The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The first night that the Mountain and Daenerys took up residence in Astapor.

Lenn, Grey Worm, Jorah, and Missandei each led two hundred Unsullied soldiers, prepared to respond to any sudden incidents.

Night fell, and Astapor's lights remained on.

Wind lamps on all the city's pyramids, large and small, were lit one by one.

Outside the royal palace's pyramid, the spire, the body, and the gates were all hung with wind lamps and lit one by one.

The lights illuminated the night in Astapor.

Sitting on top of the pyramid and watching the city's lights was a grand spectacle.

Inside the royal palace's pyramid, hundreds of candles, as thick as a child's arm, were lit, illuminating every corner of the palace as if it were daytime.

Princess Arianne Martell was tired and went to sleep early.

The Mountain accompanied a somewhat sentimental and excited Daenerys, sitting on the top of the royal palace's pyramid.

It was unknown where the dragon sheep thief had gone, but the black dragon Drogon was squatting on the spire, as if he knew his master's thoughts and hadn't gone far.

The white dragon Viserion had also disappeared early.

Dragons are very independent animals, and when they arrive in a new place, they always like to go to the mountains to catch some wild game. After getting used to the Mountain's cooking, eating some rough food is another kind of pleasure and attraction.

The city had not issued a ban; the night market was open, and the pleasure houses were still doing business. Countless citizens were drinking and reveling in the streets, lighting bonfires and dancing. This night, it seemed, was the happiest and most joyous festival for all the city's people.

The Dragon Mother's return and her announcement that she would not leave again caused the lowest-level citizens to cheer and sing. All the slaves in the city's prisons had been released, and dozens of slave markets, large and small, had been ordered to close. All the slaves were released at the same time, and thousands of slaves regained their freedom.

A considerable number of the slave criminals imprisoned in the royal palace's prison by the Butcher King were originally the city's benefactors, captains, wealthy merchants, and free people. There were also some Unsullied soldiers and centurions who, because they disagreed with the Butcher King Kleide's various cruel decrees, had been turned into slave criminals by the Butcher King.

Now, in the basement of the royal palace, the Butcher Kleide had become a prisoner.

He would be publicly tried by a council composed of priests, scholars, and doctors. Once the charge of treason was established, Kleide would be beheaded in public.

A butcher who killed pigs was able to become a proxy king by supporting the Dragon Mother, and he also had some extraordinary courage. When Daenerys attacked Astapor, the Butcher Kleide gathered a group of deathsworn men to join the battle and help the Dragon Mother occupy Astapor. After the Dragon Mother left, the Butcher King began a bloody suppression and punishment of anyone in the city he didn't like. In the end, his royal authority exploded, and he restored the slavery system that the Queen had abolished.

Kleide had resolutely embarked on a path of no return.

*

On the open-air terrace at the top of the royal palace's pyramid, the Mountain and Daenerys were comfortably reclining on soft couches. In front of them was a sandalwood small table, with spice candles lit on the table. A silver hourglass was placed on the small table. The hourglass was used for timing.

During the day, according to the Mountain's method, all the city's benefactors had been ordered to be responsible for the security of their respective areas, ensuring that there would be no killings by the Sons of the Harpy. If one occurred, the benefactor in the area where it happened would be beheaded.

The Mountain was very confident in this plan, and Daenerys also agreed, but in her heart, there was still a hint of unease. She didn't want to provoke conflicts with the benefactors, nor did she want to be completely sharply opposed to them. Daenerys's engagement to Hizdahr was purely for political reasons and had nothing to do with love.

The Mountain's approach this time was very radical, and Daenerys couldn't change his mind. She ultimately chose to follow.

The terrifying thing about the Sons of the Harpy is their faith!

Based on her experience in capturing and fighting the Sons of the Harpy four years ago, Daenerys knew that every warrior of the Sons of the Harpy would not fear death.

They were not afraid of death at all, that was without a doubt.

But the Mountain believed that the benefactors would be afraid of death. The benefactors also wouldn't want to be exterminated.

And Daenerys also knew that the supporters behind the Sons of the Harpy were the benefactors.

Watching the hourglass drip the last grain of sand, it indicated that it was already midnight. On the streets of Astapor, people were still reveling, and no scouts had reported any bloody incidents from the four cities in the southeast, northwest, and northeast.

Outside the royal palace in the military camp, a thousand Unsullied and four generals were already prepared to respond to any sudden incidents. Their armor had not been taken off, and their spears, shields, and short knives were ready. They stayed in the military camp, just waiting for an order.

