The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“The Summer Isles!” Mountain said.

Everyone was stunned.

“The Summer Isles are in the southernmost sea, and the islands are home to several small countries, which are actually just small tribes. It's time to bring the Summer Isles into the Westeros continent.” Mountain scanned the crowd and said slowly.

“Your Majesty, I request to lead the Arbor navy to conquer the Summer Isles,” Count Horas Redwyne said resolutely.

“Count Horas Redwyne, I will give you a thousand Royal Navy warships and three months to take the Summer Isles.”

Horas knelt on one knee: “Your subject obeys. I will take the Summer Isles within two months.”

“Oh, two months? What if you fail?”

“I am willing to sign a military order,” Horas Redwyne said sharply.

“Good.” Mountain looked at Hand Jon Connington, “Lord Hand, please draft a military order for Count Horas to sign.”

“Your Majesty, the Summer Isles have long been on good terms with Westeros. Their island's fruits sell well in King's Landing, and many royal nobles also do business in King's Landing. Your Majesty wants to conquer…”

“It's not I who am going to conquer, it's Count Horas Redwyne.”

“Your Majesty, the kingdom has been at war for many years, and winter has arrived. Soon, King's Landing will also have snow. I don't think it is appropriate to send troops to the Summer Isles in the south.”

“Lord Hand, my mind is made up, don't say any more,” Mountain said decisively.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Lord Hand Jon, your shortcoming is that you don't know how to be flexible, you are rigid and limited, and your vision is not high enough.”

Jon Connington seemed not to have heard the King's evaluation of him. He had a servant bring paper and pen, and he wrote the military order on the table of the courtiers.

Count Horas Redwyne stepped forward excitedly and signed the military order.

The nobles of the Reach all knew that Horas had no military talent. He was a playboy, and his greatest strength was knowing the characteristics of every brothel in King's Landing. He was an expert in going out and having fun.

Horas Redwyne's martial arts skills were also very average. When it came to fighting, his speed of escape was still very fast.

Mountain used Horas Redwyne to conquer the Summer Isles. Whether it was the nobles of the Reach or the courtiers and generals of the dynasty, no one was optimistic about him.

In such a situation, Horas dared to sign a military order, which was simply a waste of his life.

Horas Redwyne's life may not be important, but the king handed a thousand warships into his hands, which was very likely to suffer heavy losses.

On the islands of the Summer Isles, there are several small countries. They are good at fighting in the mountains and tall trees. They also have navies, but they are all small boats driven by several people, which are very fast and come and go like the wind. The warriors of the Summer Isles are very good at archery, and the arrowheads are covered with poison.

Jon Connington originally wanted to advise Mountain to replace him with someone else as the commander of the naval fleet, but Mountain ordered him not to participate in any military affairs of the kingdom, so he reluctantly held back his words.

Among the courtiers and generals, there were many wise courtiers and even more generals with outstanding military talents. Jon Connington was a little strange that no courtier or general stood up to remind the King to be careful in using Horas Redwyne.

In fact, it wasn't that no courtiers and generals stood up. When Jon bowed his head to write the military order, several courtiers and generals stood up, but they were stopped by Mountain's eyes.

More courtiers and generals tacitly did not move again. They remained silent.

Perhaps His Majesty will personally lead the dragons in battle. He is in the sky, and Horas Redwyne is at sea.

His Majesty eliminated Willas Tyrell, but reused the Redwyne family. The nobles saw this clearly. The Redwyne family and the Tyrell family had many marriages and had a deep relationship. Mountain killed all the Tyrell family, but he did not avoid the Redwyne family.

Mountain became the sole agent merchant of the Redwyne family's world-renowned 'Arbor Gold' before he even sat on the Iron Throne, earning immeasurable wealth. Moreover, he will continue to make money continuously.

Perhaps it is precisely for this reason that His Majesty decided to help the Redwyne family take the remaining islands and expand the sea territory by more than double.

Or perhaps, the Redwyne family had already reached some kind of tacit understanding or agreement with Mountain that was unknown to outsiders.

The Summer Isles are more than two thousand miles away from the coast of Dorne. Chataya, the owner of the most upscale brothel in King's Landing, is from the Summer Isles. During Robert's time, there was also an exiled prince from the Summer Isles who became Robert's courtier. The exiled prince hoped that Robert would lend him troops to fight back, and Robert agreed after getting drunk. Later, Robert went to the brothel for a few days and then returned to the palace, and completely forgot about this matter.

