osbert, are you confident in controlling the fish resources of the Blackwater River basin?”

“With the King's support and the help of the clan chief, I will definitely be able to control the fish resources of the Blackwater River basin.”

“Use less violence, formulate rules, manage with an iron fist, and take care of the interests of the fishermen on both sides of the Blackwater River.”

“Yes, King.”

“Don't call me King. There can only be one king in this country: Tommen Baratheon. Call me Lord Mountain.”

“Yes, Lord Mountain.”

“In addition to the fish resources of the Blackwater River, I also want you to organize people to completely control the fish market in King's Landing.”

“Yes, Lord Mountain.”

The Mountain looked at Waggener Garner: “Waggener, find some tribal brothers. All the jobs at the Blackwater River port docks, belonging to odd jobs, handling, small workers, servants, and mercenaries, should all be managed.”

“Yes, Lord Mountain,” Waggener Garner said respectfully.

“The fish resources of the Blackwater River and the port docks should be controlled by as many people from Claw Isle as possible. Formulate rules and calculate the profit points. Osbert, will you make a suitable price for the fish in the fish market? I want you to establish the power of market pricing within a month, and then set a suitable market price for each type of fish.”

“Lord Mountain, I don't know how to price,” Osbert said.

“I know math,” a small fisherman said timidly.

“Oh, have you read books?”

“No, but I can calculate,” the small fisherman said.

The Mountain couldn't see shrewdness on his face.

Once this kind of person is really shrewd, it's in their bones.

“How will you price it?” the Mountain asked.

“Lord Mountain,” the small fisherman came from a fishing village on the eastern side of Claw Isle, “I will first understand the current prices of various fish in the entire King's Landing... uh, those prices, I only need to ask once and I will remember them all, I won't forget... and then I will count the number of fishermen in the Blackwater River, the sales volume of each type of fish within ten days...”

“Okay, I'll leave the pricing of the fish market to you,” the Mountain said. He didn't need to listen to a more detailed plan, he just needed to listen to his ideas, and the Mountain knew that this fisherman could do it.

Some people are just geniuses.

There are many people who haven't learned mathematics but can calculate. Some people are talented and can calculate. Their methods are different from mathematical methods, they have their own unique native methods.

“What's your name?” the Mountain asked.

“Your Grace, my name is... Mosi.”

“Mosi, Osbert, if you two have anything in the future, you can come to me directly.”

Mosi and Osbert were pleasantly surprised. Although the Mountain told them not to call the Mountain King, in the hearts of the people of Claw Isle, if the Mountain wasn't the King, then who could be? The master of the Red Smoke Beast was the King of Claw Isle.

Brothels and fisheries, these two projects, could bring certain economic benefits to the Mountain. Of course, the most profitable was sea trade, which was currently controlled by the official, royal territory nobles, and the Tyrell family. The Mountain decided to first seize the brothels and fisheries, formulate rules, master the pricing power and market, and then reach into sea trade.

With the Royal Navy in his hands, taking some money to enter sea trade and doing business with the royal territory nobles and the Tyrell family was not a challenge.

The Mountain's next step was to do grain trade with the Tyrell family. The largest and richest granary in the Seven Kingdoms was the Reach. Grain trade and fruit trade and wine trade were also the most important overseas trades of the Reach's Tyrell family.

The Mountain planned to cultivate Shataya, Osbert, and Mosi into his 'managers.'

*

The next day, morning.

In the throne hall, a new king sat on the Iron Throne—nine-year-old Tommen Lannister. His crown was not much different from Joffrey's crown. On the left side of the crown was a standing roaring lion pattern, and on the right side was a standing stag carving. On his royal robes, the left side was a lion and the right side was a stag.

Regent Queen Cersei did not sit on the Iron Throne again this time, but sat on the left-hand side of the King's Iron Throne.

King Tommen sat on the Iron Throne for the first time to deal with the petitions of his subjects.

In the event of matters that the King could not decide, they would be handled by Her Majesty the Queen Mother; if there were thorny matters that Her Majesty the Queen Mother could not handle, the important ministers of the Privy Council would discuss them together.

King Tommen went to court for the first time. In the morning, he would handle the petitions of his subjects, and in the afternoon, he would hold a meeting of the Privy Council to hold a political affairs meeting on 'who should be the Prime Minister and the Minister of Intelligence.'

After Littlefinger left, the position of Minister of Finance also became vacant, and a new Prime Minister needed to concurrently serve as Minister of Finance.

The Mountain, Waggener Garner, Lord Mace, Count Kevan, and others sat upright at the table of important ministers of the Privy Council.

In the throne hall, besides the King, the Queen Mother, and the important ministers of the Privy Council, even Queen Margaery Tyrell did not have a seat and could only stand in the front row of the royal courtiers.

At the same time, in the Great Sept of Baelor, Guards Officer Osney Kettleblack secretly entered the High Sparrow's room.

The High Sparrow was sitting on the floor. There were precious chairs next to him, but the High Sparrow did not sit. He would rather sit on a hard wooden bench than sit on a luxurious chair. The embroidered silk had also been removed.

Osney Kettleblack came in and saw the old man sitting on the floor. He was slightly stunned. What was this old man doing? The High Septon was sitting on the cold marble floor. Why didn't he sit on an exquisite and precious chair?

Osney had to squat down. After all, he was here to confess his sins and could not stand high and face the High Septon.

“High Septon, I have come to confess my sins,” Osney said insincerely.

The High Septon nodded, pointed to the floor, and signaled Osney to sit down.

Osney was stunned. He was of noble birth and had no habit of sitting on the ground.

But he still chose to squat down.

“Not squat, kneel down,” the High Septon said. His tone was sharp.

A person who came to confess his sins did not kneel?!

Osney was angry in his heart, but remembering that this was Her Majesty the Queen Mother's task, he swallowed his anger and knelt down in front of the High Septon.

“Tell me, what sins have you committed?” The High Septon stared at Osney with sharp eyes.

Osney sneered in his heart. Wasn't this supposed to be framing Margaery Tyrell? Why were you still pretending? How hypocritical.

This Archbishop, seated in a gilded and magnificent room, deliberately wore worn-out clothes, feigning a compassionate and merciful demeanor, which made Osney want to vomit.

Osney said, "Your Grace, I have had an affair with Queen Margaery Tyrell, which violates the laws of *The Seven-Pointed Star*. I sincerely repent and am willing to pay any price to seek the forgiveness of the Seven Gods."

"As long as you sincerely repent your mistakes, the Seven Gods will look after their lost children," the Archbishop said, staring at Osney. He could tell Osney was lying.

No one would want to laugh while sincerely repenting. Ser Osney was clearly suppressing himself from bursting out in laughter.

This was absurd. This guy was actually lying to the Seven Gods, using confession to play the Archbishop, and falsely accusing the Queen?

The Archbishop had been waiting specifically for Ser Osney's arrival for this accusation.

The Archbishop looked up at a member of the Warrior's Sons at the entrance. The Warrior's Son understood and gestured. Four Warrior's Sons entered. Before Osney could understand what was happening, he was kicked hard in the face.

The pampered Ser Osney's miserable life began from that moment on!