With the Mountain and the black dragon accompanying Her Majesty the Queen, Jorah Mormont and Missandei were sent by Daenerys to the military camp to be with the soldiers.

The night wind blew, bringing the cheers and laughter of the whole city. The reveling people didn't know that on top of the royal palace's pyramid, their Queen was still worried about their safety.

Daenerys had never tried such an undefended night in Astapor, letting the liberated slaves and free people revel as they pleased.

This was also the Mountain's idea.

The Mountain's ice sword was also ready. As soon as there was news to report from anywhere, he and Daenerys would rush to the scene immediately. The Mountain's ice sword was not going to cut off the heads of the Sons of the Harpy, but the heads of the benefactors in the area where it happened.

The Mountain was very confident in his heart.

He knew that there would definitely be no homicides tonight.

No benefactor's neck could be harder than the sharp blade of the ice sword, and that was the strongest guarantee.

Even if the benefactors wanted to resist, it wouldn't be tonight. They had to change their strategy and think of other ways.

But the Mountain already had the next plan.

The Sons of the Harpy would be curbed and then assimilated.

Conquering any place, the initial difficulties are definitely present. The Mountain had no sympathy for the Sons of the Harpy, nor had he thought about reconciliation. He knew that he couldn't change those people's minds. To completely change those people's minds, he had to start with the next generation.

This generation of the Sons of the Harpy, they would be completely suppressed and disintegrated, and that was without a doubt. If he couldn't do it, then Astapor would return to the tricky situation that Daenerys had once faced.

*

Princess Arianne Martell woke up, and it was already dawn.

She felt like she had slept extremely comfortably.

Arianne had no worries in her heart, she didn't care about the threat of the Sons of the Harpy at all. She also didn't feel anything about everything that Daenerys was worried about.

She was carefree and slept very soundly.

She got up, washed up with the help of the maids, drank milk with honey, ate toasted, fragrant, and hot bread, and after dressing up, she went out.

The interior of the pyramid palace was very large and luxurious, full of splendor, allowing Arianne to appreciate the luxurious lives of the former great benefactors.

The pyramid palace was the residence of the great benefactors who once ruled Astapor.

Arianne came to the main hall, but she didn't see Daenerys and the Mountain.

Wasn't this the time to handle government affairs in the main hall?

In fact, being a king was not as comfortable as being a princess.

Every day, there were too many government affairs to handle. The citizens' petitions formed a long queue from the moment the palace gates opened. Arianne shuddered at the sight of the queue. Arianne only held meetings with the highest-ranking courtiers for government affairs in Dorne, and never received citizens' petitions.

Arianne had seen the Mountain handling the citizens' petition queues in the throne hall in the Red Keep in King's Landing.

Many people lined up in the corridor outside the gate of the throne hall before dawn.

Daenerys was the same as king in Astapor. Yesterday, Daenerys did not announce that she would receive citizens' petitions. She had more important things to deal with, which was to issue a safety decree to all the city's benefactors. However, there were still many citizens lining up outside the palace to see Her Majesty the Queen. Those people petitioned Her Majesty the Queen for anything, even trivial matters such as disputes with neighbors. These very temperamental citizens would also run to Her Majesty the Queen to petition.

No matter how big or small, they all came to petition.

Arianne felt very good when she saw the petitioning queue. She knew that this would make Daenerys very tired, but she didn't have to be.

But this morning, it was so late, but the Mountain and Daenerys were not here to handle government affairs.

Lady Emily, Missandei the maid, and soldiers, scholars, and doctors were standing on the Queen's high steps.

"Missandei, where is Her Majesty the King?" Arianne asked.

"Her Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen are at the top of the tower."

"The top of the tower, aren't they handling affairs today?"

"Today, Lady Emily, Lady Sherry, Scholar Claude, and I will handle the citizens' petitions together," Missandei said.

"Take me to the top of the tower," Arianne said to the maid beside her.

She was very proud to be pregnant, so Daenerys arranged four maids and four guards for her.

"Yes, Your Highness Princess."

Arianne came to the top of the tower and saw the Mountain and Daenerys leaning together.

"Good morning!" Daenerys said, looking radiant.

"What are you doing up here?"

"We've been here all night last night," Daenerys said with a smile.

Arianne looked suspiciously at the Mountain, then at Daenerys: "You didn't sleep all night last night?"

"Yes, we didn't sleep."

"There was no movement from the Sons of the Harpy last night?"

"A small miracle, no Sons of the Harpy came out to kill last night."

