The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 565: Interest-Free Bank Loans - Paying the Iron Price

(Guaranteed chapter + 2000-word debt repayment, all debts cleared.)

*

The entire Westerlands Allied Forces numbered nearly ten thousand, representing the last of the Westerlands' strength.

The Mountain stood before the ten thousand-strong Westerlands Allied Forces: "Militia, all of you step forward and stand under the militia banner."

With a rustle, countless soldiers carrying weapons moved to stand under Captain Alyn's militia banner.

Though called militia, their weapons were not much different from those of regular professional soldiers.

This was thanks to the 'Wood for Iron' decree implemented in the Westerlands. This order was issued by Duke Tywin, but the true hero was the Mountain.

Within the Westerlands' ten thousand-strong army, the neatly arranged ranks under the banners of various nobles became sparse, leaving only about three thousand soldiers.

Due to the three years of war, the entire Westerlands was ultimately left with only three thousand professional soldiers and mercenaries. Some minor nobles had only a dozen or so professional soldiers under their banners.

Most of the ten thousand-strong army assembled by the Westerlands this time were militia.

Militia: They can be summoned when needed, and they can fight when they come. After the battle, they are disbanded and return to their original roles. Farmers return home to farm, hunters return to the mountains to hunt, fishermen return to the rivers to fish... the people from all walks of life return to their respective occupations after the war.

These people are the foundation of the entire Westerlands. If these seven thousand militiamen were to be used as vanguards and suffer heavy casualties, it would affect the last bit of vitality of the Westerlands' livelihood. After three years of war, each of the remaining militiamen was the pillar of their families.

The Mountain's own forces were far stronger than they had been during the attack on King's Landing. The Clegane soldiers alone could take King's Landing. His purpose in having the Westerlands Allied Forces participate was simply to show the attitude of the Westerlands nobles.

The Mountain's current strength overwhelmed the King's Landing royal guards and Kevan's small private force.

"Fellow militiamen, it's not that I look down on you. You are brave and fearless, and you are worthy soldiers. But the Westerlands needs you to till the land, raise livestock, farm, fish, work as boatmen and sailors; all industries need you. Your wives, parents, children, and siblings all hope that you can return home safely. Now, in the name of the Warden of the West, I declare that all militiamen are dismissed and can return home!"

The militiamen looked at each other in disbelief. After a long while, an earth-shattering roar suddenly erupted!

Fighting meant death. Moreover, when they fought, they had to bring their own weapons, armor, food, and daily necessities according to the old traditions. If they died, they would only receive a small amount of compensation. Sometimes, if their lord died in battle or was impoverished, they wouldn't even receive any compensation. However, if they won the battle, unless there was an opportunity to sack a city, the credit and wealth would all belong to the lord.

The Mountain's announcement that the militia could be dismissed and return home greatly pleased the militiamen.

After three years of war, most militia families had become extremely poor. Many families no longer had men.

Watching the cheering militiamen shout 'Long live the Mountain,' the Mountain and Jeyne smiled.

The Mountain didn't mind the crude militiamen calling him the Mountain!

After a long while, Jeyne raised her hand, and the cheers gradually subsided.

"People, I know that many families have become very poor. Some need money to buy seeds to restore production, some need money to buy food for a few months, some need money to do business, some need money to see a doctor... In short, as long as you encounter difficulties in life that require money to solve, go to the Westerlands Bank in Lannisport. We will lend money to help you overcome your difficulties. Remember, impoverished people who come to borrow money, as long as it is used for production, buying food, or selling goods for profit, the loan will be interest-free. People, the Westerlands Bank does not engage in usury," Jeyne's clear voice echoed far across the plain.

The seven thousand militiamen looked at each other!

Interest-free loans were something they had never heard of in their lives. They couldn't believe it was true. Many were speechless and looked bewildered!

