The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 601: Littlefinger's Treachery

(Today is Monday, two updates, here is the first chapter.)

*

A man without foresight will soon have worries!

The Mountain has foresight!

He thinks far ahead, about many things, but the war with the White Walkers in the North isn't a big concern.

Regarding the war between the Northern army and the Night's Watch against the White Walkers, the Mountain has decided to provide spiritual support and selfless material assistance. As for risking himself personally, the Mountain's principle is to push it if he can, and deal with it if he can't.

With the Dragon Queen's massive military strength as backup, the Mountain hopes that the Clegane forces can avoid the war with the White Walkers head-on, in order to preserve their own strength.

The death of other people's legions is more in line with the Mountain's interests than the death of his own.

Since transmigrating to this world, the Mountain doesn't have the passion and lofty ideals to become a savior, unless he can also have dragons. He knows the general trend of the world: the White Walkers will be defeated by humans again, this is the destined ending. This continent has experienced the darkest moments. At that time, the human forces, weapons, the situation, and the degree of division between humans and humanoids were worse and more fragile than now, but humans still defeated the White Walkers, this is the will of the gods on the continent!

Since he doesn't plan to lead troops to the Wall to be a savior – that is the mission of Daenerys Targaryen, the Dragon Queen – the Mountain naturally has other plans: to develop his own strength: quietly develop his military and economic power.

Whether it is military or economic strength, it requires the most important resource: talent!

In Gulltown, there is a special kind of talent: skilled tailors!

This is where the best tailors in the Seven Kingdoms gather. The clothes produced here are sold all over the world, as far as the cities of the distant East, the other end of the world: the giant city of Asshai, twenty thousand miles away.

Gulltown is famous for two things: one is the wheat beer brewed by the Riverlanders, which is sold to the nine Free Cities across the Narrow Sea; the other is skilled craftsmen: the unparalleled local tailors!

Every port city has its own unique characteristics. For example, White Harbor in the North has another kind of skilled craftsman: silversmiths with unique skills!

If you can make exquisite silverware, you can make exquisite goldware.

This time, the Mountain brought troops out not only to seize tailors in Gulltown, but also to bring a group of silversmiths from White Harbor in the North to the Westerlands to make exquisite gold and silver ware.

Exquisite clothing and silverware are high-profit commodities that the rich people of Westeros and across the Narrow Sea are most interested in.

The Manderly family, vassals of the Stark family, are the lords of White Harbor, but Lord Manderly did not make good use of the silversmiths of White Harbor. The Grafton family of Gulltown did not respect the remarkable talents of the local tailors, who have been passed down from generation to generation!

The Manderly family and the Graftons have not formed an industrial chain in this regard.

The Mountain's military purpose this time is not to work for the Lannister family. The Dragon Queen will launch a large-scale attack on Westeros in the near future. Geographically speaking, the Dragon Queen will first attack the cities along the Narrow Sea, rather than the Westerlands on the other side of the continent.

At that time, the Mountain's Dragonstone will become the Dragon Queen's first stop and first battle!

The Mountain doesn't want to fight Daenerys in the first battle! He decided to hand over Dragonstone when Daenerys arrives. Gavin Westerling, the administrator of Dragonstone, will lead all the troops back to the Westerlands.

The Westerlands, isolated in a corner, needs talents to become rich and strong.

Talent is not only fierce generals who can ride horses and fight, nor is it just scheming ministers. Talent is also farmers who can cultivate the land, weavers who can weave cloth, craftsmen who can make gold and silver ware, weapon masters who can forge sharp swords, construction workers who can build castles...

Since no great nobles value, protect, develop, and respect the various technical talents among the common people, the Mountain has decided to change this situation. He will improve the social status and income of skilled craftsmen, and introduce a large number of these truly useful talents from all over the world!

The world-renowned tailors of Gulltown, who are not highly regarded, do not know that their fate is about to change as they tremble with fear!

*

In the Eyrie, the main hall is full of Vale nobles.

On the throne in the hall sits Lysa Tully, as fat as a mountain. For more than two years after the death of Hand Jon Arryn, she has been in a good mood, taking eating as the basis of her happiness, and quickly fattened herself into a super-fat woman who has difficulty walking and even more difficulty 'going down the city in a basket'.

But this does not affect her good mood, because Littlefinger Petyr Baelish's love for her has not weakened because of her unbearable obesity.

Petyr Baelish loves her very much! Whether she is fat or thin!

In the arms of Lysa Tully on the throne is eight-year-old Duke Robert Arryn, and next to her stands Duke Petyr, Littlefinger, who looks like a lord. The castle's maester and captain of the guard are standing on the next level of the steps.

