The Mountain of Ice and Fire

There's a famous saying in Chinese Confucian culture: 'Trustworthiness is the foundation of a person; without trust, a person cannot stand.'

This saying applies to individuals, as well as to business, politics, military affairs, and the state.

To make the Clegane lands wealthy and the army strong, the first thing to do is to establish trust in the Westerling lands!

There's a wealth of wisdom in Chinese culture regarding establishing trust, and there are too many classic stories of great figures. Just picking one at random will do!

For example, Shang Yang, the mighty figure who made the Qin state strong through his legislation, his 'establishing trust by moving a log' can be used.

*

As the Earl of Kayce, looking at the complete map of the territory spread out on the table by the Mountain, Earl Gawen said, "Ser Gregor, Kayce is only capable of recruiting three hundred more infantrymen at most."

Earl Damon couldn't help but laugh 'ha', then his playful gaze swept from the Mountain to Earl Gawen, circled around, and then returned to the Mountain's face.

Earl Leo didn't laugh, but he changed his posture, leaning back in his high-backed chair, completely relaxed!

The show is starting!

"Recruiting five hundred infantrymen is no problem, just raise taxes," Lady Sybelle raised her slender neck high. Her elegance and grace were no less than any noblewoman, but unfortunately, her identity as the daughter of a spice merchant was a thorn pricking her self-esteem.

"Raise taxes? Our taxes are already very high. Higher than the taxes of the surrounding nobles. I firmly oppose raising taxes!" Lady Jeyne said.

"Those commoners are very cunning, Jeyne, you're too young and too kind, you don't understand them at all. Their cellars are full of grain, but they'll only cry to you that the harvest is bad and there's no food to eat. That soon it will be July and all the milk will have to be poured out, and so on," Lady Sybelle sneered.

Earl Gawen looked at the complete map of the family territory that he hadn't seen in a long time and said, "If we want to conscript soldiers, we can indeed consider raising taxes, otherwise what will we use to support the army? We're about to enter July, and in July and August, the temperature rises. What if this year there's another outbreak of milk fever? All the milk in the Westerlands will have to be poured out, and not only will the commoners in our territory suffer huge losses."

Milk, a very good nutritional product, is highly likely to cause milk fever in the two months of July and August every year. People who drink milk will experience various illnesses and fevers, which is acceptable, but the key is that the mortality rate is very high. People attribute this to the wrath of the Stranger among the Seven Gods. When the Stranger is dissatisfied with the actions of the commoners, he will cause deadly bacteria to breed in the milk in July and August of the year, and the most serious cases can cause a nationwide plague through the milk.

There's still more than a month before July arrives.

"Lady Sybelle is very correct. Raising taxes is definitely a great idea. Haven't you noticed that the commoners on the land we returned to the Westerling family are very wealthy? Raising taxes on these guys to support the army will definitely work. It's within their ability to bear. What do you think, Lord Mountain?" Earl Damon's left hand tapped on the map of the territory that used to belong to him.

The Mountain cursed 'fuck you' in his heart. You dog bastard, you're so bad. I want to enrich the people and strengthen the army. I can only reduce taxes, not increase them. "The Earl is very right, I completely agree!" The Mountain said. He swept his hand across the map, including all the commoners, "If each household increases by half a silver stag a month, that's several hundred silver stags more in income per month. The commoners on the newly recovered land are very wealthy, and the population has also increased a lot. We can also raise taxes a little more. If they don't want to pay money, they can give grain instead."

"Good idea!" Earl Damon gave a thumbs up and laughed heartily.

Earl Leo also said, "That's right. For any noble who raises an army, raising taxes on the commoners is a good way. Everyone does it this way. The purpose of raising an army is also to protect the personal safety and property of the commoners. They should pay a little more money."

The Mountain chuckled.

Damon is a wolf, and Leo is a jackal!

They can't wait for the Westerling family to collapse faster!

Especially since this collapse is starting under the Mountain's leadership, that's even better!

Lady Sybelle seemed afraid that she wouldn't appear foolish enough: "Lord Gawen, let's do it this way. Let Maester Ysilla calculate how much more tax we need to collect if we recruit five hundred infantrymen, and how much more we need to add if it's a thousand infantrymen."

"That's right, exactly like that," Earl Damon laughed, "Maester Ysilla, Earl Gawen, Lady Sybelle, you must let your tax collectors tell the commoners that Lord Mountain has offended the entire Northern nobility, and there's a possibility of war between the Northern nobles at any time, especially the Marbrand family, which is my family. We will definitely come to take revenge. Collecting taxes in advance to support the army is to protect their lives and property, and has nothing to do with the Westerling family's noble display and vanity. Haha, hahaha!"

Earl Leo echoed with a smile, hoping that Earl Damon wouldn't hold the debt of the severed hand against his head, even though he had ordered the city gate to be opened.

Earl Gawen and Lady Sybelle's expressions turned ugly.

The Mountain, on the other hand, was composed, trying to watch the performance of the scum present.

Jeyne said, "Ser Gregor..."

The Mountain raised his hand to stop Jeyne from speaking and said, "Raising taxes is a good idea, let's do it that way. But with such heavy taxes added, I'm afraid the commoners in the territory won't believe it when they receive the decree. They'll think the Westerling family is joking. I have a way to let the commoners know that we are as good as our word and do what we say. Anyone who dares to disobey the order will have his right hand chopped off, just like I treated Earl Damon."

The smile on Earl Damon's face suddenly stiffened, as if he had been punched invisibly.

Earl Leo was also suddenly embarrassed and couldn't laugh anymore.

The Mountain didn't seem to see the embarrassment of the two earls at all and smiled, "Speaking truthfully is the foundation of a lord. When a lord has no credibility, his commoners will not believe the decrees he issues. Maester Ysilla, send the order down. Five days later, which is the day of my wedding with Lady Jeyne, I will erect a wooden pillar at the gate of Kayce. Any commoner in the territory who carries the wooden pillar from the city gate to the gate of our main castle will be rewarded with one gold dragon."

Maester Ysilla was stunned!

Earl Gawen, Lady Sybelle, Jeyne, Earl Damon, and Earl Leo all didn't understand the Mountain's intention and were confused.

The Mountain smiled and said, "I know you all won't believe it, but I'm telling the truth, a piece of wood for a gold dragon. Of course, many commoners won't believe it either. Oh no, I misspoke. All the commoners won't believe it, but there will definitely be many people who come to watch the excitement."

Jeyne frowned: "Ser Gregor, what if no one dares to move this piece of wood all day long?"

"Then we'll wait until the next day."

"What if no one ever dares to move this piece of wood?"

"There definitely will be!" The Mountain smiled, "A gold dragon is a huge sum of money, equal to thirty silver stags, two hundred and ten copper stars, and more than ten thousand copper pennies. With a heavy reward, there will definitely be brave men."

"Even if someone moves this piece of wood, what help will this be for the tax decree that will be issued next? It won't help at all!"

"It will help. I swear in the name of the Seven Gods and the honor of House Clegane that the commoners in the entire territory will abide by the next decree, everyone will have no complaints, and they will be grateful to the Lord!"

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