In the end, the prince failed to borrow troops and eventually became a general under Robert. He also participated in the national martial arts competition when Eddard Stark was the Hand, and was eliminated in the jousting competition.

Speaking of the Summer Isles, the courtiers and generals of King's Landing and the nobles of the Reach are no strangers to them. That is the southernmost part of their known world. Because of the hot weather, even in winter, the Summer Isles are still as warm as spring. The people on the islands have two characteristics: first, they like to use feathers as decorations, and second, their skin is as black as night.

After Count Horas Redwyne signed the military order, he handed it to Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard. Ser Barristan Selmy took it, turned and went up the steps, and handed the military order to Mountain.

Mountain took the military order and glanced at it. It had to be said that Horas was a military idiot, but his handwriting was very good. He was a noble who had been educated and cultivated.

“Commander-in-Chief Waggener, you will be Count Horas Redwyne's deputy and lead a thousand Royal Navy fleets. Depart in ten days and go with Count Horas Redwyne to take the Summer Isles and bring the three kings on the islands to King's Landing.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Sea Lord Waggener stepped out of the line and bowed.

“Lord Davos Seaworth, you will be the vanguard general of this team.”

Davos Seaworth is proficient in the water conditions of various sea areas and is an absolute expert.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the Onion Knight said in a muffled voice.

“Count Horas, go to Chataya's brothel in Oldtown immediately and bring Chataya and her daughter to me, and say that I have invited them.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Although Horas Redwyne was appointed by Mountain as the commander of the naval expeditionary force, Mountain arranged the vanguard, deputy general, and thoughts on the islands for him one by one.

Horas Redwyne is just a nominal puppet general. However, the strength of the Redwyne family cannot be underestimated by any great noble. Among all the great nobles, whether it is the Mormont family of Bear Island, the Hightower family of Oldtown, or the Lannister family of the Westerlands, only the Redwyne family's navy has been the only noble force that can directly resist the Iron Islands navy for a long time.

After Tywin's efforts, the Lannisters of the Westerlands had only dozens of naval warships. The Redwyne family's navy had more than three hundred warships, and its strength exceeded the total of all other noble navies. During Robert's time, the Redwyne family's navy easily crushed the Royal Navy fleet.

Robert's Royal Navy fleet, at its strongest, had only fifty ships. Usually, it maintained around thirty ships. If there were more warships and soldiers, the royal family would not be able to afford it and would not be able to pay military salaries.

Soon, in the throne room, Mountain arranged the generals, logistics, command, and accompanying scholars for the navy expedition to the Summer Isles.

While waiting for Chataya and her daughter to arrive, Mountain stood up and said, “Ser Reynard Westerling, step forward.”

Reynard Westerling stepped out of the line.

Mountain said: “In the name of the New and Old Gods, the Protector of the Realm, the Master of War, Duke of Dragonstone, Dragon Knight, Lightbringer, the Godson who killed the Night King, King of the Crab Coast, King of the Rhoynar, the Andals, and the First Men, I hereby grant Ser Reynard Westerling of the Crag the title of Duke, Lord of Highgarden, Lord of the Reach.”

Reynard Westerling trembled slightly with excitement. He knelt on one knee, bowed his head, pressed his right fist against the heart of his left chest, swore allegiance to Mountain, and swore in the name of the New and Old Gods—never to betray!

Sansa Stark's beautiful face turned slightly red.

Catelyn Tully, next to Eddard Stark, was also very excited. She looked at her beloved daughter Sansa, and Sansa was also looking at her. The two mothers and daughters were in sync and were very excited.

After Reynard finished his oath, he did not get up. He signaled to Sansa, and Sansa Stark walked out and knelt on one knee beside Reynard to Mountain. In the name of the Duchess, she swore allegiance to His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen, and finally swore the same oath: Never to betray!

Mountain, standing on the seven steps, had a mountain-like aura. He raised his right hand and signaled Reynard and Sansa to get up. The young Duke and Duchess got up together, both with radiance on their faces.

Mountain looked at the nobles of the Reach and said, “In the name of the gods, let the royal family and the royal courtiers and generals witness the nobles of the Reach swearing allegiance to the new lord in the throne room. Count Crane, start with you.”

