The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Boom!

The worker who tried to sneak attack Luke clutched his neck and fell into a pool of blood, his body and limbs twitching incessantly, clearly beyond saving.

Luke, covered in blood and exuding a murderous aura, wielded his twin short swords.

Clang!

The boss's short knife fell to the ground.

The four shop assistants were completely terrified.

Old Man Lawfer was even more shocked, his eyes unable to move, as still as a wooden chicken!

This poor, sour boy is Lady Jane's personal guard, Luke?

Lady Jane, the wife of Duke Mountain, this boy is actually the lady's guard?!

Yesterday at dawn, Lawfer lined up in front of the bank gate, and this poor boy quickly arrived, dressed in tattered and old clothes like him, looking like a pauper.

How could he be Lady Jane's personal guard?!

Lady Jane has two personal female generals, famous in the West, brave and invincible, one is General Brienne from Tarth, and the other is Zerigalda, known as the Bull.

Both female generals are taller and stronger than ordinary knights, and no less than the strongest male knights.

This Luke, is he a warrior under these two female generals?!

But, Lady Jane's guard, with such a noble status, how could he dress like a poor boy and mingle in the streets?!

Old Man Lawfer didn't know how he walked out of the flour shop; he felt like he was dreaming.

When he went to the seed shop to buy seeds, he still felt like he was walking on cotton.

The flour boss sold him a bag of flour, and originally didn't want to charge him, but Luke wanted the boss to trade at the normal market price, so the boss accepted a piece of flowered paper from Old Man Lawfer and chose the finest white flour for him.

The four shop assistants dragged their colleague's body into the backyard and quickly fetched water, silently scrubbing the ground clean.

Luke killed someone in a street shop.

People came and went outside the street, and some witnessed the bloodshed and immediately reported it to the Clegane soldiers patrolling the street.

Two Clegane soldiers arrived, but judging from their expressions, they didn't recognize Luke.

It turned out that Luke had used makeup to change his appearance.

This ability to change his appearance made Old Man Lawfer feel like it was black magic from a wizard.

Luke revealed his identity to the two Clegane soldiers.

He ordered the two Clegane soldiers to guard the gate, put down the curtain, and not allow outsiders to enter.

Luke took off his bloody clothes inside the counter and changed into a clean set of worker's clothes.

He then asked the boss to be his eyes and ears, reporting to him any shop owners on this street who refused to accept paper money transactions.

The flour boss nodded repeatedly, wishing he could stab himself in the heart and swear to Luke that he was absolutely loyal to Lady Jane and absolutely obedient to Luke.

Luke scared the flour boss out of his wits!

Old Man Lawfer didn't know when Luke had parted ways with him, nor did he know what Luke and the flour boss had said later.

In short, the boss and Luke were behind the counter, Luke spoke and the boss nodded desperately, his face pale.

Luke's changing gaze and raised tone made the boss tremble with fear, his body constantly shaking slightly.

*

Several days later, Lannisport, the main hall of Earl Aude's castle.

Archmaester Bancroft, the acting city lord, sat in the high seat, with several wealthy merchants standing on the right side of the hall.

They were all wealthy merchants in the city, living here for generations, with many descendants, owning many properties in Lannisport, their businesses covering spices, beer, flour, millet, silk, glass, ironwork, rouge, medicinal materials, fabrics, and many other aspects.

"Archmaester, my spice shop's manager was killed yesterday by a man named Luke," Milne Irwin, the leading spice merchant, said first.

His emotions were steady and peaceful, and he was not angry because a spice shop manager under his command had been killed.

"Luke? Who is he? A mercenary?" Bancroft heard this name for the first time.

"Lord Archmaester, Luke is one of Lady Jane's personal guards.

He disguised himself as a poor boy, carrying sharp weapons, entering and leaving the market, killing people at the slightest disagreement, cruel and ruthless."

Bancroft was stunned.

As far as he knew, there was no Luke among Lady Jane's personal guards.

But the lady's personal guard corps now has two hundred people, and he doesn't know many of the new guards.

"Why would Luke kill the spice shop's manager?" Bancroft sat up straight and slowed his tone.