In the center of the hall is the famous Moon Door, and under the colonnades on both sides of the Moon Door stand the nobles of the Vale. The eight powerful nobles of the Vale are all here. They are here to oppose Lysa Tully's marriage to Duke Petyr, and to oppose Duke Robert Arryn becoming Lord Petyr's adopted son, and firmly oppose – Petyr becoming Robert's guardian and managing the Vale with Lysa Tully until Robert Arryn comes of age.

Lysa Tully looked at Petyr, who was wearing a noble dress. Petyr stood upright, unrestrained and suave, with a silver mockingbird, his self-created coat of arms, pinned on his chest!

From top to bottom, in Lysa Tully's eyes, Petyr Baelish was noble, talented, and unparalleled.

Petyr Baelish had no smile on his face. He slowly took out a letter and said lightly: "Lord Yohn Royce of Runestone, Lord Corbray of Heart's Home, Lord Corwyatt of Coldwater Burn, Lady Waynwood of Ironoaks, Lord Redfort of Redfort, Lord Hunter of Longbow Hall, Lord Belmore of Strongsong, Ser Symond Templeton of Ninestars... The Mountain is here, with more than a hundred warships and more than ten thousand warriors, and has besieged Gulltown. May I ask you, my lords, who dares to lead troops to repel the enemy?"

The noisy hall suddenly became quiet!

A young man stood up: "Duke Petyr, when did the Mountain besiege Gulltown?"

"Gyles Grafton, half an hour ago." Petyr waved the letter in his hand, "This is a letter from your father, Lord Gerold Grafton, to the Eyrie. He is asking Duke Robert Arryn for help."

"Duke Petyr, what did my father say in the letter?"

"Lord Gerold said that the Mountain has made a request, not to attack Gulltown within half a day. After half a day, as long as the Vale does not reply that it submits to Tommen Baratheon I, the Mountain will destroy Gulltown, then break through the Bloody Gate, burn the Giant's Lance, and sweep across the Vale plains."

"Lady Lysa, the Mountain cannot break through Gulltown in a short time." Bronze Yohn, the head of the most powerful Royce family in the Vale, stood up and said, "I am willing to go down the mountain, return to Runestone, and lead Runestone's navy around the Mountain's navy to attack the Mountain's fleet."

"Lady Lysa, I'm afraid that's not appropriate." Ser Lyn Corbray stood up. He is the brother of Lord Corbray and the heir to the family, "There is not enough time."

The powerful and influential nobles in the Vale all addressed her as Lady, and no one addressed him as Duke Petyr, which clearly showed their exclusion and hostility.

Petyr Baelish was not affected by the nobles' disrespect for him at all. He still acted as a lord, without any self-awareness: "Lord Yohn Royce, it will take you two days and two nights to go down the Eyrie, seven days and seven nights of forced march to return to Runestone, two days and two nights of rapid march to gather the navy and go around to Gulltown Harbor, a total of eleven days without stopping. Do you think Gulltown can last until eleven days later?"

Bronze Yohn was speechless!

Gyles Grafton was anxious. He is the youngest son of Lord Gerold, and was sent to the Eyrie by Lord Gerold to be a guard for Duke Robert.

"Duke Petyr, what do you think we should do?"

"Reply to Lord Gerold, the Vale submits. The siege of Gulltown is lifted," Petyr said.

Boom!

The Vale nobles were in an uproar. Although he is a knight, Ser Symond Templeton of Ninestars, whose strength is not inferior to that of an earl, stood up and shouted: "Lady, King Robb Stark of the North has sent troops south, crossed the Neck, and entered the Twins. We would rather serve the King of the North as king than the Lannister's bastard!"

His words were echoed by the Vale nobles.

Littlefinger Petyr smiled slightly: "I agree with Ser Symond's point of view. So, Ser Symond, would you be willing to be an envoy to swear allegiance to the King of the North on behalf of Duke Robert Arryn of the Vale?"

"Lady, I am willing!" Ser Symond said, "Symond is willing to be the envoy of the Vale to swear allegiance to the King of the North."

"We will not swear allegiance to Robb Stark," Lysa Tully said decisively. She looked at Littlefinger, "Duke, why do you think we need to swear allegiance to the Northmen? Even if the Mountain destroys Gulltown, can he break through our Bloody Gate? He cannot. No one can break through our Bloody Gate, unless the Mountain has a dragon!"

"No, Lady, I think we can swear allegiance to Robb Stark and the Iron Throne at the same time. As long as they don't come to trouble us, don't pay large taxes, don't obey orders or listen to summons, a false verbal promise can avoid real war, why not?"

Littlefinger's words caused a burst of boos from the Vale nobles! Many people cursed Littlefinger for being unhonorable and a shameful sheep dung lord, the scene was extremely chaotic!

Before becoming the Duke of Harrenhal, Petyr Baelish's fief was on Littlefinger Peninsula on the easternmost side of the Vale – the Fingers. On Littlefinger Peninsula, there is only goat dung and moss, as well as turbulent waves and brown rocks.

