The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 524: A Century of Wealth (10,000-Word Update)

(Bonus chapter for the 'TerrellChenL' Guild Master reward + guaranteed chapter, thank you for your support!)

*

The Red Keep. Throne Room.

"Lord Gregor!" The gold-cloaked guard at the entrance bowed respectfully, a flash of light in his eyes.

The Mountain glanced at the guard, nodded slightly, and gently patted his shoulder.

The guard looked up, his eyes filled with incredible, leaping surprise.

The Mountain knew that this world wasn't big on autographs and celebrity worship, but if it were, he'd be signing for this gold cloak right now.

The Mountain strode into the hall.

The hall was already filled with nobles, ladies, knights, and maidens from all over the city. And of course, courtiers and military officers.

As the capital of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, it was always home to exiled princes or other prominent figures who were stranded here for various reasons. The prince of the Summer Isles, for example, had lived in the Red Keep for years. Thoros of Myr, the fierce red priest who had gone north, was from across the Narrow Sea. He had lived in King's Landing for a long time, met King Robert, and became Robert's courtier.

There were quite a few people like that.

They were also a part of King's Landing's powerful elite.

As the Mountain entered, the eyes of the nobles and ladies on both sides swept over him. Many of them were filled with kindness and light. Whether it was genuine or not, the Mountain could feel a sense of respect and closeness.

"Duke," a noblewoman said with a slight nod.

The Mountain nodded in return.

"Lord Gregor," an elegant maiden curtsied to the Mountain.

The Mountain nodded slightly.

"Good day, Duke!" A knight placed his right fist over his heart on the left side and tapped it once, bowing his head in respect.

"Good day, Knight!" The Mountain suddenly felt like he was reviewing troops. This feeling was actually quite pleasant.

"Good day, Duke!" Five knights together placed their right fists over their hearts and bowed halfway. Perhaps these five knights had suffered humiliation from the Warrior's Sons for some reason.

The Warrior's Sons were numerous and powerful, and it was a daily occurrence for them to humiliate knights they deemed guilty in the streets.

The Mountain stopped and nodded to the five knights.

No one would dislike too much 'courtesy', no matter how humble their position. The basic qualities of a transmigrated Mountain were still there.

"Lord Gregor," Gyles Rosby, a great lord from the Crownlands, bowed to the Mountain.

Bronn's mother-in-law was the aunt of Gyles Rosby's second wife, and the mother-in-law herself was Gyles's cousin.

Lord Rosby was old, over seventy this year, and suffered from a cough. He had no heir. After his death, Bronn would have the opportunity to obtain his territory through his wife's relatives. If Bronn's loyalty were further improved, the Mountain would help Bronn to obtain a large piece of the Rosby family's land.

Stokeworth Castle, plus the Rosby family's land, would make Bronn a great lord in the Crownlands. This was in line with his greedy nature.

*

The Mountain was 'the center of attention' for the first time in the Throne Room. He nodded in return, neither arrogant nor humble, neither hurried nor slow, not flustered. Faced with unprecedented glory, he was very clear-headed. He understood that the more he stood out, the more he would offend some enemies he didn't even know.

But it didn't matter. Either destroy the enemy, or become so strong that the enemy would change their mind and choose to walk with him.

In the eyes of these people in the Throne Room, the Mountain saw respect, admiration, sincerity, calm, closeness, indifference, fanaticism, worship, contempt, disdain...

Most people were 'friendly to the devil'!

On the Iron Throne, King Tommen stood up. Queen Mother Cersei also stood up. On the left side, Queen Margaery also stood up—in the Throne Room, only the royal family and members of the small council had seats, everyone else had to stand.

The members of the small council all stood up: Hand of the King Kevan, Master of Laws Mace, Grand Maester Qyburn, Master of Ships Wagstaff, Master of Whisperers Bronn, Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing—the Mountain's fencing teacher when he was young, Bronn... All those who were qualified to sit down stood up.