The Mountain's voice boomed like a giant bell: "People, remember, as long as it is used for production, such as buying seeds, or for buying food to feed your families, or for buying goods in Lannisport to sell elsewhere, or for buying animal skins in the mountains to sell in Lannisport, if you lack capital, you can come to the Westerlands Bank to borrow it. The first loan for everyone will be interest-free. The Westerlands Bank is a bank that specializes in lending money to ordinary people. I hereby solemnly promise to all of you in the name of the Seven Gods, the Old Gods, and the Clegane family's honor that the Westerlands Bank will never engage in usury, ever!"

Boom!

The militiamen suddenly erupted in a mountain-like tsunami of cheers, more intense, louder, and more sustained than the previous cheers. Many militiamen were very excited, and their eyes were slightly moist.

Any noble who lent money to the people to save their lives would charge usurious interest, without exception.

The Mountain's move shocked and amazed the people. No one had ever done this before. Moreover, the first loan was interest-free as long as it was used for legitimate production, business, and life. This was unheard of. No respected lord had ever shown such kindness and care for the people as the Mountain.

The Mountain was an evil man, and even if he changed greatly, he probably wouldn't do such an amazing good deed. Therefore, the only person who could have caused the Mountain to undergo such a tremendous change was Jeyne Westerling.

Amidst the cheers of 'Long live the Mountain,' Jeyne's name was also shouted by the people, shaking the wilderness.

The nobles of the Westerlands were all dumbfounded!

The Mountain dismissed the militia, allowing them to return home, protecting them from the sacrifices of war. The nobles of the Westerlands were already grateful for this. The Mountain's protection of the militia was also protecting the producers under their banners. However, no one had expected that Lady Jeyne would publicly announce that the Westerlands Bank would lend money to the people, and that the first loan would be interest-free as long as it was clearly used for legitimate purposes.

Interest-free loans! This shocked the nobles, and most of them thought they had misheard!

But what shocked the nobles even more was that the Mountain promised that the Westerlands Bank's loans would never be usurious.

Lending money to their own people at usurious rates was a common practice among the nobles, and it was also one of the means by which some nobles accumulated wealth. However, the Mountain publicly declared that the Westerlands Bank would never engage in usury.

This turned the Westerlands nobles' surprise into shock!

Under the watchful eyes of the lords of the Westerlands, their people—many militiamen—flocked to the Mountain and Jeyne. They knelt on one knee, expressing their gratitude to Duke Mountain and Lady Jeyne.

An elderly soldier squeezed to the front, knelt on one knee, reached out to touch Lady Jeyne's clothes, and kissed the embroidery on the hem: "The Seven Gods will protect you, my respected and kind lady. Both the new and old gods will bless you, Lady Jeyne. We are truly grateful."

Three years of war had not only impoverished the people of the Westerlands but also impoverished the nobles. Under Duke Tywin's command, the Westerlands had suffered too many defeats. More than twenty thousand of the Westerlands' elite had fallen.

Jeyne quickly reached out to help the old soldier up and said gently: "Old soldier, the doors of the Westerlands Bank are open to you and your family, as well as to your friends and relatives. As long as you need it, come to the Westerlands Bank."

"The new and old gods are above, my heart and soul will forever follow the lady, praying for you day and night," the old soldier said emotionally, as if he were praying.

It seemed that the old soldier might urgently need money to save his family's life. They might have been short of food for quite some time.

Some people flocked to the Mountain, kneeling on one knee and reaching out to touch his armor, as if on a pilgrimage.

Grand Maester Bancroft was shocked. How could the Mountain have so much money to lend to the people of the Westerlands without interest? The news of the Mountain's Westerlands Bank lending to the people without interest would spread throughout the Westerlands within two days. The poor people of the Westerlands were not just the seven thousand people in front of them. Because of the damned war, the cities and villages of the Westerlands were full of poor people.

The Westerlands Bank, with Lannisport as a shareholder, had tried investing a sum of money in it, mainly lending to captains for trade, with interest rates ranging from thirty to one hundred percent depending on the actual situation.