Mountain's words were orders.

Count Crane of Red Lake was named by Mountain, and he did not dare to be negligent in the slightest. He strode out and knelt down to Reynard and Sansa to swear allegiance.

For half an hour, the nobles of the Reach swore allegiance to Reynard one by one. Reynard was dull in words, but Sansa was knowledgeable and courteous. Since she was a child, her parents had hired scholars to carefully cultivate her. She was proficient in all noble etiquette and coping skills. She responded kindly to every noble's oath, politely comforted every noble, and responded appropriately and calmly. From beginning to end, there was not the slightest mistake.

*

In the afternoon, the gates of the Red Keep opened wide, and two war horses slowly walked out, with two white-robed knights on horseback—the Kingsguard. Following closely behind were the Royal Guards, led by Bronn and Podrick Payne.

Behind the Royal Guards were His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen. Both were riding horses. Behind them were Daenerys Targaryen, Prince Doran Martell, Hand Jon Connington, Duke Eddard Stark and his wife, Duke Reynard Westerling and his wife, Duke Gendry Baratheon, Hand Jon Connington, Spymaster Varys, Master of Coin Petyr Baelish, Grand Maester Qyburn, Sea Lord Waggener, Commander of the City Watch Rolph Spicer, Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard, and Barristan Selmy the Bold… Behind the courtiers and generals were the nobles from the Reach and their accompanying knights. Behind this group were three Kingsguard and three gold-cloaked hundred-man teams bringing up the rear.

This group of hundreds of people, led by two Kingsguard and the Royal Guards, passed through King's Road, to Flea Bottom Square, through Flea Bottom Gate, and headed to the Royal Navy docks on the Blackwater Rush.

The final destination was a high platform on the Royal Navy dock that was tightly covered with tent canvas.

This was a high platform that the nobles of the Reach felt was very mysterious. Whether they came to King's Landing by boat or by Rose Road, they would cross the Blackwater Rush, and after crossing the Blackwater Rush, they would see this high platform guarded by heavy troops.

The crowd came to the high platform. Soldiers had already formed a defensive formation, blocking the fishermen, porters, sailors, mercenaries, servants, free people, and captains from all over the world and their entourage on the periphery.

The nobles of the Reach saw a team of pyromancers appear from the crowd. Under the guidance of the Royal Guards, they separated the crowds of onlookers and walked into the inner circle. His Majesty the King greeted them busily, his words and expression were very humble.

This greatly surprised the nobles of the Reach.

Pyromancers were no longer famous in the Seven Kingdoms. Even if they could refine the terrible wildfire, their status, value, and reputation were not comparable to the bishops and monks of the Great Sept of Baelor.

The status of pyromancers in the Seven Kingdoms was once above that of the bishops and monks of the Faith of the Seven. When the dragons disappeared and magic gradually lost its power, the various magic spells of the pyromancers were also severely affected and gradually lost their power. Their status also plummeted, and eventually they became a situation where even the common people did not respect them.

“Great Sage,” Mountain was very respectful to the leading pyromancer elder. The nobles had never seen Mountain have such an approachable side. This was simply incredible and unbelievable.

After a while, the crowd on the periphery surged, and the people watching the excitement automatically separated into two sides. A group of people came, and it was the High Septon of the Great Sept of Baelor.

The High Septon wore a tall seven-pointed crystal crown, which was adorned with beautiful jade. Behind the High Septon were the seven high septons and their monks and nuns.

The monks and nuns followed the seven high septons in two columns.

After His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen, the Great Sage, the High Septon, Her Majesty Queen Daenerys, Prince Doran of Dorne, Duke Eddard Stark of the North, Duke Reynard of the Reach, and Duke Gendry Baratheon of the Stormlands greeted each other politely, His Majesty the King gestured, and the Great Sage clasped his hands together to pay tribute to the King and Queen, and then led three pyromancers to the high platform.

The Great Sage personally pulled open the canvas covering the high platform, and a giant object shining with metallic luster appeared in front of everyone. This was a heavy cannon in the shape of an iron dragon. Next to the cannon stood King's Landing's most famous weapons master, Tobho Mott, and 'Duke Blacksmith' Gendry Baratheon, who had just ascended the high platform.