After Loras Tyrell returned, he was recuperating from his injuries in Maidenvault... Ser Osney, on the other hand, because he testified that Queen Margaery was intimate with her handmaidens, and also testified that Queen Mother Cersei was intimate with him, and Jaime, and Osney's brother Osfyrd, and Lancel... He did not return to the Red Keep. Her Majesty the Queen Mother and Her Majesty the Queen unanimously agreed to leave Osney at the Great Sept of Baelor and hand him over to the new High Septon for trial and to perform a ritual to redeem his dark soul.

The Mountain bowed to the King and Queen Mother.

King Tommen said, "Lord Gregor, you arranged everything meticulously, led by example, eliminated the High Sparrow and his evil army, and rescued Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Her Majesty the Queen, and Captain Loras. Your contribution is outstanding and unmatched. You are loyal and have maintained the authority and glory of the royal family. In the name of the King of the Seven Kingdoms, I will reward you. Lord Gregor, what reward do you desire?"

Nine-year-old Tommen spoke these words neither fast nor slow, with proper emphasis and intonation, showing the majesty of a king.

The courtiers and military officers were secretly amazed.

Perhaps Tommen had been reciting these words for a long time last night!

The Mountain stood still, looked around, and swept his gaze across the faces of the silent courtiers and military officers. He thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I really want money, but I know that your treasury is empty and you owe millions of gold dragons in foreign debt."

King Tommen showed a child's shy smile, his face slightly flushed.

Being a poor king didn't feel good.

"Besides money, it's grain, but our grain in King's Landing currently relies on Lord Tyrell's transportation from the Reach, so it's not appropriate either. Your Majesty, I hope you can approve that in an emergency, for the safety and glory of the kingdom, for your safety and the safety of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, I have the right to mobilize the City Watch."

The City Watch and the Kingsguard were both private armed forces of the royal family. Without royal permission, no one could mobilize them. Of course, bribing and turning them against the royal family was not included.

The whole place was quiet.

Most of those who were friendly to the devil felt that it was not impossible for the Master of War to have the power to mobilize the City Watch. The Mountain eliminated the High Sparrow, mobilizing naval soldiers. But in that raid, the City Watch, not the navy, should have been the most active force. In such a major event, the gold cloaks of the City Watch only arrived at the Great Sept of Baelor at the end of the battle and did not have the opportunity to participate in the real fighting.

A few people who were hostile to the devil believed that if the Mountain had the right to mobilize the City Watch, no one would be able to control him in the future. If he... had ulterior motives, it might be inconvenient.

King Tommen looked at his mother. The nine-year-old boy did not know how to deal with such important political affairs.

Cersei said, "Lord Gregor, you have the right to mobilize the City Watch, but with my or King Tommen's approval."

"Understood, Your Majesty the Queen Mother. If we lose contact with each other and the situation is critical, and we cannot obtain your or the King's authorization, I hope that I can directly mobilize the City Watch to fight the enemy in my capacity as Master of War. This time we were dealing with a gathering of poor people. They don't understand combat skills and have not undergone military training. If we face well-trained rebels, the naval recruits will most likely be defeated."

Grand Maester Qyburn raised his hand. Her Majesty the Queen Mother saw it and nodded.

Qyburn stood up, his back slightly bent. "Your Majesty the Queen Mother, Your Majesty the King, in an emergency, when we cannot see the King and Queen for some reason, I propose that the Master of War has the right to mobilize the City Watch. This may be required by the dangerous situation. May the Seven protect us, I hope we will never encounter that terrible emergency in our lives."

Cersei looked at Kevan. "Lord Hand, what is your opinion?"

"I strongly oppose it, Your Majesty the Queen Mother."

"Lord Mace, you are the Master of Laws, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty the Queen Mother, in the Great Sept of Baelor, in the night raid a few days ago, the City Watch, not the naval soldiers, should have been the ones who made the contribution."