"Not even one?" Last night was a reveling Astapor. In such an environment, it was easiest for the Sons of the Harpy to come out and kill people, and it was also easiest to cause panic.

"Not a single one," the Mountain stood up, looking down at the city scenery composed of pyramids, and said, "What happened last night confirmed that the Sons of the Harpy are controlled by the benefactors. In this way, things will be easier to handle. The Harpy warriors are not afraid of death, but the benefactors all want to live to be a hundred years old."

*

Several horses came to Balaora Street.

The leading general was Grey Worm.

He jumped off his horse and knocked on the gate of a pyramid.

The gate opened, and two mercenaries stood inside.

"Call Benefactor Kerk out, Her Majesty the Queen has an order."

Soon, Benefactor Kerk came out, his face smiling brightly when he saw it was Grey Worm.

"General, please come in and sit down."

"No need, Her Majesty the Queen has ordered that Benefactor Kerk, Benefactor Christine, and Benefactor Achille of Balaora Street must immediately go to the palace. There are government affairs that need to be discussed with the three benefactors."

"Christine and Achille have already gone?" Kerk's eyes wandered.

"Not yet, you are the first. Quickly get on your horse and come with me to invite Benefactor Christine and Benefactor Achille," Grey Worm had never had a good impression of benefactors, and his tone was not polite at all. His Unsullied soldiers had also suffered abuse and torment from the benefactors since they were young, and they were full of hostility towards all benefactors.

"Yes. I'll go change into my Toka robe."

Soon, Benefactor Kerk, Benefactor Christine, Benefactor Achille, and Grey Worm, surrounded by Unsullied soldiers, headed towards the palace.

"General Grey Worm, Her Majesty the Queen summoned us, is there anything urgent?" Kerk asked with a smile.

"I am only responsible for delivering the order, Benefactor Kerk, I know nothing about the rest," Grey Worm said coldly.

Benefactor Christine took out a purse embroidered with a hidden harpy pattern from his pocket. The purse was bulging and full of gold coins. He handed the purse to Grey Worm: "General, you've worked hard. This is a small token of appreciation, please buy the soldiers a drink."

Grey Worm took the purse, expressionless: "Thank you, Benefactor Christine, I will distribute the money to the brothers."

The three benefactors all smiled along.

The attitudes of Benefactor Kerk and the other two benefactors had changed somewhat from yesterday. They flattered, cooperated, were humble, and obsequious. This attitude made Grey Worm very uncomfortable. He preferred these benefactors to be cold and arrogant.

The group came to the palace. Outside the palace gate, the citizens who came to petition had formed a long queue again.

Grey Worm led the three benefactors in, and Kerk found that no other benefactors had arrived.

The Dragon Mother only summoned the three of them, which made Kerk and the other two feel a little uneasy.

In the main hall, the three benefactors saw Her Majesty the Queen sitting high on the throne. The fierce King Mountain was also sitting on it this time, and his huge body made Queen Daenerys look like a beautiful girl.

"Benefactor Kerk, do you know about the Iron Bank of Braavos?" The Mountain spoke first.

"Your Majesty, I have heard of it."

"The Iron Bank, Braavos, Pentos, Norvos, Lys, Volantis, Myr, and Tyrosh, the nine major free trade city-states, all belong to me."

"Oh?!" Kerk couldn't hide the shock in his heart.

"The Iron Bank will open a branch bank in Balaora, a bank named after me: Clegane Bank," the Mountain said. The Iron Bank had a great reputation in Essos, hundreds of times greater than the reputation of Clegane Bank. The Mountain wanted to set up a Clegane Bank branch in Astapor, so he borrowed the momentum in the name of the Iron Bank.

"Oh, the Iron Bank branch bank is opening in Balaora? This is our honor," Kerk said respectfully.

"This is the paper money issued by the Iron Bank. You, Christine, and Achille can take a look and familiarize yourselves with it first," the Mountain took out the Clegane Bank's paper money, Missandei took it, walked down the high steps, came to the bottom of the steps, handed several kinds of paper money with different denominations to the three benefactors, and explained the value of each paper money to them one by one.

The three benefactors listened—somewhat inexplicably.

The Mountain said, "Esteemed sirs, both Essos and Westeros will soon be exclusively using Clegane Bank's paper currency. All the gold, silver, and copper coins in your possession can be exchanged for paper money of equal value at any Clegane Bank branch. Initially, the common folk of Astapor might resist the introduction of paper money. Therefore, some individuals need to set an example. In return, I will allow you three masters to invest in the Clegane Bank branch. I now formally invite you to join the Iron Bank."