Lady Shatterly was equally incredulous. The people of the Westerlands who needed money were not a small number. Why was the Mountain not charging interest? It was already making these lowly people grateful that he wasn't charging usurious interest. Many poor people, even if they borrowed money from their lords at usurious rates, would be strictly scrutinized, sign the most stringent contracts, and bear heavy debts. Yet, the Mountain was not charging any interest and promised never to engage in usury.

Why was he doing this? This was definitely not the Mountain's character!

This could only be something that Lady Jeyne could do. Lady Shatterly glanced at Jeyne, wondering what Lady Jeyne was trying to do. Buy people's hearts?

Did the Westerlands need to buy people's hearts?

When the Mountain announced that the militiamen could safely return home, he had already won the hearts of the people of the Westerlands!

The Mountain had to support more than twenty thousand family soldiers. Where did his money come from? How had he made a fortune?

Lady Shatterly thought of Castamere and Tarbeck Hall. These two places had been abandoned by Duke Tywin for forty years, and the gold mines in the land had been sealed for forty years. Now, Castamere and Tarbeck Hall no longer belonged to the Lannisters but had become the private territory of the Cleganes. The forty tribes of the Mountains of the Moon had migrated into Castamere and Tarbeck Hall, and the combined forces of the nearby great nobles could not defeat those barbarian soldiers of the Mountains of the Moon.

The seven thousand militiamen shouted the names of the Mountain and Jeyne. Some young militiamen shouted slogans and actively ran back to their lords' banners. They were willing to fight for the Mountain.

When the nobles of the Westerlands were tightening their belts to protect their wealth in order to overcome the difficulties, the Mountain opened a bank and publicly lent money to the people of the Westerlands, not at usurious rates, and the first loan was interest-free. The young Lord of the Golden Tooth, Erwyn Lefford, simply refused to believe that this scene was real! The Golden Tooth had rich gold mines, and in its richest and most powerful times, the money they lent to the people was at usurious rates. Moreover, now was the time when the people needed money the most, which was the best time to charge usurious interest.

Erwyn looked at the Mountain and the fierce generals and warriors behind him. He felt a shiver in his heart. Only the Mountain dared to lend money without interest, dared to lend money to the real poor, because, in this world, it seemed that no one dared to owe the Mountain money and not repay it!

The Mountain Bank was open to the commoners, an unbelievable act of kindness. This caused psychological discomfort to other nobles, but they would slowly adapt as long as the Mountain was strong enough.

*

"Duke, the soldiers of Great Wyk are willing to be the vanguard and attack King's Landing," Lord Gormond Goodbrother of Hammerhorn stepped out of the ranks.

"King's Landing is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. Euron Crow's Eye may have fled to King's Landing. Aren't you afraid of encountering Crow's Eye?" The Mountain looked at Gormond Goodbrother. He knew that Gormond had broken with Crow's Eye.

"Gormond has sworn allegiance to Clegane in the name of the Drowned God," Gormond said proudly.

"In the name of the Drowned God, the Earl must have taken a fancy to the prosperity and wealth of King's Landing."

"If the Duke allows looting after breaking the city, our Ironborn warriors will be very grateful," Gormond said frankly.

Sacking wealthy cities was a tradition of the Ironborn—taking by strength was better than hard labor, which was the Ironborn's creed. The Ironborn's old way was to pay the iron price—that is, to kill others and take their wealth for themselves, which was called paying the iron price.

"You have other more important things to do. The Iron Islands lack a true king, a governor. Earl Gormond Goodbrother, listen to my order," the Mountain said sternly.

Gormond Goodbrother knelt on one knee, his hands hanging down, looking up at the giant-like Mountain. The Mountain's pressure felt even greater when kneeling!

"Earl Gormond Goodbrother, you will lead the Ironborn warriors to take Pyke and capture the acting castellan of Pyke appointed by Crow's Eye, Erik Ironmaker. When you present Erik's head, I guarantee that you will be the new governor of the Iron Islands."