The royal courtiers, military generals, high-ranking ministers, His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, the Prime Minister, and many others all participated in this grand trial. The High Sparrow's head was also hung in the plaza of the Great Sept of Baelor, and the new Archbishop, with his hand on the 'Seven-Pointed Star,' conducted a public doctrinal trial of the High Sparrow in the presence of the Seven Gods, finally declaring his wickedness. The Archbishop expelled the High Sparrow from the Church and sentenced him to death. The white-robed monks and nuns of the hymn choir sang the Song of the Stranger together, like a forbidden curse, blessing the High Sparrow's soul to fall into hell forever, without redemption.

The faith of the monks who believed in the High Sparrow completely collapsed!

The High Sparrow is evil!

From this day on, his deeds, life, and sins will be written into books by professional court scholars and sept scribes and passed down through generations to warn future generations.

*

Night.

The Mountain, along with Captain Alyn, his squire Comm Warner, and his adopted son Landon Garner, arrived at the Great Sept of Baelor.

The Archbishop was already waiting at the gate.

After a brief exchange of greetings, the Archbishop led the way, followed by the Mountain, straight to the Sept's treasury.

An old crone of a bishop was already waiting at the treasury gate. The treasury had two entrances: one was in the Archbishop's palace-like luxurious silent room, a small hidden door; the other was the entrance to the treasury gate.

Entering the treasury, the murals inside decorated all the way to the ceiling, resplendent with gold. Chests filled with gold coins were piled up like cargo boxes. The exterior of the chests was exquisitely decorated, clearly not ordinary.

Two monks carried down a chest, opened it, and it was full of glittering gold coins. Such chests were lined up against the wall, row after row, with the last row of chests against the wall almost reaching the ceiling.

Comm Warner and Landon Garner had never seen so many gold coins and couldn't help but gasp.

Captain Alyn, although he had been Eddard Stark's guard captain, had never seen so many gold coins either.

When Eddard Stark was Prime Minister, the most gold coins he carried with him was no more than fifty.

Here, the gold coins were piled up in chests, an unknown amount of wealth.

To obtain Cersei's decree allowing the 'friars to freely purchase weapons,' the High Sparrow had immediately waived the royal family's debt of one million gold dragons. The wealth piled up here was the foundation of that confidence.

"Lord Gregor, Baelor I, who built the Great Sept, laid the foundation for the Sept's wealth. At that time, almost the entire national treasury was moved into the Sept. When Baelor I was king, more than half of the kingdom's tax revenue went to the Sept," the Archbishop said with a smile.

The Archbishop was pleased by Comm, Alyn, and Landon's surprise.

But in fact, this was not the true wealth stored in the treasury; the real wealth was underground in this room.

"Lord, are your three attendants absolutely trustworthy?" the Archbishop pulled the Mountain aside and said in a low voice.

"Yes, Your Grace."

"It seems they are all children from poor families."

"Children from wealthy families would also be surprised to see so many piled-up gold dragons."

"Oh!" The Archbishop smiled and lowered his voice, "Lord, the real treasury of the Great Sept of Baelor is underground. What's here is just the tip of the Sept's wealth."

The Mountain was stunned.

The Archbishop smiled slightly.

He told the truth because he didn't want to create hidden dangers for this matter.

If he concealed it, the Mountain would not let it go if the news ever got out.

He supported the Mountain in building up his forces, and the Mountain supported the Sept's development, a win-win situation.

The Sept's huge wealth came from the people of the Seven Kingdoms who believed in the Seven Gods, especially the great nobles. This elite also included the great nobles across the Narrow Sea. The Faith of the Seven was brought from across the Narrow Sea, and there were countless nobles on the continent of Essos who believed in the Seven Gods.

Some great nobles and royal family members, due to some opportunity, being without heirs, or other wishes, would donate all their wealth to the Sept, sometimes including large tracts of land.