"Lord Archmaester, my manager didn't know about Lady Jane's promotion of bank paper money.

Someone came to buy spices with bank paper money and was rejected by him.

This person was followed by a poor boy, and everyone thought the boy was the customer's sidekick, who knew he was Lady Jane's personal guard, Luke.

When my manager scolded Luke for meddling, he drew his short sword and killed my manager in one fell swoop.

His sword pierced into my manager's mouth, Lord Archmaester.

Now my spice shop is closed, and the workers are too scared to do anything."

Bancroft pondered for a long time: "Lord Milne, I remember you attended the bank paper money meeting convened by Lady Jane, why would your spice shop's manager not know the lady's orders?"

"Lord Archmaester, after the meeting, I went to the West City Port to inspect the goods, and this inspection took several days, I forgot to inform the spice manager about the bank paper money matter."

"Lord Milne, it's been a week since the lady held the meeting, you should have convened a meeting of the managers of your shops as soon as you returned."

"Yes, Lord Archmaester, that was a business oversight and mistake on my part, but Lady Jane's guard cannot kill my spice manager for this.

In the West, murder is illegal, even if he is Lady Jane's personal guard, he should be arrested."

Bancroft shrugged his shoulders: "Lord Milne, are you really planning to have me send troops to arrest Guard Luke and bring him to justice?"

Milne Irwin's face suddenly became embarrassed, his tone very helpless: "Lord, of course I know it's not appropriate for you not to send troops to arrest Guard Luke, but what I want to say is that the Clegane Bank issuing paper money to replace gold dragons, silver stags, and copper stars is actually seizing the wealth of all the people in the West, Lord Gregor is not only damaging my interests, but the interests of everyone in the entire West, including your Lannisport's interests."

Another wealthy merchant stepped out of the line, his words intense: "Lord City Lord, Mountain printing some simple pieces of paper can exchange for our gold, silver, and brass, this is blatant robbery, he is robbing the wealth of all the nobles, merchants, farmers, hunters, fishermen, women's colleges, and everyone else in the West, we cannot let Mountain seize it like this."

Another wealthy merchant also came out and said loudly: "Lord Archmaester, if we cannot stop Mountain's bank paper money from being issued, then, as long as Mountain is happy, he can print a lot of paper money tomorrow and then buy the entire Lannisport."

"The Lannister family of Lannisport is also the owner of the bank, I won't let Mountain do that," Bancroft said astringently.

*

This is indeed a problem, as long as Mountain is happy, he can print as much paper money as he wants and then buy all the goods on the market.

But who can stop Mountain from doing this?

Since the news of Mountain beheading Kevan spread to the West, the entire West was shaken, and the Lannister family almost no longer had any influence in the West in terms of power.

The ancient nobles who had been loyal to the Lannisters for hundreds of years also defected, taking the initiative to go to Clegane Village to be close to Lady Jane, sending gold, silver, and jewels, deliberately showing goodwill to Mountain, almost kneeling down and swearing allegiance.

Soon, the news of the conquest of the Iron Islands spread to the West, and everyone in the West was excited.

Mo A'shan's prestige shone over the West like the midday sun in the sky.

From ancient times to the present, the Iron Islands have never been conquered by the people of the West, and Mountain has created a miracle.

Mountain's military power is increasing day by day, and his power is increasing day by day.

In the West, who can stop Mountain from promoting the bank paper money plan in the West?

Bancroft believes that only one person can stop it, and that is Mountain himself!

*

"Lord Archmaester, you cannot stop Mountain's paper money plan," another wealthy merchant said.

Bancroft looked and saw it was the city's nobleman, May Humphrey.

May Humphrey is the Baron of Lannisport, and his family has long relied on the port for business, making him a wealthy man in Lannisport.

May Humphrey said slowly: "Lord Archmaester, I have learned that when Mountain announced that he would lend money to the poor free of charge, you quietly withdrew most of the Lannister family's funds, leaving only a small amount of money in the bank, Lord, you are actually afraid of losing money from the free loans and want to sever the bank's connection with Mountain."

May Humphrey's connections are very wide, he is popular among merchants and nobles, so it is not surprising that he knows such secret news.

Bancroft looked at this group of wealthy merchants.