"Yes, Lord Mountain," Gormond Goodbrother punched his left chest with his right fist, making a loud sound.

"I will send Clegane infantry and your main force to attack the Iron Islands' Pyke, Old Wyk, Harlaw, Saltcliffe, Blacktyde, and Oakenshield. The Goodbrother family will unify the Iron Islands and become the new lords of the Iron Islands."

"Yes, Lord Mountain," Gormond Goodbrother said steadily.

"Lannisport in the Westerlands will provide rice, wheat, flour, silk, cloth, and various supplies to the soldiers and people of the Iron Islands. Everyone can trade fairly. The Ironborn do not need to stab the people of the green lands in the chest with their swords to seize supplies. All Ironborn who sincerely submit and fight for me, who listen to my orders, I will surely guarantee your supplies. The Ironborn will be honorable warriors, regular soldiers who receive military pay, no longer the pirates and dishonorable robbers despised by everyone."

"Yes, Lord," Gormond said.

The Ironborn warriors stirred!

Their lives came from the raging waves of the sea, and robbery was the Ironborn's greatest source of livelihood. But the lives of ordinary warriors were still poor. The only ones who made a fortune were the lords and captains.

Many Ironborn raided the sea all their lives, and when they died, they did not have a single gold coin to their name.

The Ironborn warriors had never lived on military pay. Their true meaning was not as soldiers but as pirates and robbers despised by everyone.

They only beautified the Ironborn's looting behavior, calling it paying the iron price, and were educated by the lords and priests to take pride in it.

The Mountain decided to shatter the Ironborn's honor because it was not true honor.

The Mountain scanned all the Ironborn warriors and said in a deep voice, "Looting is your honor, but a sin in our eyes. If we follow your iron price rules, all of you who were defeated today would have been killed and paid the iron price. The Iron Islands, which once rebelled, according to your promoted tradition of honor, all of your families would have been killed by King Robert and Lord Eddard, and there would have been no people left on the Iron Islands long ago. You have chosen to submit this time, and I will not allow anyone to rebel again, otherwise, I will make the Iron Islands pay the iron price."

The Ironborn soldiers were all silent!

They knew what the Mountain meant by making the Iron Islands pay the iron price, which was to slaughter the Ironborn in the way they believed in.

"Do you like paying the iron price?" The Mountain shouted sternly. His voice was like thunder, and his killing intent permeated the air, making it cold.

The Ironborn soldiers and the Westerlands soldiers all changed color!

The Mountain was incredibly powerful and unmatched!

"If you don't like paying the iron price to us, then we, and no one else, will like paying the iron price to you. If you kill someone, they will kill you. Can you understand this principle?" The Mountain finally raised his voice and shouted, his voice like thunder, and the four ten-thousand-strong legions on the entire plain were all awe-stricken and frightened.

Goodbrother's face was pale, and his forehead was sweating.

"There are not many troops left on the Iron Islands. I will send ten thousand Clegane soldiers to conquer the Iron Islands with you. After the Iron Islands return to the rule of Tommen Baratheon I, if anyone among you rebels again, I will never show mercy and will exterminate all rebels, men, women, old and young. The good thing that Balon Greyjoy knelt down and surrendered and was reappointed as the Lord of the Iron Islands will never happen here. It is foolish of Robert and Eddard to rebel if you have the strength, surrender if you are defeated, and then continue to be the Lord."

The Westerlands generals looked at the Ironborn, who did not dare to breathe loudly, and felt extremely happy. Whether it was the Lannisters of Casterly Rock or the Leffords of the Golden Tooth, whether they were nobles or militiamen, they all felt extremely comfortable.