Sept friars blessed the nobles, named their children, performed funeral and wedding banquets, treated illnesses and dispelled disasters, and participated in national affairs. The wealth they received could not be calculated in units of 'coins' of gold dragons; often, chests of various valuable items were carried into the Sept's gate. Some great nobles from across the Narrow Sea brought rare treasures when they came to the Sept for prayer ceremonies.

The Great Sept of Baelor had nearly two hundred years of history. Over these two hundred years, under the reverence of the Targaryen royal family, the accumulated wealth had surpassed human imagination.

The most priceless thing was faith itself. When faith occupied the minds of believers, they would contribute all their wealth to it. From the king with the highest power to the most humble servants and slaves, they were all the same.

The Mountain said, "Alyn, Comm, Landon, you three avoid this for now. I have something to say to the Archbishop."

"As you command, Lord," the three said in unison, exiting the treasury.

The Archbishop glanced at the old crone bishop. The old crone bishop understood, took out a delicate key, uncovered a mural on the wall, inserted the key, and turned it gently. The sound of the mechanism turning was very crisp and pleasant, although the sound was very subtle.

The Mountain was amazed by the skills of the locksmiths in this world. These ancient skills would also be amazing in the modern civilization he came from.

The door was opened, revealing a downward staircase. The staircase was not wide. The Mountain glanced at it, and even sideways, his body would barely fit. However, he wanted to try.

People as burly as the Mountain should avoid narrow places, as they could not escape if ambushed.

The Mountain judged that the space below should be large. Since the gold dragons piled above were just the tip, then the wealth piled below was the flesh and bones. If the space for the tip was not small, the space for piling up flesh and bones would naturally not be narrow.

But next time he came to get money, the Mountain would not go down himself. Or perhaps the Archbishop would arrange for his monks to prepare the money in advance. The monks were indifferent to fame and wealth, dedicating their lives to the Seven Gods. What were they doing accumulating so much wealth for over a hundred years?

Baelor I built this Sept and funded the country's wealth. Would the Sept take out money to support the royal family in times of national crisis? Unfortunately, the dynasty had changed, and the current king was no longer a Targaryen.

*

Alyn stood guard at the treasury gate with his hand on his sword, his expression having returned to calm.

Comm Warner, a young clan leader, was still very surprised.

The interior of the Great Sept of Baelor was resplendent with gold, indeed worthy of its reputation.

So many—gold dragons, the piled-up chests were like cargo boxes on a ship.

"Are those chests all gold dragons?" Comm asked Landon in a low voice. He didn't ask the 'knowledgeable' Captain Alyn, fearing that Captain Alyn would laugh at him.

"I think so," Landon said, equally shocked.

Crab Claw Peninsula was a closed-off and isolated world, with poor mountains and harsh waters. The tribal people were very poor. The only advantage was that the harsh environment had cultivated the most excellent warriors and the purest thoroughbred horses. As for gold dragons, most of the poor people had never seen them in their lives. The most commonly used were copper pennies and copper stars, as well as the most convenient barter system.

"Can you calculate how many gold dragons that would be?"

"Tens of thousands?" Landon said tentatively, "Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions."

"Millions, kid," Alyn couldn't help but say, though he usually didn't smile, "So many chests, at least several million gold dragons."

"How much will we get?" Comm Warner gasped.

"A million, maybe two million, it's hard to say," Alyn said.

"How many chests would that be?"

"I don't know how many tens of thousands of gold dragons are in a chest, but in short, several carriages will be needed to pull them," Alyn asserted.

"Lord Mountain said this matter must be kept secret, but if several carriages are used to pull the chests, people will find out," Comm Warner worried.

"Burney is the Minister of Intelligence," Landon Garner wasn't worried.

"Prime Minister Kevan also has his own independent intelligence system," Alyn said.