When the Vale nobles express their anger and contempt, they like to humiliate Petyr Baelish as a sheep dung lord.

Gyles Grafton shouted: "My lords, Gulltown is the richest, largest, most prosperous, and most populous city and port in our Vale. If Gulltown is slaughtered by the Mountain, it will be a huge loss to our Vale."

"We cannot send troops to fly to Gulltown within half a day, but we can send a raven with a letter to the Mountain. I respect your opinions on how to write this letter. But I want to remind you: for the sake of Gulltown's safety, reach a consensus as soon as possible!"

"Sheep dung lord, according to your opinion, should we pretend to agree to the Mountain first?" Ser Lyn Corbray said.

Lyn is a famous swordsman, and owns a Valyrian steel sword: Lady Forlorn! He became famous in the Usurper's War eighteen years ago. He killed a famous figure of the royalist army on the battlefield, and his father rewarded him with the Lady Forlorn sword as a reward for his honor.

"On the battlefield and in politics, there are falsehoods and truths, and truths and falsehoods. Of course, my opinion does not meet Ser Symond's requirements for honor, but I want to remind you that the Vale has always been loyal to the Iron Throne. This time, in order to save Gulltown from being burned into a pile of garbage by the war, it is worth pretending to fool the Mountain."

Ser Symond sneered: "Duke, you said to swear allegiance to the Iron Throne, and also to swear allegiance to the King of the North. After the news spreads, how will the Lannisters and Starks view the Vale people? How will the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms view us? If the Lannisters and Starks send envoys to inquire at the same time, how should we answer?"

"I think this is very easy to answer, Ser Symond. If the Iron Throne sends someone to ask, I will answer that we are just pretending to agree to the Northmen, but we are sincerely loyal to the Iron Throne. For the Northmen, my answer is the same. Why not let the lion and the wolf fight to the death? When they are both defeated and injured, the Vale will preserve its strongest strength. At that time, it will be easy to support whoever we want, or if we want to gain more power in the palace, or if we continue to maintain our independence."

Ser Lyn Corbray said: "My lords, I think Lord Littlefinger's despicable tricks are a good temporary solution."

Littlefinger smiled slightly, his face was thicker than the city wall, and he was not ashamed!

"Then let's do it!" Lysa Tully said, "Just a verbal false promise, first stabilize the Mountain and let him withdraw his troops. Our Gulltown cannot be looted, we all have shops and merchant ships in Gulltown."

"This is ridiculous, my lords, all the knights in our Vale will lose their honor," Ser Symond shouted.

Littlefinger's mischievous smile appeared on his face: "My lords, after stabilizing the Mountain, Ser Symond can lead troops to attack the Mountain's garrison in Gulltown. Lord Yohn Royce can also lead the navy to attack the Mountain's warships. I support you in how you want to abuse the Mountain. Also, tell you, hurry up and reply, otherwise Gulltown will be in danger."

After a burst of impassioned shouts, everyone raised their hands to vote, and the nobles who agreed to pretend to surrender verbally prevailed. The maester immediately replied to Lord Gerold Grafton, asking him to verbally tell the Mountain that the Vale submits to the Iron Throne.

Letting people tell verbally, not in black and white, is an invalid surrender. There are too many excuses to go back on it in the future. For the sake of Gulltown, most people still think that Littlefinger's expedient measure is appropriate, although it does not conform to the excellent qualities of loyalty, courage, enthusiasm, and integrity of the Vale nobles.

The maester wrote the reply and took it to Lady Lysa Tully. The Lady didn't look at it at all, and waved her hand to let the maester present the letter to Littlefinger: "Maester, from today onwards, all correspondence, large and small matters, please let Duke Petyr know first."

"Yes, Lady!" The maester said respectfully.

The nobles in the hall looked at each other!

They had already spoken ill of Littlefinger too much in front of Lady Lysa Tully, but the lady had clearly not listened to a single word. She still granted power to the Duke of Harrenhal in the Riverlands, which already indicated that the person she wanted to marry was still Littlefinger, and not any of them.

The maester presented the letter to Littlefinger, who took it and frowned slightly. He modified the letter on the spot, folded it, and instructed the maester to go to the maester's tower to release the raven.

Before sealing the wax, the maester opened the letter and took a quick glance: 'To Lord Jaremy, relay this to Duke Gregor, the Vale submits to the Iron Throne. Please have Duke Gregor lead troops to attack Runestone immediately.'

Runestone, the castle of House Royce, the most powerful family in the Vale, is located on an island within a U-shaped bay.

The maester sealed the letter with wax and released the raven!

At the same time, in the main hall of the castle, Littlefinger stood beside Lysa Tully's high throne and announced with a smile, "Lords, I am here to announce a major event. My wedding with Lady Lysa Tully will be formally held in seven days. Whether you agree or disagree, attend or not, we will be officially married."