The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Krygon Keep, the great hall.

Earl Odes said, "Ser Gregor, I must first apologize to you for something."

"What is it?" Gregor and Earl Odes sat across from each other at the table, as if an adult were facing a child, creating a natural sense of oppression.

"I have forbidden the taverns in Lannisport from selling your Krygon noodles."

Gregor Clegane did not speak, glaring at the Earl. He was waiting for the Earl to give an explanation. Several knights behind Gregor had already revealed their hostility, and made no attempt to hide it.

Polliver's lips protruded as he slowly licked them. He stared at the Earl with a bit of nervousness, looking at the Earl's throat, possibly contemplating the artistic merit of cutting the Earl's throat and soaking it in a wine vat.

The faces of the four centurions beside the Earl changed.

They all knew that it was best not to joke when speaking here.

The people around Gregor were not normal people. Just by looking at their faces and eyes, the soldiers knew they were not good people.

The Earl laughed and looked at Jeyne and Gavin. He was a little surprised that Earl Gavin was still staying in Krygon instead of returning to Casterly Rock to prepare for the wedding. This was a bit unreasonable. Was there something that needed him here in Krygon?

Krygon was not large, but now it could not be said to be small either. Along the way in, Krygon Village had built more than fifty houses, and was still building them. This was also a bit unreasonable, because the old and new residents of Krygon added up to only thirty households, scattered throughout the territory. To build all the houses for them to live together, thirty households would be enough.

Soldiers and knights had their own barracks to live in, just as priests lived in the sanctuary, so the extra houses would not be for the soldiers.

Passing by, they also saw the stables, at least a stable that could house three hundred horses. This was also a bit unreasonable, because Krygon's cavalry currently numbered less than a hundred, and even if each cavalryman kept two horses for switching, there was no need for such a large stable.

These small details could only indicate one thing: Krygon was still recruiting soldiers and residents.

According to the territorial law, residents could not change lords for life, unless the lord was destroyed due to a major accident or the lord's status and territory were directly stripped by the Duke. Now, in times of peace, neither of these two situations would exist.

Of course, the territorial law was not fully enforced. For example, if two neighboring lords, one of whom was more powerful, used the excuse of a dispute at the border to swallow the other lord's territory and residents, that could also happen. As long as a lord endured it for some reason, these things would happen.

"Ser Gregor, it seems that there are more residents on your territory," the Earl said with a smile.

"Without residents, there are no soldiers. It's not too much for Gregor, a dignified knight, to establish a hundred-man cavalry guard," Miss Jeyne's voice was as beautiful as the song of birds in spring. She smiled charmingly, captivatingly, "Lord Earl, Krygon has not violated the territorial law by developing residents. I just suggested that the Lord Earl build more houses in the future for homeless vagrants and landless poor people to live in. This is not against the law, is it?"

"Of course!" the Earl laughed, "Miss Jeyne, you haven't married into the Clegane family yet, but you are already worrying about Clegane, haha, hahaha, Ser Gregor, congratulations on your good fortune."

"Noodles!" Gregor said dully.

With one word, he interrupted the Earl's chat. This word was like a small thunderclap, rolling in the clouds, which could explode with a crack at any moment.

The Earl laughed again, "Ser, I have bought the largest tavern in Lannisport, the Beetel Tavern. I am having it renovated into the 'Clegane Noodle House'. I have ordered the other nine noodle shops to stop selling noodles. I will raise the price of the noodles from two large copper stars to one silver stag, and only sell them to nobles, knights, big merchants, captains, mercenary leaders, island princes from across the sea, and dignitaries."

Gregor glared at the Earl and said in a deep voice, "I don't agree."

The Earl was not flustered and smiled, "Ser, I have asked my Grey Robe scholar, Bancroft, to calculate it. If we cooperate, with the same sales volume, your income will double. Lannisport is the largest city in the entire Westerlands, and trade with Essos across the Narrow Sea is smooth. Those dignitaries and big merchants who come to Lannisport for trade will definitely eat noodles in the 'Beetel Tavern'. Haha, they also need my, Earl Odes', port docking permit. I assure you, Ser, as long as your Krygon noodles can keep up with the supply, our daily income will be like flowing water. This is a small gold mine."

"I don't agree," Gregor said decisively.

The Earl's face stiffened, and his smile suddenly became awkward.

The Earl suddenly wondered why he was so confident?

He was facing the great demon, the Mountain!

Even if the noodles in the noodle shop opened by Earl Odes of Lannisport were ten times more unpalatable, those nobles, merchants, knights, and mercenary leaders from all over the world would not dare not give face and take care of business, not to mention that the Earl did not sell the noodles to ordinary people at all. And one silver stag was very expensive for ordinary people.

"Ser, why?"

"No reason, disagree is disagree," Ser Gregor raised his voice. The entire hall echoed with Gregor's echo: disagree… agree… ee…

Gregor's voice was like thunder, his eyes widened, and his momentum was like a galloping horse.

Those ignorant mad dogs behind him who only knew how to listen to Gregor's words were all eager to move. Even if they beat the Earl in Krygon, the Earl could only digest it himself, because he would never tell Duke Tywin about it. He couldn't afford to lose face. If he dared to complain, Duke Tywin would definitely scold him.

There was no very serious conflict, and the Earl would not be in mortal danger, but killing a few of his small guards would not be a problem.

"…Ser…" the Earl said with a forced smile, "Actually, I still have…"

"Madam Ellen," Gregor had already turned his head, not giving the Earl a chance to continue.

"Yes, my Lord!" Madam Ellen stood out from the ranks of the retainers, standing dignifiedly, bowing to Ser Gregor and then to the Earl.

"The Lord Earl has arrived, bring all the good wine, good food, and good meat to the table."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Earl Odes, let's go to the dining room, you rarely come here, we will not return until we are drunk today," Gregor stood up.

Earl Odes' face was a little pale, and small beads of sweat appeared on the tip of his nose.

He originally had plans to visit the noodle machine room and the superior flour mill. He originally gave an order that Krygon's mill would never have to worry about the problem of superior wheat again. The largest agricultural trade market in the largest trading port could monopolize the wheat trade with just one word.

"Ser Gregor," Jeyne smiled, very charming, "The Earl is the great lord of Lannisport. He wants to cooperate with you to open a noodle shop. I thought about the pros and cons, and I don't think it will bring any harm to Krygon. Lord, why are you unwilling to cooperate with the Lord Earl? The Lord Earl is a Lannister, and I am also a small daughter of the Lannister family. Ser, Krygon and Lannister are already one family! Why can't we cooperate?"

Jeyne's words hit the nail on the head. The first point was profit, everyone makes money together; the second point was affection, actually implying a desire to be close to the powerful by borrowing the name of Duke Tywin.

"The Earl is too stingy, not sincere enough," Gregor stood and looked at Jeyne, his voice lowered by more than a dozen degrees, as if a giant were trying to please a little fairy in his palm. Then he turned to look at Odes, his voice returned to normal, "Earl, if you promise me a small thing, I will agree to cooperate with you. A small thing for the Earl, but a great help for Krygon."