"Why not devour his intelligence system?" Comm Warner didn't think much of it, "What abilities does that old man have? He has no troops, and when it comes to fighting, I don't think he can even swing a two-handed sword. Why is he sitting in the position of Prime Minister?"

"That's right, his strategy isn't good either. This time's raid to rescue Her Majesty the Queen Mother was all thanks to Lord Mountain," Landon Garner also complained indignantly, "I think our Lord Mountain should be the Prime Minister. Is that old man just relying on being a Lannister?"

"The King is a Baratheon," Comm reminded Landon, "The royal palace cannot be controlled by the Lannisters. The Lannisters have no compassion or honor. That old man's eldest son, Lancel, committed a capital crime. Lord Mountain pleaded for him, allowing him to go north and become a member of the Night's Watch, escaping with his life. I saw that the kid wasn't grateful during the trial. His eyes were full of hostility, and he had no gratitude towards Lord Mountain."

"The Lannisters are the most ruthless people. I hate the Lannisters," Captain Alyn said calmly.

"Her Majesty the Queen Mother is a Lannister!" Comm said.

"The Queen Mother is the same," Alyn didn't mince words.

"But our Lord is now loyal to Her Majesty the Queen Mother. She's different. I can see that," Comm Warner said childishly. He was still just a child.

Alyn snorted coldly, not bothering to refute.

Alyn would never forget the hatred for the massacre of the Northmen in the Tower of the Hand during the palace coup when Eddard Stark was Prime Minister. Those murdered servants, squires, laborers, and stablemen, and guard brothers were like family to him. Alyn and Marwyn and others escaped because they were ordered to go to the Westerlands to capture Lord Leech, who had massacred the villagers of the Riverlands. Beric Dondarrion and the red priest Thoros were among those who went with him that time.

Alyn and Marwyn and others later submitted to the Mountain, while Beric and Thoros became bandits, eventually forming the Brotherhood Without Banners.

As time passed, Alyn began to feel strange. Why weren't Lord Mountain and the Archbishop coming out yet?

Comm Warner and Landon Garner didn't initially feel the length of time. As the night deepened, and all was silent, looking out, all the long corridors within sight, and the sidewalks outside the windows, were completely devoid of people. Only then did they begin to feel like a long time had passed.

"It seems like a long time has passed," Comm Warner said. He poked his head out to look at the corridors on both sides. Other than the bright lights, there wasn't a single figure of a monk.

"It's been a long time. What are Lord and the Archbishop doing inside?" Landon Garner said, "I feel something is strange."

Alyn's heart tightened. The Red Keep had underground passages, and the Great Sept of Baelor also had underground passages. The Archbishop was a former warrior bishop and knew the secrets of the underground passages like the back of his hand. He also knew some of the secrets of the Red Keep's underground passages.

Lord Mountain was alone inside. If the Archbishop was another High Sparrow and ambushed him...

Alyn put his ear to the door. There was silence inside... Something was wrong...

Bang!

Alyn kicked the door open with one foot. Clang, the longsword at his waist was already drawn!

Comm Warner and Landon Garner were shocked and followed in, drawing the longswords at their waists.

The three were stunned!

There was no one inside the treasury.

"An ambush?" Comm Warner said.

"Impossible!" Landon Garner was so nervous he couldn't breathe.

Over this period, the Mountain had become his father. The two privately addressed each other as father and son, and they also did so on some public occasions.

"Find the entrance to the underground passage," Alyn roared.

As a guard captain, he could not explain to himself if his master disappeared.

Most Northmen were inflexible.

As the three hurriedly knocked on the ground and walls, the old crone bishop opened the hidden door on the wall and appeared, followed by two monks.

"Where is Lord Mountain?" Alyn rushed over in one stride and shouted sharply.

Comm Warner and Landon Garner followed closely, their longswords pointed at the old crone bishop. The two young men's eyes were like wolves, their murderous intent overflowing. The young men who had been chatting amiably at the door were completely gone.