The Iron Islands have long been the biggest hidden danger to the coastal countries. They have rebelled several times and been conquered several times, repeatedly causing great suffering to the coastal towns of the North, the Westerlands, and the Reach. The Farman family of Fair Isle has the deepest experience. Even in peacetime, the Iron Islands do not make big mistakes, but small harassments continue, seriously threatening the free maritime trade of various countries.

Lady Farman of Fair Isle was excited. Only the Mountain's decisive and resolute actions were the right way to solve the hidden dangers of the Iron Islands once and for all!

The opportunity is only given once. If you rebel again, kill all the rebels and support a new lord. This is the real way to subdue the Iron Islands. If they don't listen, then let the Ironborn pay the iron price, and paying the iron price means killing them all!

The Mountain showed no mercy in front of the army and publicly declared that if the Ironborn dared to rebel again, he would not mind turning the Iron Islands into a deserted island.

Tens of thousands of people were silent on the plain, all feeling the Mountain's pressure as if it were real. The Westerlands generals felt a sense of admiration for the Mountain.

When a person is extraordinarily strong and has a firm will, and values both iron-blooded ruthlessness and kindness, his leadership is invincible!

Slowly, the Mountain's eyes fell on Goodbrother's face.

This was the new Lord of the Iron Islands he had chosen!

Goodbrother slowly knelt down on one knee and said, "Lord Mountain, I beg you to allow the three Goodbrother brothers to stay by your side, join your guard, and be three deathsworn by your side."

Count Goodbrother had thirteen daughters in total, but only three sons, triplet brothers. The eldest son, Greyton Goodbrother, the eldest of the three brothers, is the family heir.

"I accept your request, Count Goodbrother," the Mountain said lightly.

The three brothers were both the Mountain's deathsworn guards and the Mountain's hostages.

The Westerlands generals all understood that Count Goodbrother was also a ruthless man, leaving all three of his sons by the Mountain's side to show his loyalty.

This move was rare.

Generally speaking, in hostage situations, leaving only the eldest son is enough to show one's loyalty.

The eldest son, the heir to the family.

Perhaps the Mountain's words were too harsh just now, causing Count Goodbrother to leave all three of his sons by the Mountain's side.

The Mountain said, "Count Goodbrother, you have thirteen daughters in total, how many are not yet married?"

"Reporting to Your Lordship, there are still nine young daughters who are not yet married."

"Count, the marriage of your nine daughters will be left to Lady Jeyne to worry about."

The Westerlands knights, generals, ladies, knights, centurions, and soldiers were all shocked.

Lord Mountain is really thorough in his work!

"Rest assured, Count, there are many knights in the Clegane Legion, in the Westerlands nobles, and in the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms who are both civil and military, handsome and young. I will carefully find nine heroic young men for the nine young ladies of the Goodbrother family and will not let them be wronged."

This is actually a good thing!

The nobles on the Iron Islands, men must marry Ironborn women as rock wives, but women are different, they all want to marry into the Green Lands to enjoy a better life.

Lady Jeyne also has a plan, which is that Goodbrother's three sons will also be married to women from Westerlands noble families, and will not allow them to marry rock wives again.

To truly change the Iron Islands, it must start with marriage. Many of the closed traditions of the Iron Islands, such as the tradition that men must marry Ironborn women as their legal wives, must be broken.

*

A few days later, the Mountain's army split into two routes. One route, three thousand Ironborn under the leadership of Count Goodbrother, accompanied by ten thousand Clegane soldiers, with a total of two hundred and seventy warships, and eighty ships requisitioned from the Westerlands, a total of three hundred and fifty warships, set off for the Iron Islands.

The other route of the army, three thousand Westerlands allied forces as the vanguard, seven thousand Iron Islands surrendered soldiers as the central army, and the Mountain led eight thousand Clegane elite cavalry and infantry to guard the rear, and the army set off for King's Landing.

Conquering the Iron Islands and taking Kevan Lannister in the royal palace were carried out simultaneously by the Mountain.

With strength on display, the Mountain does not need to fight on a single front.