The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 529: Profit Moves Hearts

(Guaranteed Chapter)

*

As the herald on the shore shouted, the Lannisport fleet dispatched a small squadron to shuttle between hundreds of large ships, relaying the order for all captains to go ashore immediately to the Earl's main castle hall.

The Lannisport fleet was a Western military force that managed the port, fought pirates, and primarily countered the Iron Islands fleet.

The captains didn't know what was happening, but they obediently went ashore and gathered on the beach.

Fleet heralds darted back and forth in the port, constantly shouting, "All captains, if you want priority access to the harbor, trade rights, navigational safety, and smooth transactions, gather on the shore immediately and go to the Earl's main castle for a meeting."

The herald's words and the simultaneous appearance of the acting castellan and the Duchess caused unease among the captains.

The port had only recently recovered its vitality. The last time the port's fleet fled was when the Mountain returned, leading troops to Lannisport to demand the murderers of 'Clegane Village'. The port captains were afraid of getting burned. If the Mountain became angry and massacred the city, the port would be set on fire or the goods on the ships would be looted. Many captains sailed their ships away from the port to take refuge in the sea.

This time, there was no news of war, but in the morning, the Lannisport fleet had been dispatched to the outer sea, deploying several warships outside the port. At the time, no one paid attention, but now it seemed to be a deliberate arrangement by the castellan in advance.

The fleet's small squadron moved around the port, ensuring that the captain of every ship received the administrative order: all captains must go ashore to the Earl's Hall for a meeting.

The only reassuring thing for the captains was that all the captains were going. There was strength in numbers. If something happened, the city garrison wouldn't be able to deal with so many captains.

Lannisport was a very prosperous and bustling port. Ninety percent of the West's trade and most of the Riverlands' trade passed through this port. All the iron ore from the Riverlands was transported from this port.

The captains went ashore one after another. The captains already in the city were quickly found by their sailors, who told them to go to the Earl's main castle hall for a meeting.

The castellan had the right to issue administrative orders to any ship doing business in the port, such as regulations for ships entering the shore and berthing. There were also tax regulations for related trade, which would fluctuate slightly depending on the situation.

Half an hour later, hundreds of captains, some accompanied by their hired knights, were led by the acting castellan's garrison towards the Earl's main castle.

Janei walked slowly at the back of the group, the Clegane banner fluttering in the wind.

What made the captains uneasy was precisely the Clegane banner.

The military might of the Clegane army was too great in the West.

The captains had almost no dealings with the Cleganes, but they had heard many rumors and stories about the Clegane army. Now, the most powerful family in the entire West was the Clegane family. Clegane Village, Castamere, Tarbeck Hall, and Crakehall were all within the Mountain's sphere of influence. The Mountain had also subdued more than twenty small nobles between Castamere, Tarbeck Hall, and Crakehall, merging all their territories into the Mountain's sphere of influence.

Within the Mountain's sphere of influence, roads, canals, farmland planning, tax design, population management, castle construction, breeding, and planting were all uniformly planned by the Mountain's maesters, administrators, and architects.

These rumors were big and small, and their meanings were deep and shallow. There were also various rumors about the Mountain's plot for power in the West. Some said this, some said that.

With the Mountain's status as Warden of the West, he was already like a new lord of the West. There were many rumors, but it was the first time that the Cleganes had actually appeared in Earl Osgrey's main castle hall to participate in Lannisport's administrative conference.

Acting Castellan Bancroft sat upright in the castellan's high seat. Lady Janei sat down on the left side of the hall, behind her were solemn guards. Two female generals attracted the attention of many captains.

The captains gathered on the right side.

Bancroft said, "Captains, please stand at the front if you have been doing trade business in Lannisport for many years."

Some captains retreated, some stepped forward. After a period of chaos, about dozens of captains stood in the front.

Bancroft realized that there were too few people. Some captains were unwilling to come forward and were waiting to see. But the port had records of ships entering and leaving the port all year round, because this involved the management of commodity types and the collection of taxes.

Port management, which seemed chaotic with hundreds of ships coming and going, actually had a complete set of rules.

Bancroft had served the Osgrey family for decades. He was a Lannisport service archmaester for life, a lifetime service system. When his life ended, his service would end. At that time, the Citadel would send another archmaester to Lannisport.

Bancroft knew everything about the port's trade, commodities, ships, and personnel coming and going. He knew more than Earl Osgrey himself.

He was Earl Osgrey's chief steward.