Two little beasts, their eyes cruel and merciless. They would kill at the slightest disagreement.

The old crone bishop and the two monks were so frightened that their faces turned pale.

Lord Mountain's guards had too much murderous intent, too terrifying.

The old crone bishop understood the Archbishop's 'honesty'. If the Archbishop hadn't revealed the existence of the underground treasury, perhaps the Mountain would never have known about it. But what if, in some fortunate coincidence in the future, the Mountain found out?

Thinking of the High Sparrow's fate, the old crone bishop shuddered.

"Lord Mountain is below," the old crone bishop said tremblingly, her hand protecting her throat, her arm raised, protecting the vital parts of her chest.

She was really scared.

"Lord Mountain!" Alyn shouted in a deep voice.

"I'm fine. You guys go outside and wait a while longer," the Mountain's voice came up.

Alyn's heart fell to the ground.

He had been frightened when the Mountain disappeared, and he was covered in cold sweat.

Lord Mountain had a weakness: in narrow areas, he couldn't use his strength and it was difficult to escape if ambushed, his burly body became a disadvantage; the second was quicksand and soft mud, the ground couldn't bear his and Red Smoke's weight, and it was very dangerous if they got stuck. Alyn stayed close to the Mountain, responsible for the Mountain's safety, and knew the Mountain's weaknesses very well.

*

Alyn sheathed his longsword: "I'm very sorry, Bishop, please forgive my recklessness."

The old crone bishop's face was still pale, and she forced a smile: "Captain Alyn is very loyal."

Comm and Landon laughed thoughtlessly, without apologizing, and sheathed their swords.

"Go wait outside," the Mountain's voice called up.

"Yes, Lord," Alyn and Comm said together.

"As you command. Father," Landon shouted down in a louder voice.

The three of them exited the door, with the old woman High Septon and the two monks lagging behind a step, not going out, but instead closing the door.

"Basement, sounds very large and hollow," Erlin said.

"Captain, you scared me just now with your jumpiness. How dare those monks attack my father?" Landon said.

"No matter how high the basement is, the space is limited, and besides our own brothers, don't easily trust outsiders," Erlin said, having learned a bloody lesson.

"The High Septon wouldn't, he's a Son of the Seven," Komm Warner laughed.

"The High Sparrow was also a Son of the Seven," Erlin said coldly. "In short, we still need to be careful." He really wanted to say, *damn it, I've been through it, my master was imprisoned, my brothers all died, and even the horses and herding dogs weren't spared*.

After an unknown amount of time, the Mountain and the High Septon finally came out together. Looking at the Mountain, he seemed radiant, while the High Septon, although with a smile on his face, seemed somewhat helpless, somewhat tired, and with a hint of bitterness.

Was he tortured by the Mountain in the basement?

The three guards observed carefully, all remaining silent, and followed behind the Mountain.

"Lord Duke, I want to reconsider your proposal."

"No need to reconsider, believe me, it's definitely right. The glory of the Seven Kingdoms and the wealth of the people are all within your grasp, High Septon. I'm willing to put up ten percent of my gold dragons to do it, High Septon, you also have to put up ten percent of your gold coins. Think about the other side of the Narrow Sea, think about Braavos."

The Mountain's tone was urgent, filled with excited passion. "Braavos developed from a barren island into the wealthiest free trade city-state in just this way."

"Lord Mountain..." The High Septon's smile had a hint of awkwardness.

"I've already decided, High Septon. If you're really not interested, I'll do it. I'll consider your ten percent of gold dragons as a loan from me."

"............"

"Do you want to open the Sept of the Seven to Dorne, the Reach, the Westerlands, the North, and the Isle of Gods in Braavos? And also the nearby city of Pentos," the Mountain changed the subject.

The High Septon stopped and looked at the Mountain.

Obviously, he wanted to!

A dog can't stop eating shit, and neither can people. Everyone has weaknesses.