In fact, there are very few nobles among the merchants, but the merchants have good relationships with the major nobles.

Like May Humphrey himself is a noble family.

These wealthy merchants are gathered together, and each of their private mercenaries numbers either dozens or hundreds, and all of them together have thousands of military forces.

Many mercenaries also come from across the Narrow Sea, and some wealthy merchants with multiple trading ships also hire some knights with good swordsmanship as personal guards.

"Lord May Humphrey, your news is not accurate.

The Lannister family of Lannisport is still one of the owners of the Western Bank.

The bank will not issue paper money indiscriminately, I can guarantee this to everyone."

"That would be best, Lord, we can't object to Lord Mountain's paper money plan, but we can't accept Lady Jane's forced promotion of the bank paper money plan.

Guard Luke has killed not only one spice manager of Lord Milne Irwin in the market, he has killed several shop owners who refused to accept paper money transactions.

Lord, Guard Luke is destroying the legal authority of Lannisport."

"Lord May Humphrey, who do you think can go to war with Lady Jane?" Bancroft said very, very slowly.

"If it weren't for Mountain and the Clegane army, our Lannisport would have been looted by the Crow's Eye army, and your shops and wealth, and the women of your families would have all been robbed.

Everyone, think about it not long ago, who blocked the Ironborn and pirates from looting and killing you?

Just a few days ago, who conquered the Iron Islands?

Making the Ironborn surrender!

From then on, your trade ships can run rampant in the Sunset Sea without worrying about the looting and attacks of the Ironborn."

Bancroft couldn't deal with Mountain and Jane, so he could only try his best to appease these merchants and nobles.

"We have not forgotten Lord Mountain's kindness and merits, and we don't dare to go to war with Lady Jane," Baron May Humphrey said.

"But if Lady Jane forcibly promotes paper money transactions, we are worried that the newly peaceful West will be in chaos because of this.

In the end, all the nobles and people will rise up against Mountain and Lady Jane, and the result will not be beneficial to Lord Mountain and Lady Jane.

We hope that Lord Archmaester can express our opinions tactfully.

We are willing to select a few representatives to talk to Lady Jane and find a solution that satisfies both parties."

Bancroft realized that he had underestimated the merchants' will and determination!

When the merchants' interests were violated, these merchants showed extraordinary courage, which shocked Bancroft.

Talking to Lady Jane actually requires great courage and bravery, and may even bring about a death sentence.

But looking at the expressions of these wealthy merchants, they really wanted to try.

The great spice merchant Milne Irwin said: "Lord Archmaester, if Lady Jane forcibly promotes paper money transactions, the West may soon be in chaos.

I think that in the end, all the people of the West will rise up against Lord Mountain, which is probably not the situation that Lord Mountain wants to see.

Lord Mountain is the Guardian of the West, he is responsible for protecting the people of the West, but if he loses the love of the people of the West, it will be an irreversible harm to his prestige and power."

"We hope that Lord Mountain, the people of the West, and our merchants will all become better together, not the opposite," Baron May Humphrey said.

Archmaester Bancroft completely understood the good intentions of this group of wealthy merchants + nobles.

They didn't want to really stop Mountain from making money, and they didn't want to be enemies with Mountain, but they hoped that Mountain couldn't make money in this way: just printing a few pieces of paper could exchange for all their wealth.

The merchants' wealth is the merchants' lives!

Bancroft stood up and walked slowly on the high platform.

The wealthy merchants closed their mouths, their eyes following Bancroft's figure.

This was crucial, if Lord Bancroft was not willing to talk to Lady Jane, the wealthy merchants were also prepared for the worst: evacuating Lannisport, leaving the place where their ancestors lived, and going far away to other places.

"Okay, don't take any impulsive actions yet, I'll talk to Lady Jane first, and you wait for my news."

The faces of the wealthy merchants all relaxed!

Baron May Humphrey took two steps forward, clenched his right fist and placed it on his left chest, and bowed slightly: "Lord Archmaester, when are you going to see Lady Jane?"

"Now!" Bancroft said, "Lord May Humphrey, change your clothes and go with my personal attendants."

"Yes, Lord!"