The maester glanced at Janei. Janei had already looked at the port's account books. From the detailed tax management statement, she could know how many captains relied on this port for a living all year round.

Janei's talent in scholarship was no less than that of some erudite archmaesters, and she had even more unique talents in medicine. Her memory was also amazing. Although she didn't have a photographic memory, she could keep things in mind.

Janei nodded slightly, signaling to continue, without dwelling on this trivial matter.

The captains were very wary of coming to this meeting. This may be related to their seeing Lady Janei here.

Have the Cleganes begun to interfere in the management of Lannisport?! Where are the Lannisters of the West?! Where are their armies?! Where is their majesty?!

A bad feeling rose in the hearts of the captains!

In principle, the Warden of the West could interfere in any government affairs in the West, or issue new government orders, especially military orders.

Bancroft said, "Captains, from tomorrow onwards, all trade tax collection in Lannisport will be done through the Clegane Bank. In the future, when you pay taxes, please pay directly to the Clegane Bank. The Clegane army will send two thousand-man teams to be stationed in the West Port. Captains who need to hire soldiers can hire them through the Clegane Bank while paying taxes. The port's mercenary business will be fully managed by the Clegane Bank starting tomorrow."

The captains were silent!

Paying taxes to the bank and having the mercenary market all controlled by the Cleganes, this new regulation needed to be digested.

However, not hearing about an increase in the tax rate relieved the captains.

Anyway, it was all about paying money. It was the same no matter who they paid it to.

The captains were more concerned about how much money they paid, not where they paid it.

Seeing that no captain raised any objection, Bancroft continued: "Captain Ferrimon, I heard that you encountered pirates in the Shield Islands waters last month, and you lost both money and goods, suffering heavy losses."

A tall captain with a thick beard walked out of the queue, bowed, and was very respectful: "Yes, Castellan." This person spoke the Common Tongue with a Western accent, and should be a local captain from the West.

"So are you well-off now?"

"I borrowed some money from relatives and friends and bought a second batch of goods, but only half as much as before. I plan to transport it to Lys."

"If you need money to buy another batch of goods, you can borrow it from Lady Janei. I can vouch for you."

Ferrimon was stunned.

"Lord Castellan, you said..."

"I said, I can vouch for you. You can borrow money from the Clegane Bank to buy the other half of the goods. Otherwise, you won't make much money on this trip."

"..." Ferrimon looked at Lady Janei, looked at Bancroft, with an expression of disbelief.

Lady Janei said: "Captain Ferrimon, since Archmaester Bancroft dares to vouch for you, I believe you are an honest man. I can lend you money to buy the other half of the goods, so that you can go fully loaded this time. At the same time, I suggest that you hire a hundred-man team of Clegane soldiers. I guarantee that every soldier will give the pirates a headache."

"Madam, hiring a hundred people, I... I really can't afford it!"

Hiring each soldier was a business cost for this trip.

Ferrimon had suffered heavy losses last time and had to be frugal.

"You can join several captains with good relationships to hire our Clegane mercenaries to ensure the safety of your goods at sea. After completing the business in Lys, we will also guarantee the safety of your goods and money on your return. Whether you encounter pirates or not, no one can say for sure. Clegane warriors are the strongest warriors who have experienced war and are worth the money."

"Madam... I need to discuss it with several captains."

"Okay, if you don't want to hire mercenaries, and just need money, I will lend you money. The loan interest rate is thirty percent for three months."

Since he was the first customer, and since Bancroft vouched for him, Janei decided to 'discount' the business.

The captains were all surprised and immediately began to discuss. Obviously, Lady Janei didn't understand the market.

This interest rate was very low compared to the high interest rates they borrowed on the market, so low that it was unbelievable.

All the captains were moved.

Such a low interest rate filled the captains with—suspicion.

Was it credible?

If Ferrimon unfortunately encountered a storm at sea, and the ship was overturned and he lost his life, Lady Janei's capital would also be considered lost.

It would be impossible for Ferrimon's family to rely on honestly living their lives to pay back this money. Unless the family took on debt and went to sea again.

The money lender was actually taking the same risks as the captains. Once something happened, they would lose everything. This was also why the interest rate for high-interest loans when the captains borrowed was at least fifty percent, generally calculated based on the profit of the goods. If the profit value of the goods was more than three times, the interest rate for high-interest loans would be one hundred percent, borrowing one hundred gold dragons and repaying two hundred gold dragons. And the captains used the borrowed one hundred gold dragons to earn two hundred gold dragons in gross profit after deducting the capital.