"Then let's do it according to what I said. Let's do it together. Who would嫌弃making more money? I wouldn't. As the High Septon, would you嫌弃opening more Great Septs of Baelor? You wouldn't, so let's do it this way. We'll put up the capital together, and the money we earn, I'll help you build branches of the Great Sept of Baelor in various places, and you'll be responsible for arranging the High Septons to be stationed in each Sept."

"...Uh..."

In fact, the High Septon could afford the money to build the Great Septs of Baelor in various places, but building Septs required land, required dealing with certain great nobles, and it was best to get a decree from His Majesty the King; as for the other side of the Narrow Sea, sometimes it also required the strength of mercenaries to pave the way, guard building materials, and manage construction sites to deal with local hooligans. The Mountain's ability in this area was the strongest.

"It's decided then. You have no risk, only benefits." The Mountain's words were not a guarantee, nor did they need to be. In order to achieve a goal, sometimes it was necessary to say some unreliable things.

"Okay, Lord Mountain, I believe you," the High Septon said. "Cooperation!"

Anyway, the money in the basement was just piling up. Taking out a portion of the huge wealth accumulated over the past two hundred years to do good deeds was also a form of cultivation. -- However, hearing these words from the Mountain's mouth made the High Septon feel very unreal.

"Cooperation! In the name of the Seven!" The Mountain didn't forget to nail it down.

This was like hammering a nail, you had to knock it in one last time to drive the nail in completely.

"In the name of the Seven, cooperation," the High Septon made up his mind.

The Mountain was relieved.

As long as there was such a sentence, with the Seven Gods included, it was a more secure agreement than signing a contract.

*

The group of four exited the Great Sept of Baelor. The Mountain was very excited and in high spirits. Erlin, who had been by his side for a long time, could tell from the Mountain's breathing that he was finding it difficult to calm down.

"Lord, we're rich!" Captain Erlin said. His voice was full of admiration.

Eddard Stark wouldn't be able to do such a thing, nor would he be able to get rich.

The Mountain had gained both supreme prestige and secretly made a fortune. Erlin couldn't help but admire such a Mountain. He had previously only admired one person, and that person was Eddard Stark, an absolute knight, upright and selfless, righteous and unyielding, with a noble character. Now he only admired two people, one was still Eddard Stark, and the other was the Mountain. The Mountain was number one in martial arts, outstanding in wisdom, always wanting to take advantage, and always gaining great advantages.

This time, the High Septon secretly gave Lord Mountain a large sum of money, and it seemed that he had also been persuaded by Lord Mountain to put up capital to do some business.

The Mountain even knew how to do business, which Eddard Stark could never compare to.

It felt so good just thinking about it.

With Lord Mountain rich and having money, the warriors' food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as their military pay, would no longer be a concern. And for many warriors, military pay was the lifeline of their families. With money, the families of fallen warriors would not have to worry about their lives, the compensation was very high, and there was no need to worry that Lord Mountain would not be able to come up with the money. But following Eddard Stark, Erlin's cloak was an old cloak. The former guard captain, Cesso, even had patched-up old armor.

There was no comparison at all!

The Mountain walked quickly, and Erlin, Komm, and Landon had to trot to keep up, but they were all used to it.

"Captain Erlin, we're rich, but the money we have is dead money. I've found a way to turn dead money into living money, so we don't have to worry about the money running out," the Mountain said.

"Has the Lord learned Littlefinger's method?" Erlin was both surprised and delighted. He admired Lord Mountain even more, and was completely in awe.

The Northerners, under Eddard's leadership, were terrified of being poor!

"Littlefinger's method?" The Mountain inwardly disapproved.

"Yes, everyone says Littlefinger knows magic, grinding a gold coin and turning it into two. He relied on this skill to become the Master of Coin," Erlin said excitedly, his heart almost floating.

The Mountain smiled slyly: "My method is more brilliant than Littlefinger's!"

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