In this primitive period, the profit of overseas trade was at least one hundred percent. Without a minimum profit of one hundred percent, no one would be willing to risk their lives to engage in maritime trade. In addition to pirates, there was also the danger of storms. Some regional specialty goods had profits that were several times, dozens of times, or even hundreds of times higher. Huge profits led to the rapid development of maritime trade. What people were willing to risk their lives for were staggering high profits.

Because the profits were high, the interest rates on borrowed money were also ridiculously high. Some people who were willing to lend money calculated it based on the profit of the goods. This was actually a disguised form of investment. One provided money, and the other provided people. It was not a true bank lending rule.

What the Mountain and Janei wanted to establish was the real financial lending rules of the bank. And investment was another way of doing business.

Ferrimon was surprised and delighted, and his heart was excited.

"Madam, we need four months to make a round trip, with a slight delay in the middle. If we encounter a storm when we go to sea, we will return or find a place to take shelter for safety... The time can be as long as half a year..."

"Okay, the interest rate is thirty percent for four months. If you encounter a storm and the time is extended for more than half a year, it will still be calculated according to four months, but the interest rate will be fifty percent. Within half a year, the thirty percent interest rate will remain unchanged."

Fifty percent of the capital, not fifty percent of the profit of the goods. Some lenders, when lending money to adventurers, calculated the profit of the goods when they went to sea, and calculated the profit of the goods again when they returned. If it was calculated as an interest rate, it would be an interest rate of several hundred percent. However, that was a disguised form of cooperative investment and profit sharing, not a bank lending relationship.

"Madam!" Ferrimon was grateful and tearful, "If I come back late, how will you know if I have encountered a storm or if I have gone to another place to do business again?"

"Captain Ferrimon, then you'd better hire Clegane mercenaries to accompany the ship."

This was a good idea. No matter how frugal Ferrimon was, he could hire a knight to accompany him.

When the captains went to sea, they basically hired at least one knight. When they arrived somewhere and went out to talk business, having a knight by their side gave them status and a sense of security.

Ferrimon was excited and knelt on one knee: "Lady Janei, I am very grateful."

The other captains were all moved!

But if they borrowed money, could they get the guarantee of Acting Castellan Bancroft?

Obviously not!

Ferrimon was a Westerner, and Castellan Bancroft knew him well.

The captains stirred!

How much money could Lady Janei's bank lend?

She probably didn't have many gold dragons.

The Clegane Legion had tens of thousands of people, but there weren't many commoners. Raising an army was the most expensive thing. How much capital could Lady Janei's bank have?

Gold mine?

Castamere and Tarbeck Hall had gold mines.

The captains who were familiar with the West immediately thought of Castamere and Tarbeck Hall.

Because of the low interest rate, Janei's bank lending would usher in staggering lending business, an explosive business. Naturally, this business would also be accompanied by huge risks.

How to ensure that the money lent would not 'lose even the capital'. How to ensure the recovery of the capital from some captains with bad character, rather than a one-off deal.

For a time, the captains were eager to try.

Lady Janei remained calm. The low interest rate was her trump card. Flexible grace periods were her strategy. The profit of doing business required coming and going, a steady stream of water.

*

Acting Castellan Archmaester Bancroft raised his hand, and the whole place fell silent.

"Captains, it's not safe to keep chests of money on your ships after selling your goods. Please deposit them in the Clegane Bank. As acting city lord, I guarantee the safety of your money. If anything happens, the city lord of Lannisport will compensate you. When purchasing goods in the West, carrying gold coins can be inconvenient. Please deposit them in the Clegane Bank. After negotiating a deal, both parties can settle the transaction in the bank, ensuring safety and security. Please promote the Clegane Bank to the wealthy merchants, bosses, and captains you know. As long as there is a trustworthy guarantor or collateral in the form of real estate or goods, please come to the Clegane Bank for loans and storage."

"City Lord Bancroft, I come from the city of Pentos across the Narrow Sea. Can I also take out loans from the Clegane Bank?"

"Yes, Captain,"

replied Lady Jane.

The Iron Bank lends money to kings and governors from very distant lands. After the Iron Bank became famous, kings from far away specifically sought loans from them. Stannis Baratheon went to the Iron Bank to borrow money before attacking King's Landing to seize the Iron Throne.

The royal palace of the Red Keep in King's Landing still owes the Iron Bank millions of gold dragons.

The Iron Bank dares to lend money to any king or governor, and Jane and the Mountain also have this goal.